St. Mary's Falls (Sicily Island)

Saint Mary's Falls is a 10-foot waterfall on Sandy Bayou in Catahoula Parish, Louisana.  There is a 5-foot waterfall on a tributary right next to it.  The waterfalls are located in J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert Wildlife Management Area.

Hike Length: 0.8 miles
Estimated Time: < 1 hour
Difficulty: Moderate
Location: J.C. "Sonny" Gilbert Wildlife Management Area
Trail Users: Hiking
Dogs: Must be on a leash
Features: Waterfalls (1)
Crowds: Low
Warnings: The rocks around waterfalls are very slippery
Trailhead GPS: 31.86347,-91.75315
Waterfall GPS: 31.86790,-91.75319 (St. Mary's Falls), 31.86776,-91.75278 (Sandy Bayou Waterfall)

Directions:

From Sicily Island, take LA-8 west for 1.2 miles and turn right LA-916. Go 2.6 miles and turn left on LA-915. Follow this road for just under a mile, then turn left and an immediate right to stay on LA-915. In 0.9 miles from the last turn, go turn left into the WMA at a brown sign. You'll come to a fork shortly - go right. The trailhead is 2 miles from LA-915 and there is a kiosk at the trailhead so it's easy to spot. You'll pass the Self-Clearing Permit Station in about a mile - it's mandatory to stop and fill one of these out.

Map:

Hike Description:

The green-blazed St. Mary's Falls Trail starts out following an old road and comes to a split. It's a loop so you can go either way, but quickest to go straight/right. The trail departs from the road and heads down to Sandy Bayou at a ledge opposite the falls.

You can climb down to creek level for a closer view and even walk behind the waterfall.

At the ledge, a tributary flows into Sandy Bayou on river-left.  Sandy Bayou Waterfall is just a short ways upstream. The tributary is very small, but there's a big pool at the base of the waterfall.

Blog Entries:

04-Mar-2018: Sicily Island Hills Waterfalls

External Links:

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries website: https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/jc-sonny-gilbert