After months of work, including replanting trees and repairing park amenities, Sam Houston Jones State Park (Louisiana) reopened.
Sam Houston Jones State Park has been closed since 2020 because of Hurricane Laura.
Sam Houston Jones State Park lost about 80% of its tree coverage during Hurricane Laura. Since then, work has been ongoing to clean up and repair the $22 million worth of damages.
“It’s been a very long recovery, roughly 20 months, but we are very glad to be back here and open up today,” said Brandon Burris, assistant secretary for Louisiana State Parks.
On Wednesday, a grand opening was held to commemorate the hard work of the staff and volunteers who helped the park open its gates.
“Anytime we can celebrate something new, something that has recovered, we want to do that,” Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser said.
The park has been upgraded with 31 RV campground sites, ten luxury cabins, a 500-foot-long boardwalk, and additional plans for more development in the future.
“We’ve got mountain bike trails, horseback riding in other parks,” Nungesser said.
“We want to see that here. It will be a draw for people far and near to come here and enjoy those things and then eat and shop in the surrounding community.”
This story originally appeared on KPLC. Featured image from Sam Houston Jones State Park.