Indian Creek Recreation Area Beach
Woodworth, LA
Indian Creek Recreation Area, inside Alexander State Forest near Woodworth, has three separate swimming beaches spread around its 2,250 acre lake, more sand frontage than most Louisiana lake parks offer in one place. Central Louisiana families use it as a full day destination, splitting time between the beaches, the boat launch, and the picnic pavilions. It's run by the state forestry department rather than state parks, which surprises some first time visitors.
Three beaches and a genuinely large lake give it more room to spread out than most in state, though it's a fee based day trip rather than a walk up local spot.
How we score beachesWith three separate beach areas, it's worth driving the loop first to see which one has the most open space before setting up for the day.
A day pass, a set fee per vehicle, is collected at the gate, with parking available near each of the three beach areas and their bathhouses.
Each beach has its own short, flat approach from nearby parking, with bathhouses at each one and handicap parking available in the main park area.
Central Louisiana's swim season runs roughly Memorial Day through Labor Day, hot and humid through the summer with milder winters than the northern part of the state. Weekday visits are noticeably quieter than summer weekends.
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