The Biggest Surprise I Came Across While Hiking This Incredible Trail in Louisiana

Dating back to 1854 and coming in at over 170 years old, New Orleans City Park is one of the largest urban Parks in the country. This one-mile-wide and three-mile-long park comprises a total of 1,300 acres and is located in the heart of the city. Inside the park, along the New Orleans City Park South Loop trail, you can see the largest collection of mature live oaks in the world. Some trees are even over 800 years old.

This 4.2-mile loop trail only has 30 feet of elevation gain. This means it’s a flat, accessible, and scenic path to follow to get some fresh air and admire an impressive number of historic live oak trees. The trail passes through the “Historic Old Oak Grove” section of the park, which is the section of land between City Park Avenue and Bayou Metairie. The section of the trail going through Old Grove is higher ground than much of the Park and the surrounding neighborhood. This occurs when Bayou Metairie overflows and recedes, leaving behind sediment that has accumulated over time and transforming the landscape. 

This section of the land is home to an ancient forest of trees that predates even the founding of New Orleans itself. Look for the massively sized McDonogh Oak, which is estimated to be at least 800 years old. It’s so old that it needs wooden supports for its aged branches. Another famous oak you’ll come across is the “Anseman Oak,” named after Victor Anseman, considered the "Father of City Park.” 

He was a florist and nurseryman who dedicated a significant part of his later life to developing the Park. In 1891, he assembled a group of business and political leaders to form the City Park Improvement Association, which still supports the area today. 

Two major, tragic events have shaped the story of City Park. First was The Great Depression in the 1930s, when the Roosevelt Administration invested $12 million in developing the Park as part of the Works Progress Administration (W.P.A.). Then, during Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the failure of the federal levee system left 95 percent of City Park sitting underwater for weeks (which cost $43 million in damages to the park). However, since those darker times, the public has rallied as a community, coming together to fund many repairs and improvements to City Park. The Old Grove was not underwater during and following Hurricane Katrina, so many of these trees survived the flooding. 

During the holidays in December, don’t miss the annual Celebration in the Oaks event, when the oaks are illuminated to celebrate the season with a sparkle. If you're looking for more hikes in Louisiana, don't miss these 18 top-rated trails, which range from easy family day hikes to all-day escapes. There are also these 9 Low-Key Hikes In Louisiana Feature Amazing Payoffs, such as unique and breathtaking scenery.