Louisiana is a stunning state and is known for its scenic beauty and outdoor recreational opportunities. As spring rolls around and the weather warms up, it’s an ideal time to explore the great outdoors. At Courvelle’s RV, we have new and used RVs for sale and an RV service and repair center to get you going.
Spring hikes in Louisiana are our favorite as spring is the perfect time to go camping and hit the trails. In preparation for the season, here’s a list of some of the best places to hike in Louisiana.
Top 4 Places to Hike in Louisiana this Spring
1. Bogue Chitto State Park – St. Tammany Parish
Bogue Chitto State Park is a popular destination for spring hikes, offering scenic views of the Bogue Chitto River and surrounding swamp. Here you will experience a diversity of natural habitats in the 1,786-acres of rolling landscape. On site you can enjoy small streams, cypress-tupelo swamps, a hardwood forest, and upland forests.
This park is one of the best places to hike in Louisiana because it has several trails. These trails range from easy to challenging, making it a great place for both experienced and novice hikers. The River Trail is one of the most popular trails in the park, offering stunning views of the river and the surrounding bayou. The Bobcat Trail is another great option and takes hikers through the heart of the park’s forests. Meanwhile, the Cypress Point Trail is a more challenging trail. On this trail, hikers traverse along the edge of the swamp. Because it follows the swamp, this trail offers unique opportunities to see wildlife and enjoy the park’s natural beauty.
2. Fontainebleau State Park – St. Tammany Parish
Fontainebleau State Park is another great option for spring hikes in Louisiana. This 2,800-acre park is located on the shore of Lake Pontchartrain and visitors can take in the lake views. On a clear day the lake is picturesque as it is dotted with multi-colored sailboats. While the scenic views of Lake Pontchartrain are amazing, so is the sights in the surrounding forests. The park’s nature trail is a favorite of nature lovers. With interpretive signs along the trail, visitors can identify many of the common trees and shrubs. And with over 400 different species of birds and other animals living in and around Fontainebleau, it’s a natural wonderland.
The park has several hiking trails, including the Bayou Trail, the Oak Trail, and the North Loop Trail. The Bayou Trail is one of the most visited trails in the park. This trail follows the shoreline of Lake Pontchartrain and offers stunning views of the lake and the surrounding countryside. The Oak Trail is a more challenging trail, taking hikers through denser areas of the park’s forests. And there is also the North Loop Trail. This trail is a great option for families and novice hikers since it is a scenic route through the park’s rolling hills and beautiful landscapes.
3. Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge – St. Mary Parish
Located in Louisiana’s “Cajun Country,” Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge unquestionably one of our favorite places to hike in Louisiana. Conserving over 15,000 acres of Mississippi alluvial bottomland hardwood forest and bald cypress tupelo swamp habitats, this park is diverse. With scenic bayous, oxbow lakes, swamps, and bottomland hardwood forest, there are a ton of ways to enjoy this park. Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge is a great place to hunt, fish, boat, bird watch, paddle, or just plain enjoy the scenery.
The park has several trails that offer a chance to explore the diverse habitats of the Atchafalaya Basin. These hiking trails range from easy to challenging, including the Chinquapin Loop Trail and the Alligator Bayou Trail. The Chinquapin Loop Trail is a popular trail in the park, and takes hikers through the middle of the refuge. This trail is a great way to see wildlife and enjoy the natural beauty of the area. The Alligator Bayou Trail on the other hand is a more challenging trail. Because this trail takes hikers through the swamp, it offers rare opportunities to see alligators and other wildlife in their natural habitat.
4. Chicot State Park – Ville Platte
Chicot State Park covers over 6,400 acres of rolling hills and water in South Central Louisiana. It is a great destination for spring hikes because it offers an extensive hiking trail that completely encircles Lake Chicot. Not only can you enjoy the sight of the clear water of Lake Chicot, but you can also camp. The trail also includes several primitive campsites along the way. Plus, the several miles of nature trails include markers with labeled plant life native to Louisiana.
Indeed, the hiking trails allow visitors to a chance to explore the rolling hills and scenic landscape of the park. From its bottomland hardwood forest to the lake itself, visitors can experience and enjoy all the park’s natural landscape. There are two main trails: the Chicot Loop Trail and the Overlook Trail. The Chicot Loop Trail is an easy trail, taking hikers through the park’s rolling hills and offering great views of the surrounding landscape. The Overlook Trail is a more advanced hiking trail, taking hikers to the top of a hill and offering panoramic views of the park and surrounding area.
And, within this park is the Louisiana State Arboretum. Here visitors can enjoy mature beech-magnolia forests and explore the diverse flora and fauna of the area. The arboretum also has several trails, including the Magnolia Trail and the Piney Woods Trail.
Where Will Hike this Spring?
From lush forests and marshlands to picturesque lake shores and lively bayous, hiking in Louisiana is always an adventure. We hope our list of the best places to hike in Louisiana helps you plan your Spring travel. Whether you plan an awesome day trip hiking or an entire weekend RV trip, there’s so much more to discover in Louisiana! And if you are near Opelousas, Louisiana, we encourage you to stop in at Courvelle’s RV. Whether you need a service or just have questions, we are here to help!
