Barataria Preserve
The wetland section of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, with free boardwalks leading deep into cypress swamps where alligators are often spotted.
Barataria Preserve is part of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park, about 30 minutes' drive from downtown New Orleans. It covers roughly 26,000 acres of cypress swamp, marsh and freshwater wetlands. Several boardwalks are open free of charge. The most popular is the Bayou Coquille Trail, where you can get close to alligators, herons, turtles and bald cypress trees draped in Spanish moss. The visitor center may be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but the trails are open every day. Bring insect repellent in summer, and never feed the alligators.
Opening hours
Trail about 07:00–17:00
Nearby sights
- Magazine Street
- Garden District
- Audubon Park & Zoo
- St. Charles Streetcar Line
- Mardi Gras World
- The National WWII Museum
- Ogden Museum of Southern Art
- Caesars Superdome