Louisiana’s State Parks
- Listed: December 4, 2019 7:58 pm
Description
Louisiana’s State Parks offer unmatched access to some of the world’s most diverse and active ecosystems. Ranging from rich coastal estuaries and beaches, across vast primitive cypress and tupelo swamps, over untouched expanses of pine and hardwood forests, nature occupies a central role in the storied history of Louisiana. Perhaps more than any other state, Louisiana has been defined by the land.
The state parks feature first class facilities including comfortable cabins and numerous activities such as canoe trails, fishing, hiking, interpretive programs, archaeology and even concerts. Louisiana’s historic sites transport visitors to a time of antebellum living and the American Civil War, as well as offering a fascinating look into Native American history, some of which predates the arrival of European settlers by almost 1,500 years.
Louisiana’s State Parks, Historic Sites and Preservation Area are also a vivid reminder that the state’s living culture of music, architecture and food owes its distinctness to the unique geography. In fact, most of Louisiana’s celebrated cuisine was inspired by the abundance of natural resources in the state. Even today, the abundance of wildlife is amazing – inland and coastal waters are full of fish, and shrimp, and Louisiana is home to North America’s primary migratory flyway, with flocks of songbirds and waterfowl darkening the sky. Whether set among subtropical palmetto-dotted wetlands, along lazy bayous or within stately old-growth forests, Louisiana’s State Parks delight and inspire.
GREATER NEW ORLEANS
Bayou Segnette State Park, on the west bank of the Mississippi River in Jefferson Parish, is only 30 minutes from downtown New Orleans. The 580-acre park includes a multi-lane boat launch, 98 RV campsites, a group camp, playground, picnic area and wave pool.
E-mail: bayousegnette@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2296 or 504-736-7140
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 7777 Westbank Expressway, Westwego, LA 70094
Bogue Chitto State Park offers a diversity of natural habitats on one of the most dynamic and scenic river systems in Louisiana. Overnight visitors will find accommodations from tent camping to RV camping to cabins overlooking the bluffs. For larger groups and family reunions, the park offers a group camp and a conference room.
E-mail: boguechitto@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-7312 or 985-839-5707
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 17049 State Park Blvd., Franklinton, LA 70438
Fairview-Riverside State Park is located two miles east of Madisonville in St. Tammany Parish on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The park’s 99 acres are set amid picturesque, moss-draped oaks and woodlands on the bank of the Tchefuncte River. Facilities include 101 campsites for overnight visitors, a day use area with playground and picnic facilities. A boat launch is available for overnight campers. The site also features Otis House Museum, an 1880s structure listed on the National Register of Historic Places, which is open for tours Wednesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
E-mail: fairview@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677.3247 or 985-845-3318
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 119 Fairview Drive, Madisonville, LA 70447
Fontainebleau State Park is located southeast of Mandeville in St. Tammany Parish on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain. The park embraces over 2,809 acres. The ruins of a plantation brickyard, sugar mill and an alley of live oaks lining the entrance road accent the scenic park. The park offers 167 campsites, 10 vacation cabins, two group camps and a lodge. Day use facilities include hiking trails, a beach and pool for swimming, fishing pier, picnic areas, a playground, a visitor center and a sailboat launch. The nature trail is very popular.
E-mail: fntbleau@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-3668 or 985-624-4443
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 67825 US Hwy. 190, Mandeville, LA 70448
Fort Pike State Historic Site is located adjacent to the Old Spanish Trail (US Hwy. 90) in eastern New Orleans. The fort, set on a 94-acre site, was constructed shortly after the War of 1812 to defend navigational channels leading into the city of New Orleans. Visitors can stroll through authentic brick archways and stand overlooking the Rigolets, as sentries once did. The site museum displays numerous artifacts related to the fort’s history. The facility is included on the National Register of Historic Places.
E-mail: fortpike@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-662-5703 or 504-255-9171
Address: 27100 Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans, LA 70129
St. Bernard State Park is located 18 miles southeast of New Orleans off LA Hwy. 39 in St. Bernard Parish. The 358-acre park offers 51 campsites, a swimming pool, picnic sites and a playground. The park, near the Caernarvon Canal, is a convenient overnight spot of fishermen.
