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.

This area has so much to offer: The Tammany Trace is close…read morefor bicycles and hikers!There's a huge playground for the kids! Extensive trails/boardwalks throughout the park! Lots of wildlife, especially birding! Nice picnic areas/tables! Clean restrooms! Beautiful grounds! History galore! Only drawback is no dogs (except service animals) I would recommend this spot for anyone who wants to see splendid natural southern beauty!

An absolute perfect find for kiddos. On a road trip and since we have a 1 and 2 year old, our only…read morestops are picnics with playgrounds. Camp Salmen has that and MORE! Beautiful pavilion with picnic tables, clean restrooms with soap and warm water, and walking trails to explore. The boardwalks are gorgeous! We will be making this a regular stop every time we are down this way.

Overall, this particular park is a winner. If you are in the Slidell, Louisiana area,you owe it to…read moreyourself to check this park out. I grabbed a po' boy at a restaurant called Pearl's and came here to enjoy my lunch. I enjoyed chilling and enjoying my lunch. I would definitely recommend Heritage Park.

Not much to add that hasn't already been said by others. This is a great little park to just hang…read moreout or walk or let the kids play. Decent shade. Plenty of parking. The large open green space in the middle is nicely kept. The sidewalks are wide enough to accommodate all the people walking their laps. The bathrooms are decent as public bathrooms go. The city has poured a lot of money into the park over the last few years and it shows. Lots of picnic tables and pavilions. The public boat ramp and the docks have been greatly improved.

This is a lovely state run park that has tent camping and hookups for RV and travel trailers. It…read morealso has fishing, a boat launch and the Otis house that you can tour. Evidently the last owner of the house donated the house and some of the land to the state for a park which is great. It saves the land for use. I came to tour the house. You have to pay at the gate to drive on the premises, and pay for the tour. Then drive around and park near the house. Everything was quite lovely. I did not use any of the other facilities.

For a state park campground, this facility is above average in my experience. The campsites up…read morefront are spread out. There is a lot of open ground between the rows of slips giving you a sense of open space. There is another campground section in the back where the boat ramp is with some space to park your vehicles with boat trailers. The facilities are well maintained. For example, the site directly across from me has a brand new picnic table which are more expensive than your average table since the entire frame is made from tubular metal to ward off termites. Each gender has three separate shower rooms available to them. Each room is lockable and comes with a toilet, a sink vanity, and a very large shower stall. The rooms are spacious so that parents can help their young children. There two sets of washers and dryers in that same centrally located building for the front campground. The rear campground has their own building with restrooms and showers. The dump station has a hand soap dispenser which is the first time I've seen that at a public campground. I camped in slip #26 which is located at the end of the row and has partial shade over half the slip all day long. The end of the row is next to the park boundary and on the other side is an old cemetery which makes for a quiet area buffer from any residences. After my first weekend, almost everyone else checked out and I had my row to myself. Located within the park is the historical Old Mill House Museum but tours were not available (mid June 2023) as they were currently doing repair work. There is a swamp trail boardwalk available for walking/hiking with periodic benches and a river view at one point. They have provided playground equipment and swings for the children. There are about 80 RV slips and all have water and power hook ups. There a half dozen or so with sewer hook ups. There is also a large tent camping area with no power hook ups. There are plenty of restaurants and grocery stores within just a few miles of the park in both Madisonville and Mandeville.

This place is amazing and kids go crazy over it. Highly recommended for kids between 1 and 10. You…read morecould spend at least an hour or more here with the amount of different things they have. The children's center is next door and they have plenty of shade. I wish they had this type of park near me.

This is the best free playground I've ever been to. Almost Everything is wheelchair accessible!…read moreAlmost everything is under sun shades! There's a water mister for during the summer! There's separate areas for 2-5 and 5-12 years old. There's a metal fence around the entire thing and every gate has a yellow flower lock up top. The park is open Monday 1100- dusk and Tuesday-Saturday 0800- dusk. It is right next to the st. Tammany Trace bike trail and the st. Tammany Children's museum. I would LOVE to have a playground like this near my home town.

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

This is a great park for kids and adults…read more Located next to Mandeville City Hall, I guess this could be considered the official City Park. There are two large play sets for kids. There is one general area, and one designed for younger kids. Both sets are relatively modern and will be enjoyed by kids regardless of their age. The set in the general area has a ramp that should accommodate wheelchairs. In addition to the play sets, there are swing sets, metal climbing obstacles and a giant open area. I recommend you play the run as fast as you can to that tree in the distance game to wear your kids out. There are also two tennis courts. I don't know if they need to be reserved, but it looks like it is first come first serve. If you want a place for your kids to play, check out this park.

This is a nice little park in the middle of Mandeville next to City Hall. They've got tennis courts…read moreand basketball courts which are in use just about every day I walk through. It's a good place for a picnic. They've got picnic tables and an area to cook out in. There is also a slide and other playground equipment for kids. Not bad for a small park. It gets quite a bit of action and is a great place for mom to hang out and read a book or whatever while the kiddos have a blast.

Nice little park with a walking trail. We are visiting the area and wanted a place to get out and…read morewalk the dog. This fit the bill. The trail was busy but we enjoyed a couple mile stroll with the adult kids and the pooch.

This is my favorite of the city parks in Slidell. It has a nice walking path around the ball fields…read moreand the perimeter of the park. There are trails and paths into the neighborhoods around the park if you want to walk farther and explore. The park is popular - there are always people and families around - and it feels safe and friendly, even at night. Sometimes cars drive through the park a little fast, but most are careful and drive slowly. The ball fields have been undergoing some extensive renovations in 2023 and the whole park is being improved overall. There are bathrooms available. They aren't great but are definitely better than nothing.

It's snake mating season, so we are on a break, but Freki can't wait to get back out on the trails!…read more Lots of things to see and do, some rolling terrain to make the hike a little physical, and so many sign to help you get the most out of your hike. If you're in Mandeville and looking to stretch your legs a little, this little gem is your ticket!

Quiet, wonderful place to spend some exploring time near Mandeville. Near the entrance are…read moreexcellent tree lined wooden walking paths that lead to some secluded trails through the woods. Swamps, birds, turtles , snakes and botanical treasures are to be found. Recommended!!

What a beautiful day…read more - worship at Mary, Queen of Peace: check - coffee from the wonderful people at PJ's: check - walking on the lakefront with my little buddy: check - crazy, cool tree covered in icicles melting and cracking: check Today was one of those amazingly cool and dry days we get as a real gift from the Father about 4 or 6 times a year. Probably more, but work is work, yeah? Still, it was so cold and crisp, and the sun was so beautiful and bright, that we parked up the street on Girod just to walk past the shops on our way to the lake. Ok, we also parked there to get a pic that super cool tree and the sun shining through the icicles. The lakefront is a gorgeous walk along the seawall - sun glinting off the calm waves, other walkers/runners/cyclists (not too many today!) enjoying the gift of the day the Lord has made. Freki and I were definitely rejoicing in it! We did get some water at The Barley Oak - always dog-friendly, or maybe dog-encouraging. It's one of our favorite places to stop and meet new people to pet. If you see Freki, say hi, he wants to pet you, I promise! 2 thumbs and a couple dewclaws up for this one!

Great spot to walk, run or other exercise. Or just to sit, look at the lake and think about life…read more Or people watch. Just relax. Whatever. Bring a friend or two. Bring a meal and eat outside. Huge homes and businesses line the street facing the lake that will transport you back in time.