At the far southern end of the Clyde Fant Memorial Parkway Recreation Trail, you’ll find Hamel’s Memorial Park. It features picnic tables, a small pond with a running trail, and access to on and off-road running and biking paths. The park’s entrance is found at the intersection of E. Preston and Clyde Fant Parkway in Shreveport.
I visited this park looking for a place to test-(paddle?) my new canoe. The water’s edge was roughly 200ft from the parking lot, and dragging the hunk of metal across the grass didn’t seem like the best idea. It’s not that I’m ridiculously lazy; it’s that several teenagers were out figuring out their lives, which involved hitting golf balls (that was clearly mentioned in golf club size guide) into the waterway into which I had planned to berth. I decided instead, to avoid the onslaught of plastic white balls and angst, and make way for a trail with my camera in hand.
I stumbled upon a lost blade, a friendly fowl, and a decent fishing spot (look over here to find similar spots), which was strangely devoid of fish. The trail I found winds its way to the Red River, and you can sit directly on its banks and ponder all the things. I returned after sunset to find the path more slippery and the mosquitoes twice as daring and as prevalent. I would recommend visiting the river trail as soon as the floodpocalypse passes through.
You can’t really travel until you’ve fully explored your home.