E-mail: stbernard@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-7823 or 504-682-2101
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 501 St. Bernard Parkway, Braithwaite, LA 70040
PLANTATION COUNTRY
Audubon State Historic Site is located 25 minutes north of Baton Rouge in West Feliciana Parish, near St. Francisville. The 100-acre woodland setting is the site of Oakley Plantation, built in 1799, where artist-naturalist John James Audubon created many of his famous bird paintings. Oakley House, the plantation home, has been restored as a museum containing Audubon memorabilia. Formal gardens accent the exterior of the house. The house is included on the National Register of Historic Places.
E-mail: audubon@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2838 or 225-635-3739
Address: 11788 LA Hwy. 965, St. Francisville, LA 70775
Centenary State Historic Site is located 40 minutes north of Baton Rouge in the town of Jackson in East Feliciana Parish. The site includes the west wing dormitory and professor’s residence of the original Centenary College, preserved to interpret the history of higher education in Louisiana.
E-mail: centenary@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2364 or 225-634-7925
Address: 3522 College Street, Jackson, LA 70748
Locust Grove State Historic Site
Locust Grove State Historic Site is located north of St. Francisville in West Feliciana Parish, off LA Hwy. 10. This one-acre cemetery is the final resting place for Sarah Knox Taylor Davis, wife of Jefferson Davis, and General Eleazor W. Ripley, who was noted for his distinction at the Battle of Lundy’s Lane during the War of 1812.
E-mail: audubon@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2838 or 225-635-3739 (Audubon State Historic Site)
Address: Bains-Ristroph Road, St. Francisville, LA 70775
Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site
Plaquemine Lock State Historic Site is located 20 minutes south of Baton Rouge, off LA Hwy. 1 in Iberville Parish. Built in 1909, the lock allowed river vessel passage between the Mississippi River and Bayou Plaquemine. The facilities include the lock, the original lockhouse and a visitor’s complex.
E-mail: plaqlock@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 877-987-7158 or 225-687-7158
Address: 57730 Main Street, Plaquemine, LA 70764
Port Hudson State Historic Site
Port Hudson State Historic Site is located 20 minutes north of Baton Rouge. The 899-acre site includes original Civil War earthworks used by Confederate forces during the 1863 Siege of Port Hudson by Union forces, a pivotal battle for control of the Mississippi River. The historic site features a museum, outdoor displays, viewing towers, picnic area and six miles of walking trails. Port Hudson is a National Historic Landmark.
E-mail: porthudson@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-3400 or 225-654-3775
Address: 236 Hwy. 61, Jackson, LA 70748
Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site
Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site, 30 minutes north of Baton Rouge, of US Hwy. 61, is located along one of the most historic corridors in South Louisiana. The 375-acre site features 28 acres of formal gardens, which date back to 1835. Also preserved on site are the main house and 13 other historic buildings.
E-mail: rosedown@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-376-1867 or 225-635-3332
Address: 12501 LA Hwy. 10, St. Francisville, LA 70775
Tickfaw State Park, 40 minutes southeast of Baton Rouge, is only seven miles from the center of Springfield in Livingston Parish. A nature-based recreational site on the Tickfaw River, the park offers a nature center with boardwalks, nature trails and pavilions, 50 campsites, 14 cabins, a group camp, picnicking, a canoe launch and water playground.
E-mail: tickfaw@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-981-2020 or 225-294-5020
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 27225 Patterson Road, Springfield, LA 70462
CAJUN COUNTRY
Chicot State Park is located 45 minutes north of Lafayette in Evangeline Parish. This 6,162-acre park features large rolling hills surrounding a 2,000-acre artificial lake, well stocked with bream, bass and crappie. Two hundred campsites, 20 cabins, three lodges and one group camp are available for overnight visitors. Day use facilities include three boat launches, two fishing piers, picnic sites, a hiking trail, meeting room, playground and swimming pool.
E-mail: chicot@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2442 or 337-363-2403
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 3469 Chicot Park Road, Ville Platte, LA 70586
Cypremort Point State Park in St. Mary Parish is only 45 minutes south of Lafayette. The 185-acre site offers easy access to the Gulf of Mexico. Six vacation cabins are available for overnight stays. Day use visitors have access to a man-made beach, sailboat launch, picnic area, picnic pavilions and fishing pier.
E-mail: cypremort@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-867-4510 or 337-867-4510
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 306 Beach Lane, Cypremort Point, LA 70538
Grand Isle State Park is located at the southern end of LA Hwy. 1 in Jefferson Parish. This 120-acre site offers easy access to the Gulf of Mexico for fishing, swimming and beach activities. Overnight facilities include 49 RV campsites. A 400-foot fishing pier offers day/night fishing. The picnic area, swimming beach, fishing pier and observation tower are available for day use visitors.
