Louisiana Waterfalls

In a state full of bayous and marshes, a hiking trip to Louisiana waterfalls was too good to pass up.  There are actually several waterfalls along hiking trails in the J.C. Sonny Gilbert Wildlife Management Area, formerly known as Sicily Island Wildlife Management area. 

hike to several waterfalls along louisiana trails

I had driven through the small town of Sicily Island before, located in the flat farmland of the Mississippi River Delta in northeastern Louisiana.  But only a few miles west of the town, you begin winding your way into a landscape of hills and forests.  The waterfalls and trails are located in the J.C. “Sonny” Gilbert Wildlife Management Area. The trails are well marked and provide a surprisingly hilly terrain, with elevation changes of 200 feet or more.  I tagged along with the Louisiana Hiking club for a hike on the Rock Falls Trail. 

After walking along some surprisingly steep trails, you are rewarded with a view of Louisiana’s highest waterfall at 17 feet. Water spills down over a series of rocks into a pool and rocky creek below.  It’s best to visit this waterfall after a rain to get the most flow over the falls.

Another nearby trail takes you to St. Mary’s Falls, where the water spills over a drop of nearly ten feet into a large quiet pool.  As you explore the area, you find more smaller waterfalls, as water spills over the rocky landscape into creeks beds throughout this unusually hilly patch of Louisiana wilderness.

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GETTING THERE

The Sicily Island Hills trails are located in the J.C. Sony Gilbert Wildlife Management area west of the town of Sicily Island, Louisiana.

Sicily Island, LA 71368