atchafalaya-river

Mile 16.5 — Atchafalaya Squiggles

John Ruskey

26 Apr 2026 � 1 min read

Between miles 13 and 20 the river meanders through four tight bends of the river around four points. Tow pilots call these “the squiggles.” For tow pilots pushing a heavy load it requires a good bit of maneuvering to get safely through the squiggles, especially in high water. Give tows extra room when paddling through. The water can flow strong, with giant eddies reaching outwards off of each point, forcing the water into focused tongues. These tongues of water are the fastest water on the river, and favored by tows and paddlers alike. You’ll have to yield right-of-way to tows, of course. But a fun and elegant paddler’s move, is to do a sashay right or left into the eddy. Spin around in the eddy while the tow plows on through the tight place. You might as well kick back, take a deep breath, enjoy the scenery, have a snack, take a good swig of water, maybe even jump in for a swim. This is what river life is all about! Once the tow passes, dig your paddle in and cut back into the fast water (at an upstream angle is usually best), swing around and continue on your merry way!

The squiggles also create the best area for camping so far seen on the Atchafalaya. Excellent picnicking, swim stops, and stretch your leg places also. If it is that time of day, look for a campsite here. There is one beautiful dune after another, on both sides of the river. We’ll describe the best ones below. At low water there are a dozen possible dunes to stop on in the Squiggles. As the river rises, the choices diminish, at bank full you’ll find a small patch of dry sand at Lone Tree Point, but otherwise it will be camping on grass, or in the trees. The floodplain broadens here, and the levee fall back as the river convulses back and forth. The enlarged batture means quieter landings and less chances for surprise visitors... just another advantage of the squiggles!

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