During our cross country road trip in the summer of 2022, we traveled with the truck and trailer…read morefrom Los Angeles to Key West and back. My wife booked a few nights in Tickfaw state park, sight unseen, to be more or less in the vicinity of New Orleans, a plantation tour, and a swamp boat tour that we had booked months in advance. As it turned out, we actually enjoyed this state park stay more than our visit to New Orleans! The state park entrance is actually at the back of a neighborhood of sorts, on a narrow two-lane road that cuts away from the highway at a weird angle. Once inside the park proper, visitors are treated to beautiful swamps, complete with cypress trees, Spanish moss, and all the critters you would expect to find here. The campground we enjoyed had full hook ups, a small wooden deck, and a long back-in pad for our trailer. There was also a resident raccoon who kept us honest about locking things up at night, and securing coolers and food. Tickfaw state park features long boardwalks with railings, that afford visitors beautiful hikes in different parts of the park through different kinds of trees and plants. Unfortunately, many of these were still damaged in the summer of 2022 from the previous year's Hurricane Ida that blew through southern Louisiana and surrounding areas. The only trail that was not affected by this was the one without a boardwalk, so we enjoyed a hike through beautiful pines that went down to the river. Despite most of the trails being closed and damaged, we still enjoyed ourselves here, and had a good time. In the evening, I enjoyed casting topwater lures in on the cypress knees and trees, and caught & released several big bowfin... A fish that is sort of a cross between a catfish a bass, and a pit bull I suppose. I'm not sure when we will be back through this part of the world, but Tickfaw State Park is definitely a place that I would stay again: off the beaten path but close enough to where you want to be, peaceful and quiet, and the kind of southern serene that helps a SoCal guy like me to slow down and enjoy life a little bit.

$3 per person at the gate gets you in. The park has a lot of trails, camp sites, kayaking and…read moreplenty of things to do. The nature center has a lot to read about the area and the things you will see in the area. The guy working was friendly, very informative. Everything seemed well organized.

Arrived shortly after the Government shut-down during our 11K road-trip across America. We had…read morealready been disappointed at a couple stops that were completely closed due to shut-down. We were so happy to find the trails and boardwalk were open and our biggest surprise was to find that the Rangers/Staff was kind enough to set-out the Park Cancellation Stamp (very thoughtful during their stressful time). The bathrooms were also opened so greatly appreciated by myself and family. We walked the Boardwalk and was treated to the amazing beauty of a Moma Alligator with a pod of youngsters around her right off the boardwalk. What an amazing opportunity to see wildlife up close and in their natural environment. I was able to get some pictures (I have a 600M Lens) so at a distance. We did not bother them and they remained where they were at chillin. What a sight to see, one of the coolest yet of the wild side of National Parks.

We love visiting the park. We live nearby and my kids always like to go for a walk in the nature…read morepreserve. It's very well maintained and a ranger is always ready to answer your questions. Very nice especially if you want to take your time and take in the sounds of the nature around you.

Great boardwalk trail over the marsh. It's a good way to see wildlife on the northshore on an easy…read morehike.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of…read morelife, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived" ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden I have always felt like Thoreau knew what he was talking about when he wrote that. It's been some time since I've gone to live in the woods, but I do think one can accomplish a lot by taking a walk alone into the wilderness. The boardwalk in this section of the Big Branch Refuge is a great place to take such a walk. Located in between Slidell and Lacombe, this section of the national refuge is somewhat different than the other two areas. This spot in particular is a half mile boardwalk trail that runs from the pine forest to the swamp. The trail lets you see first hand how the forest has subsided over the years and become swamp. The remnants of dead pine trees that could no longer survive the excessive moisture dot the landscape. As the trail continues, you will end a large expanse of swamp and an incredible view. There is also more trails to hike, but on my most recent visit I was running out of daylight. This trail is popular, but I have found that more times than not, you will be the only hiker. On my most recent trip I encountered several groups on my hike back, but only one group was irritating enough that I wanted to push them into the swamp. When people are hiking and enjoying nature, hooping and hollering is not enjoyable to others. My hike though the wilderness was very enjoyable. For the first part of the hike all that could be heard was the wind and the birds. If you need to think, want to take photos, or just enjoy a walk through the woods, check this trail out.

What is not to love about dining a historic park that offers 2,800 acres and beautiful views of…read moreLake Pontchartrain. This place did not disappoint and what a lovely day to explore. Established in 1942, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999, the most-visited park in Louisiana has nature trails, a sandy beach, a new, all-inclusive playground, a splash pad, and the ruins of an 1829 sugar mill situated among towering oaks. Love there is An all-terrain track wheelchair is available for use by visitors with limited mobility. Win win for everyone.

