Day Trippin' › Louisiana › From New Orleans › Best hikes
Our picks for the best hikes within 3 hours of New Orleans: 27 places, 6 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 12 between 2 and 3 hours, counted by road time from ZIP 70112.
We put first the places with a real photo, a well-known name, a family-friendly note and an official site, then list the rest by drive time. The closest is St. Bernard State Park, 27 min southeast of New Orleans.
Under 1 hour 1 to 2 hours 2 to 3 hours
Photo: Hillebrand Steve, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
#1 · Wildlife · 1 hr 36 min northeast
Wet pine savanna that protects rare Mississippi sandhill cranes. Short trails and an observation deck near Gautier.
Heads-up: Cranes are hard to spot. Bugs can be heavy in warm months. Visitor center days vary by source.
Photo: National Park Service, Public domain
#2 · National park · 1 hr 41 min east
The only drive-in part of the Mississippi seashore. Bayou trails, bird watching, fishing and ranger programs a few minutes from downtown Ocean Springs.
Heads-up: No swimming beach here. Closes during severe weather and storms. Saltwater fishing license needed to fish. Leash pets.
Photo: Aaron Manning, CC BY 3.0
#3 · Bike trail · 1 hr 45 min northeast
A 44-mile paved rail trail from Hattiesburg to Prentiss, with a separate horse trail.
Heads-up: Speed limit is 15 mph on the trail.
Photo: USFWS/Southeast, Public domain
#4 · Wildlife · 2 hr 52 min northwest
Swamps and bluffs south of Natchez with a trail to a bird rookery and wildlife blind.
Heads-up: Trails may flood in wet seasons. Waterproof boots help.
Photo: Elisa Rolle, CC BY-SA 3.0
#5 · Historic site · 2 hr 47 min northwest
The second-largest Mississippian-era ceremonial mound in the country. Climb to the top for wide views.
Heads-up: About 1 mile off the Parkway at milepost 10.3.
Photo: Chris M Morris, CC BY 2.0
#6 · Hike · 2 hr 53 min northwest
Over 5 miles of trails through beech and magnolia forest on rolling hills next to Chicot State Park. Free and peaceful.
Heads-up: No pets and no picnicking on the grounds.
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0
#7 · State park · 27 min southeast
A small, quiet park southeast of the city with lagoons, a nature trail, a water playground and good birding.
Heads-up: Water playground closed Mondays. Dogs on leash; not in swimming areas.
Photo: danamcausey, CC BY 2.0
#8 · State park · 40 min north
A shady park on the Tchefuncte River near Madisonville, with a short accessible river trail, crabbing and the historic Otis House.
Heads-up: Otis House tours Tue, Thu, Sat. Dogs on leash.
Photo: Edd Prince, CC BY 2.0
#9 · State park · 40 min north
A big lakeside park in Mandeville with a sandy beach on Lake Pontchartrain, old oaks, a 4.8-mile trail and the Tammany Trace running right through it.
Heads-up: Water playground closed Mondays. Bring bug spray. Dogs on leash; not in swimming areas.
Photo: Louisiana Sea Grant College Program Louisiana State University, CC BY 2.0
#10 · State park · 1 hr 11 min northwest
Boardwalks wind through cypress swamp, pine woods and river bottoms, with a nature center aquarium and canoe rentals on the Tickfaw River.
Heads-up: Floods in winter and spring rains; call ahead. Gum Cypress boardwalk is ADA accessible.
Photo: H.dryad, CC BY-SA 4.0
#11 · Hike · 1 hr 12 min northwest
More than 100 acres of swamp and woods inside Baton Rouge, with gravel trails, boardwalks and a nature center.
Heads-up: Hours from listings that quote BREC; confirm.
Photo: Michael miceli, CC BY-SA 2.0
#12 · State park · 1 hr 14 min north
Hilly woods and river bluffs near Franklinton with 25 miles of mountain bike trails, 11 fishing lakes and a cave boardwalk. Very different from the swampy south.
Heads-up: Call about trail status after rain. Water playground closed Mondays. Dogs on leash.
Photo: Kkmurray, CC BY-SA 3.0
#13 · Historic site · 1 hr 41 min northwest
The site of the longest siege in American history, with a museum, earthwork forts on a boardwalk and a 6-mile trail through the woods.
Heads-up: Free all-terrain track chair with 48 hours notice. Reenactment the last full weekend of March.
Photo: Ben Jacobson (Kranar Drogin), CC BY 2.5
#14 · Museum · 2 hr 12 min east
Walk the decks of a World War II battleship, climb into the submarine USS Drum and see aircraft in the pavilion. A top family stop on Mobile Bay.
Heads-up: Ship tours involve steep ladders and tight spaces. Hours vary by season.
Photo: JodyB, CC BY-SA 3.0
#15 · Historic site · 2 hr 26 min northeast
Civil War earthworks, giant live oaks and river trails on the site of the 1865 Battle of Fort Blakeley. Boat cruises and reenactments run some weekends.
Heads-up: Run by its own authority, not the state parks system. Special events cost more.
Northlake Nature Center (43 min), Tammany Trace (43 min), Buccaneer State Park (59 min), Shepard State Park (1 hr 40 min), Audubon State Historic Site (1 hr 49 min), Clark Creek Natural Area (2 hr 19 min), Dauphin Island Audubon Bird Sanctuary (2 hr 25 min), Lake Fausse Pointe State Park (2 hr 31 min), Mississippi Museum of Natural Science (2 hr 51 min), Chicot State Park (2 hr 52 min), Bonita Lakes Park (2 hr 54 min), Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail (2 hr 59 min)
Our top picks are Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge (1 hr 36 min), Davis Bayou Area (1 hr 41 min), Longleaf Trace (1 hr 45 min), St. Catherine Creek National Wildlife Refuge (2 hr 52 min) and Emerald Mound (2 hr 47 min). The page lists 27 places in all.
27: 6 under an hour away, 9 between 1 and 2 hours and 12 between 2 and 3 hours, by road from ZIP 70112.
St. Bernard State Park, about 27 min southeast of New Orleans.
6 need no pass or fee, including Louisiana State Arboretum, Davis Bayou Area and Mississippi Sandhill Crane National Wildlife Refuge. Fees change, so check each place.
20 of the 27 list themselves as open year-round. Places with a season say so on their card; check hours before you go.
Drive times are by road on a typical day from ZIP <class 'zip'> (OpenStreetMap data with the OSRM route planner); places under 25 minutes away count as in town. Facts checked against official sites; passes and hours change, so check before you go.