Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge (Blog Hike #885)

Trails: Nature, Wetland Boardwalk, and Prairie Trails
Hike Location: Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Geographic Location: north of Monroe, LA (32.60448, -92.05136)
Length: 1.25 miles
Difficulty: 0/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: December 2021
Overview: A double loop featuring a long boardwalk over open water.
Refuge Information: https://www.fws.gov/refuge/black-bayou-lake
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=896005
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: Near Monroe, take I-20 to US 165 (exit 118).  Exit and go north on US 165.  Drive US 165 north 7.5 miles to Richland Place and turn right on Richland Pl.  At the next intersection, bear right to stay on Richland Pl.  Drive Richland Pl. east 0.8 miles to the second signed refuge entrance on the right.  Turn right to enter the refuge, and park in the paved parking lot in front of the Visitor Center.

The hike: Established only in 1997, Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge is centered around its namesake 1600 acre lake.  The refuge is located within the city limits of Monroe, and many local residents and college groups come here to recreate and study.  The lake is also the City of Monroe's back-up water source, and it is managed by the US Fish and Wildlife Service under a 99-year lease.

            The refuge offers several options for hikers, but the highlight of the refuge's trail system is its spectacular boardwalk that takes you over the lake's open waters.  Thus, the refuge's most popular trails pass through the wetlands on the north shore of Black Bayou Lake and lead to this boardwalk.  This hike takes you through said wetlands to said boardwalk, but it also features an interesting loop through a small tallgrass prairie, thus sampling all the refuge has to offer.

Trailhead near Visitor Center

            Begin with the Nature Trail, which is a gravel trail with wooden side beams that starts to the right (west) of the Visitor Center.  An information board and garbage can also stand here.  The trail heads into the woods and quickly reaches a 3-way split.  Take the right option to begin heading counterclockwise around the Nature Trail's longest loop.

Boardwalk over seasonal wetland

            The trail approaches a railroad track that runs along the west boundary of this natural area before curving left to begin a boardwalk.  This boardwalk was rather new on my visit, and it takes you over a periodically inundated wetland that features dense lowland forest.  At the other end of the boardwalk, stay straight where a short-cut trail exits left to head back to the Visitor Center.

            Soon you start to see bald cypress knees beside the trail, and they indicate your approach to Black Bayou Lake.  At the next intersection, turn right to head out onto the spectacular boardwalk that carries you over the lake's open waters.  Two small shelters make for great places to watch waterfowl, and I saw multiple herons, egrets, coots, ibis, and cormorants while I slowly walked along this boardwalk.  This boardwalk is the highlight of the refuge, so take your time out here to see what you can see.

Black Bayou Lake

Egret near the boardwalk

            The boardwalk makes two 90-degree left turns to head back to solid land.  Just past 0.7 miles, you reach the parking area for the refuge's boat ramp on Black Bayou Lake.  To continue this hike, turn left on a gravel trail that connects back to the Nature Trail's main loop.  Two more right turns on the Nature Trail return you to your car at the Visitor Center parking area.

Prairie Trail

            If you want to do a little more hiking, walk across the parking area to find the signed start of the Prairie Trail.  Though only 0.25 miles in length, the concrete Prairie Trail forms a short loop through a fantastic tallgrass prairie.  Only light brown prairie grass could be seen when I came here, but this prairie comes alive with color in late summer when flowers such as purple coneflower, blazing star, and butterfly weed bloom.  This dry prairie forms a nice contrast to the wooded wetland you saw on the rest of this hike.