Explorer's Guides: 50 Hikes in Louisiana: Walks, Hikes, and Backpacks in the Bayou State

by Janina Baxley

Overview

The surprisingly diverse hiking opportunities in Louisiana.

Hikers can experience a surprising variety of habitats and terrains in Louisiana, ranging from piney woods in the west to bottomland hardwood along the Mississippi floodplain, to the picturesque swamps and marshes in the south. The state's varied habitats provide an ideal home for a wide array of flora and fauna, and its mild climate makes fall, winter, and spring excellent seasons for hiking. Louisiana is located along a prime corridor for migrating birds; as a result, many of the state's trails offer bird-watching opportunities for hikers.

The hikes in this guide range in length from 1/2 to 31 miles, from a casual stroll to a 3-4-day backpack. An overview chart makes it easy to choose a hike for every ability. Each hike description includes mile-by-mile directions, a topographic map, information on hiking time, mileage, and trail conditions, and knowledgeable commentary on the human and natural history you'll encounter along the way.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780881505986
Publisher:	Countryman Press, The
Publication date:	02/18/2004
Series:	Explorer's 50 Hikes
Pages:	282
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

	Acknowledgments	13
	Introduction	14
I.	North Louisiana	29
1.	Walter B. Jacobs Memorial Nature Park	30
2.	Cypress Nature Study Center and Trails	35
3.	Bodcau Hiking	39
4.	Lake Bistineau State Park	43
5.	Sugar Cane Trail	48
6.	White Tail Trail	53
7.	Driskill Mountain	58
8.	Lake D'Arbonne State Park	61
9.	Kiroli Park Outer Trail	66
10.	Black Bayou Lake Nature Trail	70
11.	Poverty Point State Historic Site	74
12.	Rainey Lake Trail	80
II.	Central Louisiana	85
13.	Saline Bayou Trail	86
14.	Briarwood-Caroline Dormon Preserve	92
15.	Dogwood Trail Nature Walk	97
16.	Caroline Dormon Trail	100
17.	Backbone Trail	106
18.	Longleaf Vista Nature Trail	111
19.	Fullerton Mill Trail	115
20.	Wild Azalea Trail	119
21.	Valentine Lake Loop	131
22.	Kincaid Lakeshore Trail	135
23.	Indian Creek Trail	139
24.	Glenn Emery Trail	143
25.	Water Hickory Trail	147
26.	Big Creek Nature Trail	150
III.	Southwest Louisiana	155
27.	Sam Houston Jones State Park	156
28.	Peveto Woods Sanctuary	160
29.	Sabine National Wildlife Refuge	164
30.	Lacassine Levee Walk	169
31.	Cameron Prairie Levee Walk	175
IV.	South-Central Louisiana	179
32.	Louisiana State Arboretum	180
33.	Lake Chicot Trail	185
34.	Acadiana Park Nature Station and Trails	193
35.	Lake Martin Loop	198
36.	Lake Fausse Pointe State Park	202
37.	Sherburne/Atchafalaya Trails	207
V.	Southeast Louisiana	213
38.	Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area	214
39.	Blackfork Trail	219
40.	Mary Ann Brown Nature Preserve	223
41.	Port Hudson State Historic Site	226
42.	Baton Rouge-Area Hikes	232
43.	Tickfaw State Park	236
44.	Bonnet Carre Spillway	240
45.	Horse Branch Trail	246
46.	Fontainebleau State Park	250
47.	Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge	254
48.	Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge	258
49.	Barataria Preserve Trails	262
50.	Lafitte Woods Preserve	267
	Index	271