E-mail: grandisle@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-787-2559 or 985-787-2559
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: Admiral Craik Drive, Grand Isle, LA 70358
Lake Fausse Pointe State Park is located 40 minutes southeast of Lafayette in Iberia Parish, about 18 miles east of St. Martinville. The park is adjacent to the Atchafalaya Basin, one of the great natural wonders in North America. Overnight facilities include 50 campsites and 18 cabins. Day use facilities include nature trails, a canoe trail, boat launch and rentals, picnic areas, picnic pavilions, a playground, a water playground and a meeting room.
E-mail: lakefaussept@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-7200 or 337-229-4764
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 5400 Levee Road, St. Martinville, LA 70582
Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site
Longfellow-Evangeline State Historic Site is located in St. Martinville along the banks of Bayou Teche in St. Martin Parish. The developments center around a Creole Plantation circa 1815. The site also features an Acadian Farmstead depicting the lifestyle of Acadian settlers and a visitor center with exhibits and artifacts from the early settlement along the Bayou Teche. The 157-acre site and its structures interpret the history of the early French settlers of Louisiana and the plantation home is a National Historic Landmark.
E-mail: longfellow@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2900 or 337-394-3754
Address: 1200 North Main Street, St. Martinville, LA 70582
Louisiana State Arboretum State Preservation Area
The Louisiana State Arboretum, north of Ville Platte, is located inside Chicot State Park in Evangeline Parish. The 301-acre facility features three miles of nature trails that provide access to more than 100 species of plant life native to Louisiana. An on-site herbarium contains preserved native specimens and the J.D. LaFleur Visitor Center contains exhibits on native plant life and the history of the site. Guided tours are available with advance notice.
E-mail: arboretum@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-6100 or 337-363-6289
Address: 1300 Sudie Lawton Lane, Ville Platte, LA 70586
Located on the Vermilion River, Palmetto Island State Park offers a real South Louisiana outdoors experience. A boat launch provides access to the river for fishing and boating, while the interior lagoons allow canoers and kayakers an up-close look at the native plant and animal life. Overnight guests can stay in one of six vacation cabins, each sleeping up to eight people comfortably. RV and tent campers can choose from bottomland or upland campgrounds.
E-mail: palmettoisland@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-0094 or 337-893-3930
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 19501 Pleasant Road, Abbeville, LA 70510
Sam Houston Jones State Park is located 12 miles north of Lake Charles, off LA Hwy. 378 in Calcasieu Parish. The 1,087-acre tract features 62 RV campsites, 19 tent campsites, 12 vacation cabins, boating, fishing, picnic areas, a playground and nature trails. Originally named for the Texas folk hero who traveled extensively in the western reaches of Louisiana, Sam Houston Jones was given its current name in honor of the state’s 37th governor, who was instrumental in setting this tract of land aside for public use.
E-mail: samhouston@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-7264 or 337-855-2665
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 107 Sutherland Road, Lake Charles, LA 70611
CROSSROADS
Fort Jesup State Historic Site
Fort Jesup State Historic Site, off LA Hwy. 6 in Sabine Parish, is 35 minutes west of Natchitoches. This site features the original kitchen/mess hall that served the garrison built by the US Army in 1822 and a reconstructed officer’s quarters. Fort Jesup, established by Lt. Colonel Zachary Taylor to protect the frontier of a growing United States, is a National Historic Landmark
E-mail: fortjesup@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-5378 or 318-256-4117
Address: 32 Geoghagan Road, Many, LA 71449
Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site
Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site is located on the banks of the Cane River in Natchitoches, the oldest town in the Louisiana Purchase territory. An exact replica of the fort as it existed in 1732, it includes a long barracks building, small warehouse, chapel, mess hall and several American Indian huts. The fort was a strategic outpost for the French, to prevent the Spanish from advancing further east into Louisiana. The visitor center provides historical background, while staff members wear period clothing as part of the daily programs.
E-mail: fortstjean@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-7853 or 318-357-3101
Address: 155 Rue Jefferson, Natchitoches, LA 71457
Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site
Located on Red River in downtown Pineville, Forts Randolph & Buhlow State Historic Site includes a visitor center with exhibits on the Civil War Red River Campaign, an elevated boardwalk around the fort area, an overlook near Bailey’s Dam site, and an open field for Civil War re-enactments. Forts Randolph & Buhlow were placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1981.
