The Tangipahoa River is a long clear river that runs through southeast Louisiana and provides over 30 miles of enjoyable paddling in a scenic wilderness area. This river has some flow to it and is lined with lots of gravel and sandbars, both of which are rare in Louisiana. This section of the river starts at the Highway 40 bridge west of Independence and travels south to a take-out on Highway 442. The river in this segment is easy to paddle with a nice flow and few obstructions. The river can be paddled for more miles before the put-in and after the take-out for visitors who want to paddle longer distances.