Sulphur · Calcasieu Parish
180 miles · Free
Free visitor center in Sulphur at the start of the 180 mile Creole Nature Trail scenic byway, with exhibits, maps and staff who can route you to the refuges, beaches and wildlife drives in Cameron Parish.
Cameron · Cameron Parish
Free
The Cajun Riviera: the best known Gulf beach in Cameron Parish, lined with stilted camps, known for crabbing, shelling and driving on the sand. Amenities are minimal.
Lake Charles · Calcasieu Parish
Free
Open daily
Paved lakeside path along Bord du Lac Drive from the marina past the Civic Center to the Veterans Memorial, used by walkers, joggers and cyclists, with views across Lake Charles to the I-10 bridge.
Cameron · Cameron Parish
Free
Dawn to dusk every day
A 40 acre chenier woodland on the Gulf that is one of the best spring songbird migration stops on the coast. It is unstaffed, with trails, a pavilion and a portable toilet; pack out your trash.
Cameron · Cameron Parish
3 miles · Free
Sunrise to sunset year round
A 3 mile gravel driving loop through managed wetlands on Cameron Prairie refuge, with viewing scopes and a boardwalk; call the refuge to check the boardwalk is open. Winter brings thousands of ducks and geese; alligators are common in warm months.
Creole · Cameron Parish
Free
A quiet Gulf beach near the mouth of the Mermentau River, reached by Rutherford Beach Road south of LA 82. Free camping on the sand is allowed and pets are welcome.
Lake Charles · Calcasieu Parish
8 miles · $3 a person, 62 and over and 3 and under free
Gates 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily
Pine and cypress woods where the West Fork of the Calcasieu River meets Houston River and Indian Bayou, with about 8 miles of trails including the 1.6 mile Riverwalk and 3.5 mile Longleaf Pine Trail. Kayaks and canoes can be rented at the park.
Cameron · Cameron Parish
1.5 miles · Free
Dawn to dusk year round
A 1.5 mile concrete trail and boardwalk loop over freshwater marsh with an observation tower, rest shelters and restrooms. One of the most reliable places on the Creole Nature Trail to see alligators up close.
Hackberry · Cameron Parish
1 mile · Free
Dawn to dusk year round
A paved, level one mile out and back trail on a wooded levee through brackish marsh to the edge of Calcasieu Lake, with an observation deck and spotting scope at the trailhead.
Bell City · Cameron Parish
Free
Visitor center Tuesday to Thursday 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; refuge sunrise to sunset
Freshwater marsh and prairie refuge on LA 27 south of Bell City, headquarters for the Pintail Wildlife Drive, with a visitor center open midweek.
Storms and high water close beaches, boardwalks and refuge roads without notice, and there are no lifeguards on the Gulf beaches. Missing a trail? Tell us.