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Louisiana State Arboretum
Due to construction on the Trails in the Arboretum. To claim a find on this cache Post your picture and email the cache caretaker and they will provide you with the clue. Only until the the construction is complete!
New Visitor Center to Honor J.D. "Prof" LaFleur at Louisiana State Arboretum
 1300 Sudie Lawton Lane, Ville Platte, LA 70586
337-363-6289 or 888-677-6100 toll free
Email: arboretum@crt.state.la.us
Directions: Coming from the north on I-49, exit on LA 106 south. Turn left off LA 106 onto LA 3042 south. From the south, exit I-49 on US 167 and drive toward Ville Platte. Take Hwy 3042 north. The Arboretum Visitor Center is located within Chicot State Park. GPS Coordinates: N 30 48.233; W 92 17.276.
Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily. Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day.
Entrance Fees: Entrance to the Louisiana State Arboretum SPA is free to all visitors.
Complete listing of available facilities and activities
Trails at the Louisiana State Arboretum:
- Walker Branch Trail -- 1.5 miles
- Backbone Ridge Trail -- 1.25 mile
- Paw Paw Loop -- 1.25 miles
- Wetland Trail -- .7 mile
- Baldcypress Trail -- 500 ft.
 Established in 1961, the Louisiana State Arboretum was the first such area in the South and the first state-supported arboretum in the United States. To help preserve the Arboretum for future generations, removing or damaging any plants or animals is strictly prohibited. Pets and picnicking are not allowed on the grounds due to the preservation status of this site. Picnic grounds and camping facilities are available at nearby Chicot State Park.
The Louisiana State Arboretum is large--more than 300 acres of natural growth, embellished with additional plantings of species that are indigenous to the state. Atypical of the terrain in the Louisiana prairieland, the topography of the Arboretum is varied and dramatic. The landscape ranges from nearly flat along the Walker Branch of Lake Chicot to relatively steep slopes along the terrace ridges. Due to this great variation in topography, almost every type of Louisiana vegetation, except coastal marsh and prairie, is represented on the site.
A Visitor Center, dedicated to the memory of J.D. "Prof" LaFleur, an outdoor enthusiast instrumental in establishing the Arboretum, houses interactive exhibits and meeting facilities. Nature trails take you deep into the wooded areas and longer trails take you along Walker Branch or Ferguson's Gully where several of the footpaths converge. If you walk the trails quietly, you'll discover that sycamores, maples, beeches, magnolias, hickories, ferns, and crane fly orchids are not the only living things in the arboretum. There's a good chance that you'll encounter some two-and four-legged critters, too: white-tail deer, wild turkey, raccoon, opossum, fox, skunk, squirrel, and numerous species of birds.
 Botanists, horticulturists, college students, youth groups, solitary nature lovers, and people of all ages are all attracted to this beautiful and fascinating place. No matter how you walk along the trails--whether carefully, with the attentive eye of a scientist, or at full tilt with the carefree heart of a child--the Louisiana State Arboretum promises to be a memorable experience. Enjoy and please remember--take only pictures, leave only footprints.
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