Bodcau Bayou A, Wenks Landing

Bodcau Bayou A, Wenks Landing Kayak Paddle Trip

Bodcau Bayou runs north south from Arkansas into Louisiana. In Louisiana the bayou is part of the large Bodcau WMA. This area is one of the bigger paddling destinations with many available route options and the different trips in this section are labeled A, B, C…etc. This area is parallel to but west of Dorcheat Bayou, another north-south channel in northern Louisiana. A key organizing feature of Bodcau, the central point, is the Dam, run by the Corps of Engineers. There are nice COE camping facilities at the Tom Merrill Recreation Area at the dam, and the bayou can be paddled both above and below this point provided water levels and flow are suitable. Primitive camping is also available at an upstream launch site at Wenks Landing. There is a lot to cover at Bodcau and some of the routes are remote, twisty, and challenging. Great place, always more to do here.

For this trip I camped and launched at Wenk’s landing just to the west of Highway 371. The route just goes upstream to Highway 2, and downstream a ways to see what’s there. The section going north sprawls a bit under the powerlines and you may have to guess your way through. Other than that this trip on Bodcau follows a clear and well-defined channel. The woods beyond the banks of the river are a real tangle however.