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Print Friendly MapThis 8-foot wide hiking and biking pathway sits on the bank of the Red River in south Bossier, Louisiana. The Red River is a tributary of the Mississippi River, and gets its distinct hue from the red soil it has swept away. The trail serves to connect Bossier residents to the waterway by providing a low-stress way to travel along it while getting unobstructed views of the water.
The trail, named for the parkway it parallels, begins on Diamond Jacks Boulevard, and heads south in between the river and the road. It passes destinations like Century Link Center multipurpose arena, a local grocery store and Walker Place Park, making it valuable for both recreation and commuting. The wide paved portion of the trail concludes by the Red River National Wildlife Refuge boat launch (168 Cullom Dr). Starting from the southeast end of the trail, a smooth and straight concrete sidewalk leads to the driveway entrance for Parkway High School.
There are three major stopping points for this trail:
Parked in an access lot about two miles from downtown (boat launch and sheriff’s substation) and rode south. It’s a well maintained, paved trail. Relatively flat. It’s closer to the highway than the river in many spots, unfortunately, probably because of the flood plain. Still, it’s pleasant ride. The highlight is the southernmost end that goes into the Red River National Wildlife area. I don’t think this 2-3 mile section is included on the trail map or in the mileages posted. It’s the highlight of the ride. We didn’t see another biker on the entirety of our 17 mile round trip. Just a few pedestrians. Undiscovered gem.
We rode 19.9 miles on this trail yesterday. It was an easy ride. We got on at the Brookshire Grocery Arena and road a little pass Boomtown Casino and back the other way a little past the Nature Center. The trail is mainly open, has more trees on the eastern side, has bathroom stops and lots of picnics tables and seats along the trail. A good portion follows the Red River. It definitely was worth the ride.
My wife and I started from the Lake Caroline Boat Launch parking area which is the southernmost end of the trail and rode to Diamond Jack Blvd. The trail is shaded by trees in the Lake Caroline area, but becomes more open as it gets closer to the Arthur RT Parkway. It's a nice ride, but could be longer.
This trail is wide and well designed, with benches available on the east end of the trail, and pavilions along the way as well. There is a beautiful statue in one of the parks, and the views of the river and the city are splendid.
The biggest issue is that in the summer sun, there is little shade. The few places that have shade don't have benches, and the seats that are provided sit in the baking sun.
It would be an excellent project for scouts or community groups to erect some shade structures over the existing benches, and to plant some trees that would provide more shade along the trail.
The western end of the trail has no benches or shady spots.
Overall, this trail is an asset to the community and would be most enjoyable when the temperatures are cool.
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