Gorge Run Trail (Bogue Chitto State Park) Hiking Guide
Bogue Chitto State Park near Franklinton covers 2,593 acres of streams, cypress-tupelo swamp, hardwood bottoms and rolling upland on the Bogue Chitto River. The Gorge Run Trail is its longest hiking route, winding past stocked lakes and up onto bluffs with a view of the river. Its mapper jokes about climbing into the infamous Louisiana mountains, and the park's eroded sandstone formations at Fricke's Cave are a short detour.
Permit: Louisiana State Parks entrance fee: $3 per person; seniors 62 and older and children 3 and under enter free.
Distance and Climb
Hiking Project maps the Gorge Run Trail at 5.1 miles with about 200 feet of climbing, on footing that ranges from sand to packed dirt and is mostly gravel. The park's own trail list gives a 7-mile nature trail plus a quarter-mile paved kids' trail with animal sculptures, so the total you walk depends on the connectors you use. Rate it moderate: none of the climbs is long, but they add up.
Following the Blazes
Start at the picnic pavilions by the day-use area, following signs for the Beach Day-Use Trail to a junction, or begin at the Gorge Run trailhead near the park entrance. The route is blazed red. Hiking Project's mapper flags two spots on the southeast side: where Gorge Run meets the Interpretive Loop its blazes switch to green while the loop's turn red, and where the orange-blazed Meeting Room Trail joins it is easy to miss. Both loops rejoin, so a wrong turn costs little.
Fricke's Cave and the Rest of the Park
Despite the name, Fricke's Cave is a gorge where rain has carved sandstone into spires about two feet tall, each capped by a pebble. The formations are too fragile to walk among, so the park built boardwalks to view them. The park also has 25 miles of mountain bike trails maintained by volunteer riders, a 14-mile equestrian trail that starts near Fricke's Cave, 11 stocked lakes and a river for canoeing and tubing.
Entry, Hours and Dogs
Entry is $3 a person, with seniors 62 and up and kids 3 and under free. The gate is open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; the entrance station keeps 8-to-5 hours Sunday through Thursday and stays open to 8 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and holiday eves. Louisiana state park rules require dogs to be leashed, caged or crated, on a leash no longer than 6 feet, and keep them out of buildings and away from swimming areas.
Season and Conditions
Late fall through spring is the pleasant season here; the river beach and water playground draw summer crowds. The park asks riders to call ahead on the status of the horse trails, and after a stretch of heavy rain hikers can do the same at 985-839-5707, since the lower trails run close to the river and swamp.
Hiking tips for Gorge Run Trail (Bogue Chitto State Park)
- Watch for the red-to-green blaze switch at the Interpretive Loop.
- Look for the orange Meeting Room Trail junction so you don't overshoot it.
- Bring $3 a person for the entrance station.
- Detour to the Fricke's Cave boardwalks but stay off the spires.
- Call the park after heavy rain before driving up.
Nearby trails to explore
- Fontainebleau State Park Trails
- Boy Scout Road Trail (Big Branch Marsh)
- Twin Canals Trail (Barataria Preserve)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Gorge Run is the north shore's best leg-stretcher, and it's better with company for the drive up to Franklinton. Post the hike on TrailMates, set the pavilion lot as your meeting point in the event's group chat, and plan a swim or picnic afterward. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.