Huge beautiful park! A real treasure find for this Alaskan!…read more Took the Sugar Mill trail which is a nice, wide gravel trail. Very easy to traverse for just about anyone. Some walked while some biked. Sugar Mill is a looping trail about a mile long. The alligator boardwalk trail was closed, likely due to damage from Ida and hasn't been repaired yet. There was another trail, but we did not take it. The massive cypress are just awesome! The Spanish moss slowly wavering in the air as you walk underneath these giants is just captivating to me! We did not encounter any creatures except squirrels and a male Orchard Orbweaver and his impressive web. Sooo much space and things to do here we didn't even do all of it. There's big open fields for playing, a playground, tons of parking available. I did see the pier and water of Lake Pontchartrain in the distance, but we were too hungry to keep exploring lol $3 per person to enter the park - 100% worth it

The Mississippi River trail is what locals call "The Levee". Much of my family is from the River…read moreParishes so I grew up walking on, skating on and just hanging out up on the levee-- as it is directly across the street from my family members homes. Looking at the river and seeing wildlife. Depending on how high the river is cresting you may see more wildlife. The coolest thing about this trail is that over the years it's been improved with a paved roadway which makes it great for cycling long distances along the river. I live uptown and though I haven't braved the entirety of the trail, if I found the energy, I could ride my bike from uptown to Destrehan to go visit my grandma's house...about 20 miles one way. One of these days I'll get it together and take the ride. The Levee is the barrier between the River and the towns on the other side...it's flood protection and also a recreational space. We love a multifunctional system.

Safe off street route for long rides, but can get monotonous, and the headwinds/crosswinds can be…read morechallenging. Reasonably well-maintained, but a few pretty rough spots, especially where driveways cross the trail. Overall, not bad, and I wish we more off street options.

Walk through the swamp . Stop inside see all the snakes .. we liked the turtles . Many of all sizes…read moreand they put on a show for us

Definitely kid-friendly, even makes for a cool daytime date! I enjoyed it! 10 out of 10read more

I just love walking in a forest in the middle of the city. It's so peaceful and pretty. I just wish…read moreit had longer trails. I love "climbing" up to the highest point in New Orleans! Just watch for mosquitoes during most of the year!

It's a nice way to walk a short trail and get a view of the natural side of Louisiana without…read moreleaving the city. I liked the picnic benches at places along the route to sit and relax if you like and all of them had a pleasant view. Our Lyft driver found us pretty easily. We spent about an hour here. Great place to bring a bag lunch or picnic. I didn't have time but was interested to see the model plane part of the path, also being a southerner was concerned about bugs if we were to walk that inside more woodsy path, so we skipped it for both reasons. If i had my bug gear Id have attempted it though.

When it comes to cycling in Nola this half of the River Trail is my favorite. "The Mississippi…read moreRiver Trail-St.Rose", to me means from Rivertown al the way to the Valero/Motiva refinery. This is I believe a 12 mile stretch. This stretch is great for those who really want to do some serious cycling. There are less people than the strech that starts at the Fly. You are less likely to run into walkers, roller bladers, and jackholes who take up the whole path while walking and refusing to move. I'm no Lance Armstrong (I am slightly heavier and have both testicles) but I always have my fastest rides here. There is also some good scenery along the way. There are several great views of the river along this stretch. You will see various tugboats, barges, and crude oil tankers float by as you pedal away. There is also the Destrahan plantation about 8 miles after leaving Rivertown, followed by the Luling Bridge and the monsterous house that Jesse Duplantis built from his televangilism. I'm sure Jesus wants him to live there. If you get thirsty along the way, the St. Rose Tavern is a great place to hydrate. Overall a pretty smooth ride with only a few bumpy spots along the way. So put on your spandex and pedal on over the St Charles parish.

A trip to New Orleans... You must experience the bayou. There are plenty of parking. I highly…read morerecommend going in the morning especially when the weather is warm. Bring bug spray. If you are like me, bugs love me! Came here September 2018. It was warm. It was closer to 11am. We had hats. We also had umbrellas. There is trail. A lovely board walk that is well kept. It is very accessible for all ages and all abilities. Wheelchairs accessible is a plus in my book! Lots of huge dragon flies and big butterflies here. Some bugs we couldnt see but we sure can HEAR THEM!!!! Didn't see a gator. We were looking though! Check this trail out! It's nice!

Born on the bayou…read more.. This could a bit biased, I'm from NY and there are no bayous. The wooden plank trail is in very good shape, noticed more trail has yet to be completed. It's a ridge trail boardwalk is about 1/2 a mile long. I wish I was able to explore more of the 25,000 acres as boating, fishing, crabbing/craw-fishing and bird watching opportunities. Plenty of parking and clean restrooms. Unfortunately, did not see any gators. Will be back!

I love the trails out here. Sadly, many are closed still due to damage after Ida. But the handful…read moreof open trails are nice. They're mostly shaded. Lots of native plants, beautiful cypress trees, alligators, deer, etc Update: progress is being made on repairing trails!! Hope they reopen soon.

While on vacation, it is part of our responsibility to check out nature in some way, shape, or…read moreform. For us this turned to an excursion to the Barataria Preserve. Located in Louisiana wetland area just outside of New Orleans you will find yourself taken to a place that is reminiscent of Jurassic park. Lots of swamp, big bushes, grass and trees. If it's warm enough and you're lucky you can even see some alligators! The day we went was cool one. They say cold in Norleans but where I'm from it was far from cold. This made the hike interesting as the mostly boardwalk trail was a bit slippery. Watch your step! We came to the preserve about 3:30. We were told explicitly "the gate shuts at 5:30, so you must be out of here or get shut in". What a warning... So we decide we could hack 4 miles easily, so we began and hit the 2-mile trek in and 2-mile trek back with ease and time to spare. During the whole venture we saw some amazing sites.No gators sighted on our chilly romp through the wetlands though. I'll let my pics tell the rest of the story. This is a place worth visiting if you're in the area. It's nature at it's finest!