E-mail: fortsrandolphbuhlow@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 877-677-7437 or 318-484-2390
Address: 135 Riverfront Street Pineville, LA 71360
Hodges Gardens State Parks is located 14 miles south of Many in Sabine Parish. The 700-acre site, once a host to mining operations to provide sandstone, has large natural rock formations exposed since the quarry was abandoned. Situated on a 225-acre lake, Hodges Gardens offers 11 cabins, 20 equestrian campsites and nine tent campsites among the wild and cultivated beauty of the many gardens, waterfalls and fountains throughout the park.
E-mail: hodgesgardens@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 800-354-3523 or 318-586-4020
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 1000 Hodges Loop, Florien, LA 71429
Los Adaes State Historic Site is located west of I-49 in Natchitoches Parish. A Catholic mission was first established at the site in 1717, and by 1721 a fort had been established in order to protect the Spanish province of Tejas from French intrusion. Despite official friction, the Spanish of Los Adaes and the French of Fort St. Jean Baptiste maintained friendly relations. An important archaeological site, Los Adaes is a National Historic Landmark.
E-mail: fortstjean@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-7853 or 318-357-3101 (Fort St. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site)
Address: 6354 LA Hwy. 485, Robeline, LA 71469
Marksville State Historic Site
Marksville State Historic Site is located 45 minutes southeast of Alexandria in Avoyelles Parish. The site, a National Historic Landmark, preserves evidence of an American Indian culture which flourished 2,000 years ago. Visitors will see prehistoric mounds and can view artifacts in the site museum. Programs further explain the history of the site and offer an interpretation of the early inhabitants’ daily life.
E-mail: marksville@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-253-8954 or 318-253-8954
Address: 837 Martin Luther King Drive, Marksville, LA 71351
North Toledo Bend State Park is located six miles west of Zwolle in Sabine Parish. Situated in the rolling pine forests bordering Toledo Bend Reservoir, one of the country’s prime fishing lakes, the park features 63 campsites, 10 cabins and a group camp. Day use facilities include two fishing piers, hiking trails, picnic sites, a playground, swimming pool and boat launch.
E-mail: toldeobend@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-6400 or 318-645-4723
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 2907 N. Toledo Park Road, Zwolle, LA 71486
Rebel State Historic Site is located in Natchitoches Parish, 40 minutes west of I-20. The site features the Louisiana Country Music Museum, which explores rural life and culture and its impact on the development of country music in Louisiana. Additional facilities include a performance amphitheater, a pavilion and a picnic area.
E-mail: rebel@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-3600 or 318-472-6255
Reservations: 877-226-7652 (For Pavilion Rental)
Address: 1260 LA Hwy. 1221, Marthaville, LA 71450
South Toledo Bend State Park encompasses 1,023 acres and is located in Sabine Parish, 16 miles west of Anacoco. Set on several bluffs overlooking the reservoir lake, the park offers 19 cabins, 55 RV campsites and five tent campsites for overnight stays. Other facilities include a boat ramp, nature/visitor center, surfaced nature trails and picnic area. With it’s setting at the southern end of the Toledo Bend Reservoir, this park offers access to nationally recognized fishing spots.
E-mail: southtoldeobend@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-398-4770 or 337-286-9075
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 120 Bald Eagle Road, Anacoco, LA 71403
SPORTSMAN’S PARADISE
Chemin-A-Haut State Park is located 10 miles north of Bastrop in Morehouse Parish. The 853-acre park, at the intersection of Bayous Chemin-A-Haut and Bartholomew, is a portion of the high road to the south used by American Indians in their seasonal migrations centuries ago. Within the park, Big Slough Lake is stocked with bass, bream and crappie. Fourteen cabins, 26 campsites and a group camp can be reserved for overnight use. A swimming pool, playground, picnic area and boat launch are also available for day use.
E-mail: cheminahaut@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2436 or 318-283-0812
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 14656 State Park Road, Bastrop, LA 71220
Jimmie Davis State Park is located 35 minutes south of Ruston and I-20, near Chatham in Jackson Parish. Situated amid rolling woodlands on a 5,000-acre reservoir, the site offers 73 campsites, 17 cabins, two lodges, a group camp, picnic area, two playgrounds, two boat launches, a fishing pier and swimming beach. The park is named for Jimmie Davis, Governor of Louisiana from 1944-48 and 1960-64, who also was famous as a country-western and gospel singer.
