Are you ready to explore some of the best hikes in Louisiana? Here are some amazing short, easy hikes in Louisiana that are perfect for a solo adventure or a family outing. They are all under five miles—OK, one is 5.7 miles, but they are all well worth the journey. From beautiful boardwalk trails through the swamps to primitive trails shaded by canopies of longleaf pines, these hikes showcase some of the most breathtaking scenery in the Pelican State. Bring a loved one, bring the kids and let’s explore this beautiful state of ours.

  1. River Trail, Tickfaw State Park, Springfield, LA

Flickr.com / Louisiana Sea Grant College Program The 3 mile trail is one of the most scenic in Louisiana, weaving you all throughout Tickfaw State Park’s 1,200-acres of natural beauty. Tickfaw State Park, 27225 Patterson Rd, Springfield, LA 70462, USA

  1. Sugar Cane National Recreation Trail, Kisatchie National Forest, Caney Ranger District

Flickr.com / Finchlake2000 So this trail is technically 5.7 miles, but it’s so beautiful and secluded, we had to add it to the list. You will loop around Caney Lake, viewing a diverse ecosystem including boggy hardwoods and hillside pines along the way. Caney Lake, United States

  1. White Trail, Lake D’Arbonne State Park, Farmerville, LA

Facebook.com / Debi Clark Anding This is a 4 mile trail within Lake D’Arbonne State Park offers nature lovers plenty of gorgeous piney forest to explore. There are also plenty of stops along the way to enjoy the views and check out the plentiful wildlife. Lake D’Arbonne State Park, 3628 Evergreen Rd, Farmerville, LA 71241, USA

  1. Willis Homestead Trail, Lake Bistineau State Park, Doyline, LA

Facebook.com / Jeanette Puppe There are a number of kid-friendly trails at this amazing state park in Louisiana, but the 3.8-mile Willis Homestead Trail is probably the most beautiful. Lake Bistineau State Park, 103 State Park Rd, Doyline, LA 71023, USA

  1. Louisiana State Arboretum Trail, Chicot State Park, Ville Platte, LA

Facebook.com / Renee Hansen Curtis After stopping by the beautiful museum here, you will love the informative signs that point out the relevant flora and fauna in the area and the beautiful boardwalks give you a sense of truly floating through the swamp. It’s one of the most kid-friendly trails in Louisiana, and few people know it’s the oldest state-supported arboretum in the country. Louisiana State Arboretum State Preservation Area, 1300 Sudie Lawton Lane, Ville Platte, LA 70586, USA

  1. Bayou Segnette State Park, Nature Trail, Westwego, LA

facebook.com/BayouSegnette/ The 1-mile nature trail here offers plenty of amazing vegetation and wildlife viewing opportunities. Since it’s only a mile long, it’s a perfect kid-friendly spot to introduce the next generation of hikers. Bayou Segnette State Park, 7777 Westbank Expy, Westwego, LA 70094, USA

  1. High Ridge Trail, Kisatchie Hills Wilderness Area, Kisatchie Ranger District

Flickr.com / Justin Meissen The heart of the Louisiana wilderness, the Backbone Trail of 7 miles is extremely popular but if you’re looking for something a bit shorter with awesome views, the High Ridge trail nearby is a hidden gem. Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana 71433, USA

  1. Bobcat Trail, Chemin-A-Haut State Park, Bastrop, LA

Facebook.com / Rodney Hayes This 1.1-mile trail along Bayou Bartholomew offers views of the water from the bluff that runs throughout this park. This park is especially great for kids, with two playgrounds as well as a swimming pool available after your hike. Chemin-A-Haut State Park, 14656 State Park Rd, Bastrop, LA 71220, USA

  1. Barataria Preserve, Marrero, LA

Facebook.com / Devon Baldwin The boardwalk trails here are some of the easiest hikes in Louisiana. There are several trails within the preserve, and all of them are under two miles, so you can mix and match to fit your schedule.

