Client:
Mitchell Aleshire
Project Planner
Louisiana Office of State Parks
(225) 342-8111

Situated on a high bluff overlooking Bayou Bartholomew, Chemin-A-Haut State Park gets its name from the French for "high road," which refers to an old trail formerly used by Native Americans during seasonal migrations.

This 503 acre park features six original cabins, three of which date back to the 1930's. When the Office of State Parks wanted to expand the Chemin-A-Haut facilities to accommodate more guests by adding 8 new cabins near the existing cabins, they realized that the current location, adjacent to an open field, main exit road, and across from the swimming pool heavily used by Bastrop residents, was not conducive to relaxation. To resolve this problem, they hired a design team consisting of Moore Planning Group (MPG), an architectural firm, and representatives from the Office of State Parks to find an alternative site.

The design team's goal was to locate and develop a cabin environment conducive to optimum rest and relaxation. In August, 1998, the team presented a plan that included new cabins, utilities, and an access road that accommodated the $1-2 million budget. Architects also provided a building with large main room windows and interior open views.

The new location, chosen for views and relationship to the water's edge, would be a low-level tributary of Bayou Bartholomew that skirts the park's east and south sides. Although isolated, it never-the-less provides an exceptional site, with space for additional units. This “finger” bayou is the lower end of a large drainage swale that backs up during periods of high rainfall. Cabin sites would be located below the 100 year flood elevation, and therefore needed to be constructed on pilings.

Moore Planning Group served as co-planner and designer, sited the cabins, and provided construction observation. Construction began in January, 2002 and finished in September, 2002.