This Bayou Hike Is One of Louisiana’s Most Scenic Trails

Within reach of New Orleans, an iconic city known best for its Mardi Gras celebration, music, and beignets, is a slice of heaven. With Lake Pontchartrain on one side and Lake Borgne on the other, it is a natural paradise filled with all sorts of flora and fauna and miles of trails to explore it all. Overseen by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge is your next escape from the city, and the best way to experience a beautiful bayou hike in Louisiana.

Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge is an important ecological area that is home to diverse landscapes, including hardwood forests, lagoons, canals, tidal marshes, and bayous. Because of its waterways and general location, it's a major stop along the Mississippi Flyway, a migratory route for birds traveling between Canada and the Southern U.S. Nearly 340 species of birds pass through this wildlife refuge annually.

While Bayou Sauvage is technically in New Orleans, it's set far enough outside the city limits to feel like an oasis. It is a convenient day trip option for those seeking time outdoors to see wildlife, go birdwatching, fish, or hit the trails for a hiking adventure. As bayous are a predominant part of this refuge, I think you'll enjoy a trek along the Bayou Sauvage Ridge Trail.

This trail shows off quite a bit of the 27,190-acre urban wildlife refuge to the point that you'll forget you're even in the city, and I think that's always a great thing! And while the trail's length is 6.8 miles, you don't have to hike it in its entirety. It's an out-and-back, so turn around whenever you'd like. This trail isn't too busy either, so you may experience solitude during your hike.

Throughout your hike on the Bayou Sauvage Ridge Trail, you may see a wide variety of birds either in the trees or out on the water. Birds of prey like the Cooper's Hawk and Sharp-shinned Hawk, and waterfowl like ducks, the Anhinga, and the Greater White-fronted Goose have all been spotted here. Then, of course, a wide variety of mammals, including the American alligator, call this wildlife refuge home.

Other trail options at Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge include:

• Ridge Trail Boardwalk: This is an easy 0.8-mile boardwalk trail with interpretive signs and views of the Bayou Savauge waterway. It's stroller-friendly, so bring the kids along!
• Joe Madere Marsh Boardwalk: At only 0.2 miles in length, this is another easy, kid-friendly path that leads through hardwood forests, lagoons, tidal marshes, and bayous. While short and sweet, it gives a great overview of what to expect at the refuge, and there's a marsh overlook and a canoe launch off the trail.

Finding such a large wildlife refuge so close to New Orleans is amazing! A wonderful city escape, I urge you to take your next bayou hike in Louisiana at Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge.

Visit the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service website for information on fishing, boating, and other Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge activities.

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.