When you think of a bayou, you’re probably not thinking of anywhere in Arkansas, right? It brings to mind an ancient place lined with swampland in Louisiana. You’re not alone in thinking of it that way. The word “bayou” has become synonymous with a Cajun accent and huge cypress swamps where good old boys hunt gators. Perhaps that association is so strong because the word “bayou” comes from Cajun French. In fact, and I promise I’m not going to go full nerd and bore you to tears, but you might think a bayou and a swamp are exactly the same thing. You’d be wrong on that account.

There is something exceptional that you’ve probably never heard about bayous, and it has to do with the Natural State. The longest bayou in the world starts just north of Pine Bluff, Arkansas and winds a stunning 360 miles before dumping into the Ouachita River in northern Louisiana. Bayou Bartholomew is teeming with life, and it’s a great place to see something you can’t find just anywhere in the Natural State.

You can see Bayou Bartholomew from your car if you’re driving near Pine Bluff.
Flickr/Counselman Collection
Though really, you’ll want to find a spot to get out and see the bayou up close.
Wikipedia/Keith Yahl
You’ll even find a historical marker near Pine Bluff.
Flickr/QuesterMark

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Bayou Bartholomew is the second most diverse stream in North America, as it contains over 100 different aquatic species. It also serves as a winter home for waterfowl. The swamps surrounding Bayou Bartholomew are the best places to spot enormous turtles and alligators.
Wikipedia/Bayou Bartholomew
You’re probably wondering about alligators, right? Yes, there are gators. This gator, for example, was killed in Bayou Bartholomew and now resides in a bank in downtown Monticello:
Flickr/Farther Along
This ancient watercourse is exceptional in all the world, and most of it is located in the Natural State. So there’s absolutely no reason why you can’t spend some time observing this natural wonder.
Flickr/Jonathan Ball
If you’re interested in helping to preserve the bayou, you should get in touch with the Bayou Bartholomew Alliance. You can find their website here.
Facebook/Bayou Bartholomew Alliance

Bayou Bartholomew should definitely be on your Arkansas bucket list, which you can find here. You may also be interested in what’s hiding in this Arkansas swamp.

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