Sticks & Sparks

Louisiana Outdoor Guide: Campgrounds, Trails, Beaches & RV Spots

Lake Martin Cypress Swamp, Louisiana

Photo: Pierre5018 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

Key Takeaways

Set realistic expectations for terrain — Louisiana’s outdoor identity is swamps, bayous, and Gulf beaches, not mountains or canyons
Chicot State Park is the state’s premier camping destination — a real lake, a real arboretum, and genuinely family-friendly amenities
Kisatchie National Forest’s Backbone Trail is a real surprise — genuinely rugged sandstone terrain locals call the “Little Grand Canyon of Louisiana”
Grand Isle is the state’s only real beach destination worth building a trip around — plan for heat, humidity, and mosquitoes regardless of season

Swamps, Bayous, and One Real Beach

Louisiana won’t give you dramatic mountains, but Chicot State Park, Kisatchie National Forest, and Grand Isle each deliver a genuinely distinct outdoor experience worth seeking out on their own terms.

Campgrounds

Chicot State Park — Ville Platte

Chicot State Park — Ville Platte

The state’s premier camping park — a 6,400-acre park around a roughly 2,000-acre lake, with clean bathhouses, a splash pad, and the adjacent Louisiana State Arboretum. Genuinely the best all-around family destination in the state.

Kisatchie National Forest (central/north Louisiana)

Kisatchie National Forest (central/north Louisiana)

The state’s only national forest, and the closest thing to real hills. Kincaid Lake Recreation Area and Valentine Lake are the standout developed sites; Kisatchie Bayou offers primitive walk-in tent camping in a genuinely scenic setting. Fees are low, but this is alligator country — store food properly.

Fontainebleau State Park — Mandeville

Fontainebleau State Park — Mandeville

Louisiana’s most-visited state park, on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, with a sandy beach and a recently upgraded full-hookup campground. A great pairing if you want nature time alongside a New Orleans trip.

Bayou Segnette State Park — Westwego

Bayou Segnette State Park — Westwego

About 15-20 minutes from downtown New Orleans — the best base if you want to combine the French Quarter with real wetland scenery.

Grand Isle State Park — Grand Isle

Grand Isle State Park — Grand Isle

Beachfront camping on Louisiana’s only inhabited barrier island, with a 400-foot fishing pier and swimming.

Hiking Trails

Backbone Trail — Kisatchie Hills Wilderness

Backbone Trail — Kisatchie Hills Wilderness

A genuinely rugged 7.5-10 mile loop through rocky sandstone ridges and scenic overlooks — locals call it the “Little Grand Canyon of Louisiana,” and it’s surprisingly demanding terrain for the state.

Longleaf Vista Interpretive Trail — Kisatchie National Forest

Longleaf Vista Interpretive Trail — Kisatchie National Forest

An easy, mostly paved roughly 1.5-mile trail with scenic overlooks — the highest-rated, most accessible trail in the forest.

Walker Branch, Wetland & Backbone Ridge Loop — Chicot State Park

Walker Branch, Wetland & Backbone Ridge Loop — Chicot State Park

An easy nearly 3-mile hike through cypress swamp on boardwalks, with interpretive signs along the way.

Bayou Coquille / Marsh Overlook Trail — Barataria Preserve (Jean Lafitte National Historical Park)

Bayou Coquille / Marsh Overlook Trail — Barataria Preserve (Jean Lafitte National Historical Park)

A boardwalk-and-gravel easy walk past giant live oaks, alligators, and wetlands — one of the best short wildlife walks in the state.

Driskill Mountain Trail — Bienville Parish

Driskill Mountain Trail — Bienville Parish

A short, under-2-mile trail to the highest point in Louisiana at 535 feet — modest, but a fun “state high point” goal for families.

Beaches / Lakes & Swamps

Grand Isle Beach — Grand Isle State Park

Grand Isle Beach — Grand Isle State Park

Seven miles of public Gulf beach, roughly two hours from New Orleans — genuinely the best beach destination in the state, with swimming, shelling, and a long fishing pier.

Holly Beach ("Cajun Riviera") — Cameron Parish

Holly Beach (“Cajun Riviera”) — Cameron Parish

A roughly 20-mile strip of Gulf sand near Lake Charles, dog-friendly and great for shelling. Bring your own food and umbrella — there are few services out here.

Fontainebleau State Park Beach — Lake Pontchartrain

Fontainebleau State Park Beach — Lake Pontchartrain

A sandy lakeshore beach with iconic sunsets and real family amenities, close to New Orleans.

Caney Lake — Jimmie Davis State Park (Northwest Louisiana)

Caney Lake — Jimmie Davis State Park (Northwest Louisiana)

A genuinely clear-water lake with sandy shores, swimming, and a splash pad — a good pick if you’re not headed to the coast.

Lake Chicot — Chicot State Park

Lake Chicot — Chicot State Park

A cypress-lined swimming alternative to the Gulf beaches, with paddling and fishing built in.

RV Spots

Fontainebleau State Park — Mandeville

Fontainebleau State Park — Mandeville

Full-hookup sites including premium pull-throughs, near New Orleans — the best state-park RV option in the state.

Poverty Point Reservoir State Park — Delhi

Poverty Point Reservoir State Park — Delhi

Premium full-hookup sites with genuinely large pads for big rigs.

Bayou Segnette State Park — Westwego

Bayou Segnette State Park — Westwego

Water/electric 50-amp sites accommodating rigs up to about 50 feet, with a dump station and free laundry — the closest full-service state park to New Orleans.

Chicot State Park — Ville Platte

Chicot State Park — Ville Platte

Well-maintained water/electric sites — worth requesting a secluded site if privacy matters to your family.

Planning Your Trip

Chicot State Park is the easiest single answer for a well-rounded Louisiana trip — real lake access, an arboretum, and genuinely good family amenities. If a beach trip is the goal, Grand Isle is worth the two-hour drive from New Orleans. And if you want a genuine surprise, the Backbone Trail in Kisatchie National Forest delivers real rugged terrain most people don’t expect from this state.