Chicot State Park near Ville Platte in south-central Louisiana spans 6,400 acres of rolling wooded hills around the 2,000-acre man-made Lake Chicot. Added to the Louisiana state park system in 1939, it was developed early with Civilian Conservation Corps labor under National Park Service direction during the New Deal. The park is a major recreation area, known especially for fishing, boating, camping, hiking, and cycling, with a 22-mile trail circling the lake and facilities spread across several landings. It also protects a substantial wildlife habitat, including whitetail deer, raccoons, coyotes, and bobcats, while offering one of Louisiana’s more fully developed outdoor settings.