This place is amazing! There are approximately 5 miles of trails just past the nature center. There were tons of informative plaques about the trees, which is great if you’re a tree nerd like me. The staff was friendly and helpful. Super nice and pristine bathrooms. It was well worth the $3 entry fee. Will for sure stop here again.
NOTE! Roadtrippers routed me to a spot in the middle of Ville Platte. This preservation area is actually located WITHIN Chicot State Park. But believe me, it’s well worth the slight detour off Interstate 49. Enjoy!
This is a large park with paved trail through wooded areas. The trails are nice enough for longboarding/skateboarding/roller skating, with several pretty little bridges that go over creeks. Looks like there is a water park area as well (of course that isn’t open, it’s December 5th, 2020 as I write this). Lots of open space, good for letting the kids/dogs run off some steam, and there’s a big playground too!
Note: my Apple Maps took me to the NorthWest end of the park, where there isn’t an official parking. There are plenty of parking areas inside the park entrance, which is on the SouthEast side, just off HWY 548.