Hike the ridge at the Devils River State Natural Area to get this view of the pristine West Texas river. Pam LeBlanc photo

I just wrapped up my fourth paddling trip – and the third in the last year – down the Devils River in West Texas last week.

I always get tons of questions on what it’s like and how to do this trip. I’ll be writing a more complete story later this year, but for now, here are a few pointers.

Jimmy Harvey steers his canoe down the rapid at Game Warden Rock. Pam LeBlanc photo

Chris LeBlanc paddles his canoe into a reed maze on the Devils River in May 2021. Pam LeBlanc photo

1. Don’t rush it. Sure, you could paddle the Devils River from the put-in at Baker’s Crossing to the Dan Hughes Unit of the State Natural Area in two or three days. I take five. That gives me time to enjoy the scenery, swim in the clear water, and look at birds, butterflies and porcupines along the way.
2. Be careful where you camp. It’s legal to camp on islands in the middle of the river (make sure there’s water flowing on both sides), or you can get a permit from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to use their overnight paddle camps along the way. Respect private property rights.
3. Tread lightly. This river is pristine. Don’t litter. Pick up any trash you find along the way. We found – and gathered – about a dozen beer cans, a couple of fishing lures and an old fishing rod in five days of paddling last week.
4. Be prepared. This river is no joke. Carry a satellite phone or GPS tracker, and know that it would take many hours for someone to reach you in case of emergency. If you’re not an experienced paddler, go with a guide. Bring a personal flotation device and wear it when you’re paddling through rapids.
5. Scout the rapids. It’s smart to get out and look before you blast through some of the rapids, like Game Warden Rock, Indian Creek and Three Tier Rapid. They can be dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing.
6. Portage Dolan Falls. This is a no-brainer, but last week I watched an unsuspecting kayaker fall out of his boat and tumble over Dolan Falls – without a life jacket or helmet. This is how people drown, folks.
7. Pack the right gear. Bring a spare paddle. You’ll also need a tent, sleeping bag, camp stove, food, GPS tracker, proper footwear, line for portaging your boat and a first aid kit. A folding chair and hammock are nice additions. Bring water, too – or a filtration system so you can drink river water.
8. Plan your shuttle. There aren’t many legal access points on the Devils. We used outfitter Gerald Bailey to drive us to the put in at Baker’s Crossing. For a much shorter paddle, you can also hire Amistad Expeditions to put you in at the upper unit of the Devils River State Natural Area; they can pick you up at the lower unit. That trip makes a good one-night run.
9. Remember, it’s catch and release if you’re fishing. That helps protect the population of native trout.
10. Keep an eye out! I’ve seen porcupine, tarantulas, snakes, deer, hogs, hawks and more on the river. Don’t harass the wildlife, but enjoy it.

A diamond back water snake relaxes on a rock on the bank of the Devils River. Pam LeBlanc photo

Chris LeBlanc, left, Jason Jones, center, and Jimmy Harvey, front, relax around camp on an island in the Devils River. Pam LeBlanc photo

Chris LeBlanc takes in the view from a boulder in the Devils River. Pam LeBlanc photo

For more information, go to www.devilsriverconservancy.org. Please make a donation.

Oak Alley Plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, includes an exhibit on the enslaved men, women and children who worked there. Pam LeBlanc photo

Ten years ago, when I last visited Oak Alley Plantation, the Greek Revival style mansion and its long row of gracefully bending oaks took the spotlight.

Tour guides in antebellum gowns led me through the Big House, showing off fine furnishings and lush grounds, but little mention was made of the slaves who once lived there. I revisited the former sugar cane plantation in Vacherie, Louisiana, last weekend, and got a much fuller picture.

Today, visitors can still explore the antebellum mansion where wealthy planter Jacques Roman and his family lived, but they can also learn about the more than 200 enslaved men, women and children who supported them.

Six re-constructed slave cabins feature exhibits on individual slaves at Oak Alley. Pam LeBlanc photo

An exhibit that opened in 2013 includes six re-constructed slave quarters buildings, set close to their original location. Exhibits inside those structures tell the stories of field slaves and house slaves, highlighting the daily lives of individuals like Pognon, a seamstress; Anna, who made lye soap; Emelia, who dug ditches, repaired roads and maintained the levee; and Antoine, who grafted the first papershell pecan, opening the door for commercial pecan production in the area.

The exhibit provides a good balance to a tour of the Big House, a 180-year-old Greek revival-style mansion where Jacques and Celina Roman raised their family.

“We went away from the previous tour, with guides in antebellum dresses and folklore passed down by word of mouth, to a tour focused on historical facts,” says Janell Napier, who led a small group of visitors through the Big House.

The Greek Revival style mansion was built in 1836. Pam LeBlanc photo

Walking through the home, you’ll see the dining room, where a slave pulled a rope to move the “shoo fly fan” that hangs over the table, the parlor, and the bedrooms where the family lived.

Jacque Roman died at age 48 in 1848, and his wife Celina took over operations of the plantation, but it fell into financial hardship and was sold in 1866.

Eventually, the Stewart family purchased it in 1925. Josephine Stewart lived there until 1972, and created the non-profit Oak Alley Foundation, which maintains the property today.

The 28 oak trees that line the walkway leading from the Mississippi River to the front of the home remain a highlight. The trees, between 200 and 250 years old, form a tunnel of green, and a walk beneath their canopy will whisk you back to a different time.

Look for a complete story about Oak Alley later this year.

Oak Alley is located at 3645 Highway 18 in Vacherie, about an hour’s drive from Baton Rouge. Admission is $25 for adults; $10 for ages 13 to 18; and $7 for ages 6 to 12. For more information go to www.oakalleyplantation.com.

Waterloo Park, located along Red River Street between 12th and 15th Streets, is set to open in August. Photo courtesy Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

I can’t wait for the opening of Waterloo Park and Moody Amphitheater in downtown Austin this August.

I’ve been watching construction for a long time, marveling at the elevated walkway and trying to figure out the weird white thatched roof of the amphitheater. I need to get in there and see it up close, but last Friday’s preview was cancelled due to rain.

The Moody Amphitheater will host small outdoor performances. Photo courtesy Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

In the meantime, the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy has unveiled a schedule packed with events, from CommUNITY Day in August to introduce the new 11-acre park located along Red River Street between 12^th and 15^th Streets to the Lebermann Plaza Concert Series a series of performances from September to November at the 200-seat outdoor theater. Also on the schedule? A Día de Los Muertos Festival in October with live performances and a community altar; a 50^th anniversary reunion performance by Asleep at the Wheel in October; Creek Show 2021 in November; and two nights of holiday films in December.

Stay tuned. We’ll be giving you a sneak peek of the new park as soon as we can. In the meantime, enjoy these photos shared by the Waterloo Greenway Conservancy.

They call this part of the playscape at Waterloo Park “the logjam.” Photo courtesy Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

The promenade winds over the gardens at the park. Photo courtesy Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

The Suzanne Deal Booth Promenade is part of the park. Photo courtesy Waterloo Greenway Conservancy

Meredith Plaza is part of the new park, set to open in August. Photo courtesy Waterloo Greenway Conservancy