Bayou Segnette State Park is almost 700 acres of wilderness and a designated campground on the side of the Mississippi River outside of New Orleans. It's a favorite local getaway mainly because it's so accessible – the park is just a stone's throw from the city limits on the US-90 highway, a 15-minute drive from the French Quarter.
Here, you can enjoy the fresh and balmy air of the bayous that begin at the edge of the Big Easy. The whole place is clad in lush grass and comes cut through by swamplands and marshes and murky mud rivers. There are also wilderness cabins, tent pitches and good access to the more intrepid boardwalk trails of the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve to boot.
Bayou Segnette State Park Near New Orleans - one of the highlights of 10 Best Outdoor Adventures in New Orleans (Read all about New Orleans here)
photo by Sherri Kent (CC BY 2.0) modified
What are the highlights of Bayou Segnette State Park?
The main reason you'd plan a trip to Bayou Segnette State Park is to get a feel for the great Louisiana outdoors. This is one of the closest campgrounds to the city centre, but it's still surrounded by the famous cypress forests and hardwoods that cover this coastal corner of the USA.
There are 98 managed camp ground pitches with electricity in the park. You can also find 16 glamping cabins that have air conditioning and even their own private fishing piers jutting out over the bayou. And there's something for the van-lifers, in the form of designated parks for the RV and all the facilities you could need to keep your home on wheels happy amid the creeks.
Already pitched up? Great. It's time to start exploring. A web of hiking paths wiggles southwards from the reserve. They aren't hardcore but can reveal sloshing swamp waters where all sorts of birds – hummingbirds, cuckoos, storks – inhabit the banks. Alternately, you can seek out one of the picnic spots for a lazier day under the Louisiana sun.
Little ones are bound to prefer a trip to the onsite wave pool. That sloshes around when the swells are turned on to offer an adrenaline-pumping encounter with the water. When the water is still, it's a prime place to cool off in a rubber ring.
Bayou Segnette State Park boasts fishing grounds across both brackish and freshwater locations alike. Catchers come to chase redfish, trout, bream and bass – all of which are common. The place is also a fantastic launchpad for breaking into the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park on a boat, where you're likely to encounter gators and age-old Cajun settlements, wilder boardwalk trails, and some of Louisiana's more untouched stretches of coastal sawgrass wetland. Calling all adventurers.
Good to know about Bayou Segnette State Park
One of the real joys of Bayou Segnette State Park is that it's super easy to get to. Simply drive down US-90 over the south side of the Mississippi and you can be there less than 20 minutes after leaving the French Quarter. It's also a cinch to get in from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, which is just a 20-minute drive up Route 90 and then across on the I-10.
The park is open daily, with peak season typically lasting from April to September. The cabins cost a little more during this period and you might want to book in advance to ensure you get the overwater hut or tent pitch you're looking for.
It's a good idea to bring a strong bug spray – the bayous of Louisiana are pretty notorious for their critters. Packing high-SPF sunscreen is a good idea, especially in summer. Those thinking about tackling the hiking trails and boardwalks will want proper hiking boots and plenty of water at hand, too.
Bayou Segnette State Park Near New Orleans
Location: 7777 Westbank Expy, Westwego, LA 70094, USA
Phone: +1 504-736-7140
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Where to stay in New Orleans
Crowne Plaza New Orleans French Qtr - Astor
Bourbon Orleans Hotel
New Orleans Marriott
Omni Royal Orleans Hotel
Hotel Monteleone, New Orleans
Maison Dupuy Hotel
Sheraton New Orleans Hotel
Embassy Suites by Hilton New Orleans
Dauphine Orleans Hotel
