Atchafalaya River

Mile 113.0 - RBD Little Island Pass

John Ruskey

20 Apr 2026

113 RBD Little Island Pass

Little Island Pass is the widest and potentially most common of the five passes, but still more interesting than the Main Channel. Three miles long, it separates Little Island from Middle Island.

Main Channel Atchafalaya River

The Main Channel Atchafalaya River takes six miles in a broad rounded bend around Morgan Island, Middle Island and Little Island. American Island, Dog Island, and Drew’s Island forms its left bank shore (which is north in this eastward flowing stretch of river). You will find many dry spots along the outside edge of the riverbend, which gets scoured by turbulent waters in flood stage, but becomes a lovely wooded bank as the river drops and exposes freshly laid sands and muddy soils.

More from this section

Author’s Preface:

Author’s Preface: Welcome the the Rivergator: Paddler’s Guide to the Atchafalaya! This major section of the Rivergator is split into seven different parts: 1) Preamble, 2) Introduction, 3) Mississippi River Access to Atchafalaya, 4) Lower Old River Canal, 5) Atchafalaya River, 6) Atchafalaya Delta and 7) Appendix. On

Mile 303.8 - Old River Lock and Dam: Entrance to the Atchafalaya River

303.8 Old River Lock and Dam: Entrance to the Atchafalaya River Go main channel around Shreve’s Bar for access to the Atchafalaya River, your best route to the Gulf of Mexico. Also: direct access upstream to the Red River, Ouachita River, Bayou Bartolomew, and all other tributaries upstream.

Mile 304.5 - 304.5 - 303 LBD Shreve’s Bar

304.5 - 303 LBD Shreve’s Bar Leaving the Tunica Hills at Clark Creek behind and entering Louisiana the river expands to its maximum mile-and-a-half wide as if breathing in deep and opening up its broad chest, and enters a long straight stretch that can be a white water

Mile 306.0 - Miles 306-294: LBD Angola State Penitentiary

306 - 294 LBD Angola State Penitentiary The river circumscribes Angola State Penitentiary in an almost perfect semi-circle, with a radius of four miles, the center being the headquarters of the prison complex. Using simple geometry, C=2piR this would give a circumference of approximately 25 miles, divided by 2

Mile 306.0 - LBD Angola Ferry

306 LBD Angola Ferry Private ferry for employees of Angola State Penitentiary. Watch for cross-channel crossings at shift changes. If you camp on Shreve’s Bar their lights burn brightly upstream. Note: the Angola Ferry is no longer located at 300.5 (above Hog Point Towhead).

Mile 306.0 - Miles 306-302: Back Channel of Shreve’s Bar

306 - 302 Back Channel of Shreve’s Bar The Back Channel of Shreve’s Bar is always flowing strong, and is the route of preference for paddlers, even at low water. And as much for aesthetics as for practicality. Aesthetically it is always more pleasing to paddle the back