Barataria Preserve

I happened to visit the Barataria Preserve on a perfect spring day, lower 70 degree temperature and early enough I encountered very few bugs other than dragonflies. Although I imagine at many times of the year it can get very muggy and buggy.

I spent some time at the exhibits in the visitor's center before getting trail advice from the ranger. Since it had rained the day before, several trails were muddy. So he recommended taking the Palmetto Trail to the Bayou Coquille Trail to the Marsh Overlook Trail.

I so enjoyed my walk through the lush vegetation of the bayou. I saw Giant Blue Irises, Swamp Rabbits, a Gulf Coast Ribbon Snake, and a Water Moccasin. I also saw an idiot trying to poke and then swipe at one of the Swamp Rabbits. Come on people! Always respect wildlife! The preserve is their home.

Walk the Trail at least 5 times.
Really nice walk.
Beautiful Swamp.
Free Recreation.
One of the trips I took here was with a big group of 15.
We had a few elderly folks.
One of them had a low blood pressure sugar episode.
Park Rangers were deployed and were instrumental in getting our friend help.

Situated just 25min car ride from French District is a wonderful marshy haven to help you unwind from the bustling city. There were many wildlife of interest along the boardwalk to keep people all ages entertained. To get to it, map the visitor center and not Barataria Preserve. There is a short boardwalk trail right at the nature center and also few others just up and down the road from the visitor center. It's also a National Park so don't forget to purchase your national parks passport and get your first cancellation stamp!

We came in the first week of April which is right when all the snakes and alligators start "waking up" from their version of hibernation, known as brumation. It was AMAZING. We saw 34 snakes and 3 alligators. One of the snakes was busy eating a frog which was a bit much for my delicate heart. The poor frog was still blinking at us. The alligators were busy catching frogs themselves which is a sight I have never seen in real life. It was a fantastic walk. Partly shady, raised walkway so you can stroll through the preserve feeling like you have an upfront view of the wild life. Bathrooms at the start near the visitor center. Easy parking. Lots of benches en route for a rest stop/water break. Wear sunscreen. Bring water. My eldest son declared it the best nature hike he has ever been on.

Very nice scenery and completely free! It has many different trails, they go beyond what Google Maps shows so I would look around for more trails or visit the visitors center for the complete list. Some trails were closed due to weather but we still had plenty of sights to see and spotted some alligators close by!

Nice short trail for all ages. We even saw two deer cross the boardwalk right in front of us!

A beautiful, natural trail to view the wildness of southeast Louisiana. I absolutely love how I feel on these walks. The sights, sounds, and smells of the bayou preserve are a treasure.

Just a short drive south of the hustle and bustle (and crowds) of New Orleans, this place allows you to travel much further back in time with just a short walk away from the parking lot.

We started at the Visitors Center, where the staff are extremely friendly and knowledgeable about the park, surrounding area, and history. They also made certain we had plenty of water with us. The hiking trails are not long and are well marked, but with the heat of the summer and high humidity, sweating and drinking are two activities you have little choice but to participate in. In the Center, there is also a small history display that provides good information for anyone interested in knowing more about how the area has changed over the years, details on the Mississippi river delta landscape, and other pertinent goodies fun to learn.

The trails are all flat, and well-maintained dirt or boardwalk, so you don't need any special hiking shoes or equipment. They aren't long either, but they still take you far enough away from the parking lot to make you feel you've stepped away from civilization; and far enough that if you didn't follow the recommendation to bring water, you will regret not doing so.

The Marsh Overlook trail we walked was only a mile or so round trip, but it traveled through three different ecosystems; hardwood forest, cypress swamp, and open marshland. A few very interesting old-growth trees, lots of Spanish moss, aquatic plants, various flowers and other fun plants. I love the cypress "knees" that surround those particular trees too.

We arrived fairly early (9ish) in the morning on a Wednesday and didn't see any other adventurers on the way out. Because of this, the wildlife was still very visible and very active. We shared the area with a few skittish but very large deer (not sure what kind), squirrels, birds, frogs, turtles, several very large spiders, and yes, a few alligators. As long as you remain on the trails, none of these will bother you. On our return trip, the trails were much more active with other people and we didn't see any of the wildlife visible on the way out.

We wandered through in mid-June and while we were fortunate that the temps were unusually cool, the humidity was still high. Bugs are present and flying, so bring bug spray. The flies can be a nuisance.

Overall a highly recommended trek if you are in the area. Bring clothes you can sweat in, comfortable walking shoes, bug spray, and plenty of water to drink, of course a camera of some sort, and have a good time!

We loved this place! There was tons of wildlife! Alligators, lizards, butterflies, birds, and snakes! It had all the stuff we came to see and more! My one issue was that people were sooo noisy and it was a bit crowded. But a good place will draw that sort of attention so can't blame the preserve for that! We will be back to see more nature in action!

I love this place. Great for hiking and fishing or just to get away for a while. Located close to the city, it's an easy place to get to for a visit.

We're not too far down the road and visit the trails often. This past weekend we were able to take our new canoe out on the twin canals. Wow, so beautiful and such a fun adventure. We must have ended up in an alligator nursery bc we saw so many juvenile gators, it was amazing. Highly recommend. March/April is a great time to visit before it becomes too hot.