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01-11-2025, 09:07 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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Lake Bistineau State Park, LA
We are finally getting to take our new 5th wheel out on our maiden voyage if you will.
We bought it in October but have been unable to actually go anywhere until now due to family commitments.
We didn't want to go too far from home on the first trip so we selected Lake Bistineau State Park just south of Shreveport, LA. It's a three hour drive, not too far, but far enough to get away from the local places we are familiar with here around our home.
Found it using RV LIFE Trip Wizard and the reviews seem good overall. Have watched a several YouTube videos and we are excited and ready to go.
A couple of our friends want to tag along in their RV's, so there will be three couples, three RV's, and we were able to get three sites inline with each other.
For a day trip, we are planning on going to Gibsland to see the Bonnie & Clyde museum and then we will go to the ambush site just out of town.
Our first trip of many!
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Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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01-11-2025, 11:40 AM
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#2
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Senior Member
RV Trip Wizard Grand Design Owners Club
Join Date: Aug 2023
Posts: 440
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Looks quite wooded. Do you have satellite? If so please post and let us know what your reception there is like.
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2023 Reflection 150, Model 280RS
Tow Vehicle - 2022 Ram 2500
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01-11-2025, 12:58 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: Whitney, TX
Posts: 2,030
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Lot of tree cover for most sights. Last there about 15 months ago. Somewhat isolated. I grew up about a hour north of there, just across the AR stateline on what is now US-371.
Kind of twisty to get to the park.
When traveling, take I-220 EB around Shreveport if you plan to enter from the north, Haughton. Don't go through downtown Shreveport on I-20.
You can take the southern route around Shreveport and cross the Red River on the Jimmie Davis Bridge, then US-71 to LA-527.
Personally, I like Lake Claiborne SP, near Homer, better. If you've never been - Lake O' the Pines is also a great place, and TX Caddo Lake SP.
(I used to work at North Texas Motor Speedway, Royse City in the mid-90's before the land was sold to build the high school.)
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US Navy 1972 - 1992 - SCPO Retired
Sometimes I wonder what happened to folks after I give them directions.
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01-11-2025, 07:32 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ocbizman1
Looks quite wooded. Do you have satellite? If so please post and let us know what your reception there is like.
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No sir, we don't have satellite. We will be with friends as I mentioned and I know one of them for sure does not have satellite, but the third couple, they drive a 40' Class A and I'm not sure if they have it or not.
As long as there is AT&T, we're good. I have FirstNet and have unlimited high speed streaming, if there's a signal. But we are going just to hang out and socialize around the fire so I'm not concerned too much about coverage.
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Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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01-11-2025, 07:53 PM
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#5
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OldBaldFat
Lot of tree cover for most sights. Last there about 15 months ago. Somewhat isolated. I grew up about a hour north of there, just across the AR stateline on what is now US-371.
Kind of twisty to get to the park.
When traveling, take I-220 EB around Shreveport if you plan to enter from the north, Haughton. Don't go through downtown Shreveport on I-20.
You can take the southern route around Shreveport and cross the Red River on the Jimmie Davis Bridge, then US-71 to LA-527.
Personally, I like Lake Claiborne SP, near Homer, better. If you've never been - Lake O' the Pines is also a great place, and TX Caddo Lake SP.
(I used to work at North Texas Motor Speedway, Royse City in the mid-90's before the land was sold to build the high school.)
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Thanks for that information, I'll take another look at the map.
While I am there, I have plans to go visit Lake Claiborne State Park and then head over to Beaver Dam/Caney Lakes Recreation Area. I want to check them out and make notes about the best camp sites should we get the chance to book there in the future. For this trip, I could only choose one place, so I selected Lake Bistineau.
And no, I haven't been to either Caddo Lake SP or Lake O' the Pines, yet, but they are on my radar for future trips.
We have a trip booked for Purtis Creek State Park and another to Clear Springs Corps of Engineers park on Wright Patman Lake. My goal on that trip is to make our way all the way around the lake to visit the other four COE parks and Atlanta State Park.
We have a longer trip planned in June to Petit Jean and Lake Catherine SP in Arkansas.
This is our first 5th wheel, and it's big, so I am learning and getting used to the size. These short trips are for me and my wife to get used to the RV way of life. We have a lot to learn.
And as I look at the map and re-read your driving directions, I will be coming in from the west on I-20. The software has us routed through Shreveport on I-20, then taking Exit 33 toward LA-157 through Haughton, onto LA-614, right in Doyline onto LA-163 to the park entrance. Is that a good route to go?
