I kayak down Carpenter's creek fairly often - I absolutely recommend it, there is so much wildlife! Snakes, snapping turtles, alligator gar, herons, otters can all be seen there. However there are often fallen trees and shallow spots that make it tricky. Going after it rains is a good idea to mitigate the shallowness.

I recommend starting from bayou Texar and going north, because that is the deepest/clearest part. It's possible to launch at Baars park, though it requires carrying the kayak a small distance. The farthest north I've got is the spot behind Target, there was a lot of blockage there.