Lock No. 1 Launch to Navigational Canal

**Location & Access:** This concrete boat ramp provides access to the Pearl River Navigational Canal in St. Tammany Parish, located near Highway 41. To reach the launch, turn right into the barge canal and paddle approximately half a mile to Lock No. 1. The ramp is situated on the east bank of the river and serves as a gateway to both the navigational canal and connected waterways.

**Facilities & Conditions:** The site features a concrete boat ramp with asphalt road access and gravel parking. A $600,000 improvement project has expanded the facility with new concrete ramps on both the north and south sides of the lock, providing better launching options for kayakers, canoeists, and motorboats. The area has historically experienced shallow water conditions, so paddlers should be prepared for variable depths, especially in upper sections of the West Pearl River.

**Recreation Access:** This launch provides excellent access to the Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge, which straddles the Louisiana-Mississippi border along the Pearl River, and connects to Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge near Lake Pontchartrain. The navigational canal offers a moderately developed paddling route suitable for various skill levels, with nearby wildlife viewing opportunities.