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Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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01-12-2025, 04:40 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: Whitney, TX
Posts: 2,030
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Software will always route through the downtown area because it is a few miles shorter. It never takes into account overcrowded roads, many on and off ramps, construction, or poor road conditions.
The route after exiting I-20 is fine. Best way from the north. My preference.
Just I haven't liked the way I-20 was shoehorned into downtown Shreveport since the late 1960's, and don't think it has gotten much better. Kind of like taking I-30 through east Dallas rather than one of the longer, but easier routes.
Road was still rough on last trip in March, and that was in my jeep on my way to a family funeral.
Wright Pattman -
Atlanta State Park - very thick trees.
Malden Lake - incredibly thick tree cover - almost never see the actual sky - I hear the fishing is great.
Clear Spring - older CG with the shoreline sites 30 amp with water and 50 amp in the center area
Rocky Point - best on the lake in my opinion
Piney Point - not bad, not great
There is a COE park, Tom Merril, on Bodcau Bayou, just downstream from the dam. North of Haughton, east of US-371 and Caney Lakes. Really nothing there except a dump station and a few sites. Usually kept up well.
Caney Lakes has always been a nice campground. I was introduced to water skiing on that lake, the eastern part, when I was 9 - 1961.
The current CG is one loop, also wooded.
__________________
US Navy 1972 - 1992 - SCPO Retired
Sometimes I wonder what happened to folks after I give them directions.
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01-21-2025, 01:10 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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We just got back in yesterday afternoon. Changed our plans and returned a day early. They were forecasting 1-3 inches of snow, but that did not happen but with the highs today there around 35, we decided to call it a trip and head home.
What a great state park. It was empty, maybe 4 other campers besides us and our friends that drove their Class A and had the spot next to us. There was one other camper in our section and he was way up the hill and almost out of sight.
Camp staff were super friendly. Interior roads were new, nice, wide and no low overhanging limbs. Not a pot hole in the park that I can recall.
Now, the site pads are another story. They don't look like that have been renewed in many years. The asphalt is cracked, broken, uneven, and most are not level, either front to back, or side to side.
Our site was off from side to side and we had to use 2" to level with blocks. Not bad, just letting you know. Hopefully, it's on the agenda for the state to redo the pads as the roads themselves looked like they were done a month ago.
The view from our campsite was incredible. We spent some quality time around the campfire just enjoying the view and time with friends.
Our campsites each had large wooden decks which were very nice to have.
They have bike/hike trails, frisbee golf, a boat ramp, cabins, an equestrian area, and a play ground.
We did not check out the public bathhouses, so I cannot comment on those.
Dump stations, there are two, were easy to get in and out of.
For day trips, we went to Bossier City on Friday and shopped at BassPro before going next door, in the same parking lot, to Margaritaville Casino where we spent an hour or two on the slot machines.
On Sunday, we went to Gibsland and visited the Bonnie & Clyde Museum, then we drove down to the ambush site. After that, we drove up to Lake Claiborne State Park to recon the campsites for a future trip there before returning to Lake Bistineau.
I used RV LIFE PRO to route the trip to the state park, then created a second trip for our trip on Sunday, then made a separate trip for our way home. I love the app.
God is good! We had no issues. Our new trailer worked as we had hoped and we are very happy with our selection for our RV.
And thanks for the tip about I-220, we took it going to the park on the 16th and enjoyed the views.
On our day trip into Bossier City, we took I-20 into the city and the freeway was shut down to one lane due to construction for miles. Very narrow lanes with the concrete barriers on each side.
Needless to say, we too 220 around on our way home.
A few pictures from the trip.
__________________
Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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01-21-2025, 01:11 PM
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#8
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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more pictures
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Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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01-21-2025, 01:17 PM
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#9
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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more
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Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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01-21-2025, 01:24 PM
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#10
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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And one of the reasons we chose the Alliance Paradigm 310RL was because of the windows. Take a look at this view from inside.
__________________
Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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01-21-2025, 03:31 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2022
Location: Whitney, TX
Posts: 2,030
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Glad you had an enjoyable trip.
__________________
US Navy 1972 - 1992 - SCPO Retired
Sometimes I wonder what happened to folks after I give them directions.
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01-21-2025, 07:26 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2024
Location: Dallas area
Posts: 40
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Thank you for the tip about going around using the loop.
__________________
Dee & Penny
GMC 3500HD SRW 2025 Alliance Paradigm 310RL
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