The Tammany Trace is a 31-mile paved Rails-to-Trails route on the Northshore, connecting five communities. It follows the former Illinois Central Railroad corridor, from downtown Covington through Abita Springs, Mandeville and Lacombe to Slidell. Cycling, walking and inline skating are among the activities available on the Trace. Here, the history of the rail corridor meets outdoor activity today.
Riverbanks, Marshes and Forest Islands
Fairview-Riverside State Park covers 99 acres along the Tchefuncte River. Its nature trail follows the river, where freshwater fishing is possible from the bank or a boat. Landscape and activities are closely connected here: the river is both a defining feature of the park and a place to fish.
Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge covers more than 18,000 acres. Freshwater and brackish marshes, bald cypress–tupelo forests, bayous, hardwood forest islands and pine savannas form a mosaic of different habitats. The higher ground serves as a resting area for migratory birds and a habitat for the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. Those interested in nature observation will find both a range of landscape types and specific insights into the importance of individual habitats.
The Boy Scout Road Trail in Big Branch Marsh begins with a half-mile self-guided boardwalk. The round trip to Bayou Lacombe is four miles. The boardwalk provides a shorter introduction; the full round trip to Bayou Lacombe is four miles long. The Bayou Lacombe Visitor Center in Lacombe offers exhibits, maps and a nature shop.
Northlake Nature Center on Bayou Castine is also among the nature destinations in St. Tammany Parish; it was expanded to 400 acres. In Folsom, Global Wildlife Center is a 900-acre safari park with free-roaming animals. The two destinations offer different experiences: one combines a nature outing with a named bayou, while the other is set up as a safari park.
Jazz History, Maritime Heritage and Brewing Culture
Otis House was built in the 1880s as the home of the family of sawmill owner William Theodore Jay. The Otis House Museum offers tours on Saturdays at 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.; the schedule may change. Check the times before your visit.
At the Maritime Museum Louisiana in Madisonville, you’ll encounter models and replicas of lighthouses from Louisiana, including the local Tchefuncte River Lighthouse. The interactive ShipTracks exhibit offers a different perspective on maritime activity: visitors can track the movements of modern commercial ships, historic trade routes and regional vessel traffic in real time. The museum thus focuses both on the form of lighthouses and on movement along the waterways.
Dew Drop Social and Benevolent Hall opened in 1895 in what is now Old Mandeville. It may be the oldest unchanged rural jazz hall in the world. This cautious description is part of its history: it is a possible distinction, not an unequivocal superlative.
Abita Brewing Company offers guided and self-guided tours where visitors can learn about the brewing process. Guided tours last 30 minutes and include four 4-ounce beer tastings; check the details before your trip. Founded in 1986, the company describes itself as the oldest craft brewery in the Southeast and one of the oldest craft breweries in the United States. The tour offers insight into production, while the company’s history provides the timeline.
Discover more destinations: Slidell, Pearl River, Mandeville, Ouachita, Beauregard Parish, St. Martin Parish, Tangipahoa Parish, Jefferson.
For the main travel overview: Louisiana.
