Red River Parish

Though streaked with waterways and the river for which it is named, Red River Parish was forged in fire. During the Reconstruction days, following the Civil War, local paramilitary bands refused to accept defeat. They roamed the countryside, causing havoc. In a failed attempt to break the back of the vigilantes, the Reconstruction government carved this parish out as a Republican stronghold, with local Union sympathizers in power. Nowadays, all is calm, unless you’re a bass fisherman—in which case the local bayous keep you reeling. For an overnight fishing trip, Grand Bayou Reservoir has waterfront cabins. Located just south of Shreveport and just north of Natchitoches, Red River Parish makes a convenient base camp in an untroubled setting. Amidst whispering forests and gentle waterways, the hustle and bustle of the world seems 1,000 miles away, and the turbulent times that gave birth to the parish seem 1,000 years away.