Barataria Preserve

We decided to stop and walk the preserve and we had a really nice time. The park rangers were more then welcoming and informative. We saw a gator, heard another and had a nice walk through the park with a myriad of other animals. Would definitely come and explore more at another time.

Beautiful area with different trails to see wildlife up close. The Visitor Center has exhibits, showed a short film about the history of Jean Lafitte, Barataria, & the people who live on this land.
Wednesday at 10am there is a free Ranger led walk. Admission is free also. There is a beautiful view of the city from the swamp on the Bayou Coquille trail.

Lovely little rustic boardwalk! Don't forget you water because you will most likely end up walking way further than you anticipate. And don't touch the giant poison ivy plants.

Really fun and easy hike. The trails are mostly flat but there are some elevated sections that require walking up and down some stairs. I highly recommend taking the short guided walk with one of the rangers that is offered 4 days a week in the morning. It's a a good introduction to the area.

Spring time best time. Flowers starting to bloom. Not really crowded.
Nice quiet get away