The Amite River has always been a special place for me to fish, skip rocks and cavort with my brothers and cousins at my grandfather’s property.
Misty and Chris Davis have captured those wonderful river experiences and more at The Point: Camping and Kayaking right on the Amite River off of La. 10 in East Feliciana Parish (www.thepointcampingandkayaking.com).
Owner Chris Davis said, “It’s like a throwback to the old days where people went down to any a river. That was the common meeting place and where things happened. They didn’t go all the way over to Biloxi and Gulf Shores back in the day.”
Chris and his wife Misty have been working the last four years to make that dream a reality.
Due to the limited water access opportunities in the area, the goal was “to give people across Louisiana a way to enjoy the outdoors — without needing to travel far,” Misty Davis said.
In the four years since they began working on the 17-acre property, they have turned their dream into a growing riverside retreat for families, adventurers and anyone needing a peaceful reset.
“Our mission is to create simple, fun affordable outdoor experiences close to home,” Chris Davis said.
They offer three themed cabins, each with its own unique style, perfect for overnight stays or weekend getaways; an event center for celebrations or reunions; kayak trips (5-mile float with shuttle service included that takes about 2 hours to complete); primitive camping beachside or tucked into the woods; day beach passes over one-third of a mile of rock beach where people can swim, fishing, relaxation, rock hunt for agates, petrified wood or archaeological finds like arrowheads. Bathroom facilities are available.
Kayak trips run three times a day (9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.) on Saturdays and Sundays.
All reservations should be made in advance at the website, and be aware of sign-in times (45 minutes before the time slot) for your Amite River adventure.
Similarly, beach access is available on weekends.
“The beach is one-third of a mile long, which is perfect for recreation due to its amenable spacing,” Chris Davis said.
Chris said, “There is a stigma that you can drown in a kayak, but that is just not true.” To alleviate this already misguided myth, he has employed sit-on-top kayaks that do not take on water.
Also, the Amite is shallow along this northern segment of the river. The Amite has incurred no impacts from development, mining operations or drainage improvement activities such as desnagging or dredging, thus the Amite remains in its natural state.
If you don’t have a kayak, Chris and Misty have many single and several tandem kayaks available for rental.
After opening during July Fourth weekend, where they had upward of 75 people show up for the soft launch, they have had guests from Florida, Alabama, Texas, Indiana and Mississippi.
Chris is constantly working to upgrade the experience. He has added a butterfly garden and is in the process of completing a walking trail where he hopes to add identification markers on different plant species to make the experience educational and highlight the diverse riverine ecosystem.
“Originally I was looking at this place as an opportunity to promote environmental education,” Chris Davis said.
Chris Davis is a biologist for Louisiana who hopes to continue with conservation efforts. If a school group wants to come out and learn, this is the place. “In the future, I would love to host field trips and provide educational experiences,” he said.