Paddling near Monroe, LA

Sitting in Ouachita Parish, Monroe and neighboring West Monroe anchor the Ouachita Paddling Trails network — six marked routes across rivers, lakes, and bayous launched in early 2025, with 18 public boat launches parish-wide. The Ouachita River runs straight between the two cities, while Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Refuge, a ~1,500-acre cypress-and-tupelo lake, sits inside Monroe's city limits.