  1. Grand Isle Nature Trail, Grand Isle State Park, Grand Isle

Facebook.com / GayeMarie Troxclair A far departure from the cypress trees and swamps, this 2.5-mile beachside trail walks you through the dunes and grasses that grow close to the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. And of course, the sunsets here are amazing. Grand Isle State Park, 108 Admiral Craik Dr, Grand Isle, LA 70358, USA

Don’t these hikes look amazing? These short hikes in Louisiana are sure to make for a beautiful afternoon for you and your loved one. Let us know if you’ve ever been on one of these hikes, we’d love to hear how your hike went.

Flickr.com / Louisiana Sea Grant College Program

The 3 mile trail is one of the most scenic in Louisiana, weaving you all throughout Tickfaw State Park’s 1,200-acres of natural beauty.

Tickfaw State Park, 27225 Patterson Rd, Springfield, LA 70462, USA

Flickr.com / Finchlake2000

So this trail is technically 5.7 miles, but it’s so beautiful and secluded, we had to add it to the list. You will loop around Caney Lake, viewing a diverse ecosystem including boggy hardwoods and hillside pines along the way.

Caney Lake, United States

Facebook.com / Debi Clark Anding

This is a 4 mile trail within Lake D’Arbonne State Park offers nature lovers plenty of gorgeous piney forest to explore. There are also plenty of stops along the way to enjoy the views and check out the plentiful wildlife.

Lake D’Arbonne State Park, 3628 Evergreen Rd, Farmerville, LA 71241, USA

Facebook.com / Jeanette Puppe

There are a number of kid-friendly trails at this amazing state park in Louisiana, but the 3.8-mile Willis Homestead Trail is probably the most beautiful.

Lake Bistineau State Park, 103 State Park Rd, Doyline, LA 71023, USA

Facebook.com / Renee Hansen Curtis

After stopping by the beautiful museum here, you will love the informative signs that point out the relevant flora and fauna in the area and the beautiful boardwalks give you a sense of truly floating through the swamp. It’s one of the most kid-friendly trails in Louisiana, and few people know it’s the oldest state-supported arboretum in the country.

Louisiana State Arboretum State Preservation Area, 1300 Sudie Lawton Lane, Ville Platte, LA 70586, USA

facebook.com/BayouSegnette/

The 1-mile nature trail here offers plenty of amazing vegetation and wildlife viewing opportunities. Since it’s only a mile long, it’s a perfect kid-friendly spot to introduce the next generation of hikers.

Bayou Segnette State Park, 7777 Westbank Expy, Westwego, LA 70094, USA

Flickr.com / Justin Meissen

The heart of the Louisiana wilderness, the Backbone Trail of 7 miles is extremely popular but if you’re looking for something a bit shorter with awesome views, the High Ridge trail nearby is a hidden gem.

Kisatchie National Forest, Louisiana 71433, USA

Facebook.com / Rodney Hayes

This 1.1-mile trail along Bayou Bartholomew offers views of the water from the bluff that runs throughout this park. This park is especially great for kids, with two playgrounds as well as a swimming pool available after your hike.

Chemin-A-Haut State Park, 14656 State Park Rd, Bastrop, LA 71220, USA

Facebook.com / Devon Baldwin

The boardwalk trails here are some of the easiest hikes in Louisiana. There are several trails within the preserve, and all of them are under two miles, so you can mix and match to fit your schedule.

Facebook.com / GayeMarie Troxclair

A far departure from the cypress trees and swamps, this 2.5-mile beachside trail walks you through the dunes and grasses that grow close to the shore of the Gulf of Mexico. And of course, the sunsets here are amazing.

Grand Isle State Park, 108 Admiral Craik Dr, Grand Isle, LA 70358, USA

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.

