Blackwater Conservation Area

Located an hour and twenty minutes west of New Orleans, I had originally planned to make a quick pit stop at this Plantation while passing through just to snap a photo of the oaks, before I knew it I had spent 6 hours wandering its properties and learning all about the incredible past of this home and its tenants! Admission is $22 for adults, $8 for youth (13-18 years old) and $5 for children (...

Many small cascades can be found along this creek. On hot summer days, it's a great place to jump in and cool off. There is a $3 fee per vehicle, plus an addition dollar per person for groups larger than two.

At times, this can be a very strenuous hike due to its steeply sloping loess bluff hills and frequent creek crossings. The trails are all marked with blazes and the occasional trail map. Clark Creek has over 50 waterfalls, many of which range from 10 to 30 feet. One of which along the trail has a good sized swimming hole to play in. There are even a couple of good boulders to climb if you look ...

There's a boat launch for small boats, canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddle boards. Plenty of fishing from the banks or off a boat. Go at dusk for an unforgettable sunset from the water. If you paddle enough you may even be able to find a rope swing, or a rope ladder that offers an amazing aerial view. 

If you search "state parks" and follow the GPS anywhere off US 90 often times you'll find yourself driving to an RV park. Brownelle Memorial Park is truly a hidden gem, considering GPS doesn't even pick it up! It's nearby what seemed to be a popular RV park (and pretty park at that!) but if you are looking for solitude and a more primitive feel, keep driving about a half a mile past the RV park...

The Trace is an old railroad line turned into a biking, hiking, horse riding, trail. Most of the corridor is 200-feet wide, traversing lush woods that form a canopy overhead. There are 31 bridges in peppered throughout the Trace, and many of them are magnificent timber bridges, once railroad trestles, that are still structurally sound. The reuse of these original trestles has made the Trace a r...