E-mail: jimmiedavis@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2263 or 318-249-2595
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 1209 State Park Road, Chatham, LA 71226
Lake Bistineau State Park is located 40 minutes southeast of Shreveport in Webster Parish. This 750-arce park features a pine forest setting on the shore of the lake for which the park is named. Overnight facilities include 14 cabins, a lodge, two group camps and 67 campsites. Picnic sites, a boat launch, a playground, swimming pool and beach are also available for day use visitors. Fishing, boating, hiking and biking are some of the outdoor recreation options available.
E-mail: lakebistineau@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2478 or 318-745-3503
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 103 State Park Road, Doyline, LA 71023
Lake Bruin State Park is located east of U.S. 65 near St. Joseph in Tensas Parish on the eastern Louisiana state border. The park is named for the oxbow lake it overlooks and features a magnificent cypress tree growth along the shore. Facilities include 25 campsites, a picnic area, a playground, a beach area for swimmers, three fishing piers and a boat launch. Water-skiing, fishing and boating are popular activities at the park.
E-mail: lakebruin@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2784 or 318-766-3530
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 201 State Park Road, St. Joseph, LA 71366
Lake Claiborne State Park is located in Claiborne Parish off LA Hwy. 146, northwest of Ruston and I-20. The park’s 620 acres feature hilly woodlands overlooking the 6,400-acre, man-made lake. Overnight facilities include 87 campsites and 10 vacation cabins. A boat launch, rental boats and fishing piers are available to fishermen and water sports enthusiasts. Additional day use facilities include a swimming beach, picnic area, nature trails and a reservable picnic pavilion.
E-mail: lakeclaiborne@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2524 or 318-927-2976
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 225 State Park Road, Homer, LA 71040
Lake D’Arbonne State Park is located off LA Hwy. 2, northeast of Ruston and I-20. The 655-acre site features excellent fishing and water sports on a 15,000-acre, man-made lake. Overnight facilities include 65 campsites, 16 cabins, two lodges and a group camp. Day use facilities include five fishing piers, a swimming pool, a boat launch, picnic areas, picnic pavilions, playgrounds and four lighted tennis courts.
E-mail: lakedarbonne@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-5200 or 318-368-2086
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 3628 Evergreen Road, Farmerville, LA 71241
Mansfield State Historic Site is located four miles south of the town of Mansfield, 15 minutes west of I-49 in DeSoto Parish. The site commemorates the most important battle of the Civil War fought west of the Mississippi River. The 178-acre site includes a museum noted for its variety of military artifacts and a trail system through a portion of the actual battlefield. Living history programs throughout the year depict Civil War life from various perspectives. The site is included in the National Register of Historic Places.
E-mail: mansfield@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-6267 or 318-872-1474
Address: 15149 LA Hwy. 175, Mansfield, LA 71052
Poverty Point State Historic Site
Poverty Point State Historic Site is located northeast of Monroe on Bayou Macon in West Carroll Parish. The site commemorates the earliest North American culture known to exist on the continent. Artifacts found at the site date to between 1700 and 700 BC. Interpretive programs, a museum and guided tours are provided for visitor education. This site was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962.
E-mail: povertypoint@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-926-5492 or 318-926-5492
Address: 6859 LA Hwy. 577, Pioneer, LA 71266
Poverty Point Reservoir State Park
Poverty Point Reservoir State Park is located four miles north of Delhi and I-20 in Richland Parish. The 2,700-acre, man-made lake offers visitors an outlet for a variety of water sport activities, including fishing and water-skiing. The South Landing contains a boat launch, eight cabins and four lodges that can be reserved for overnight use. The North Marina complex provides two fishing piers, a boat launch, rental boat slips, a picnic area, swimming beach and park store.
E-mail: povertypointres@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 800-474-0392 or 318-878-7536
Reservations: 877-226-7652
Address: 1500 Poverty Point Parkway, Delhi, LA 71232
Winter Quarters State Historic Site
Winter Quarters State Historic Site is located 10 minutes east of U.S. Hwy. 65 in Tensas Parish. The site features an antebellum plantation home on the shore of Lake St. Joseph and offers guided tours and special events. Built in the 1800s, the home was one of the few properties to survive the Civil War intact and is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
E-mail: winterquarters@crt.la.gov
Site Phone: 888-677-2784 or 318-766-3530 (Lake Bruin State Park)
Address: 4929 LA Hwy. 608, Newellton, LA 71357
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- Listed by: Editor
- Member Since: September 2, 2017
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