The OIYS Visitor Center

best hikes in Louisiana May 25, 2022 Jackie Ann What are the most easily accessible hikes in Louisiana? Sometimes, you just want to get your nature fix quick and easy, and Louisiana has plenty of easily accessible hikes. The LSU AgCenter is conveniently located off of I-10 in Baton Rouge and has several serene nature paths filled with lovely views of gardens and wetlands. In the northern part of the state, Kiroli Park in Monroe has some of the most kid-friendly trails in the state, including several walking trails through the forests with many waterfront views along the way. What is the most well-known park in Louisiana? That’s a tricky question to answer, but we will do our best! Out of the 21 state parks in Louisiana, Chicot State Park is both the largest and most well-known park in the state. Boasting over 6,000 acres of rolling hills, bottomland hardwood forests, and the crown jewel: Lake Chicot, you can bet you’ll never run out of things to do here. When it comes to city parks, few would argue that New Orleans’ City Park is the most well-known park. The 1,300-acre park in the Crescent City has a lengthy list of attractions including multiple sculpture gardens, playgrounds, walking trails, a botanical garden, and even an amusement park. Can I hike to abandoned places in Louisiana? History lovers will thoroughly enjoy a visit to the Woodlands Conservancy in Belle Chasse, a preservation area dedicated to preserving and restoring the wetlands in the area. There are over 800 acres to explore here, and if you find yourself at the end of the Bottomland Trail, you’ll come across a collection of abandoned WWII Ammunition Magazines, a reminder of when the area was used by the military during World War II.

The OIYS Visitor Center

best hikes in Louisiana

May 25, 2022

Jackie Ann

What are the most easily accessible hikes in Louisiana? Sometimes, you just want to get your nature fix quick and easy, and Louisiana has plenty of easily accessible hikes. The LSU AgCenter is conveniently located off of I-10 in Baton Rouge and has several serene nature paths filled with lovely views of gardens and wetlands. In the northern part of the state, Kiroli Park in Monroe has some of the most kid-friendly trails in the state, including several walking trails through the forests with many waterfront views along the way. What is the most well-known park in Louisiana? That’s a tricky question to answer, but we will do our best! Out of the 21 state parks in Louisiana, Chicot State Park is both the largest and most well-known park in the state. Boasting over 6,000 acres of rolling hills, bottomland hardwood forests, and the crown jewel: Lake Chicot, you can bet you’ll never run out of things to do here. When it comes to city parks, few would argue that New Orleans’ City Park is the most well-known park. The 1,300-acre park in the Crescent City has a lengthy list of attractions including multiple sculpture gardens, playgrounds, walking trails, a botanical garden, and even an amusement park. Can I hike to abandoned places in Louisiana? History lovers will thoroughly enjoy a visit to the Woodlands Conservancy in Belle Chasse, a preservation area dedicated to preserving and restoring the wetlands in the area. There are over 800 acres to explore here, and if you find yourself at the end of the Bottomland Trail, you’ll come across a collection of abandoned WWII Ammunition Magazines, a reminder of when the area was used by the military during World War II.

The OIYS Visitor Center

The OIYS Visitor Center

Sometimes, you just want to get your nature fix quick and easy, and Louisiana has plenty of easily accessible hikes. The LSU AgCenter is conveniently located off of I-10 in Baton Rouge and has several serene nature paths filled with lovely views of gardens and wetlands. In the northern part of the state, Kiroli Park in Monroe has some of the most kid-friendly trails in the state, including several walking trails through the forests with many waterfront views along the way.

What is the most well-known park in Louisiana?

That’s a tricky question to answer, but we will do our best! Out of the 21 state parks in Louisiana, Chicot State Park is both the largest and most well-known park in the state. Boasting over 6,000 acres of rolling hills, bottomland hardwood forests, and the crown jewel: Lake Chicot, you can bet you’ll never run out of things to do here. When it comes to city parks, few would argue that New Orleans’ City Park is the most well-known park. The 1,300-acre park in the Crescent City has a lengthy list of attractions including multiple sculpture gardens, playgrounds, walking trails, a botanical garden, and even an amusement park.

Can I hike to abandoned places in Louisiana?

History lovers will thoroughly enjoy a visit to the Woodlands Conservancy in Belle Chasse, a preservation area dedicated to preserving and restoring the wetlands in the area. There are over 800 acres to explore here, and if you find yourself at the end of the Bottomland Trail, you’ll come across a collection of abandoned WWII Ammunition Magazines, a reminder of when the area was used by the military during World War II.