Tickfaw State Park in eastern Louisiana features four ecosystems within its 1,200 acres, and you can visit them all on the park’s River Loop Trail which takes hikers to the little Tickfaw River. Located close to the New Orleans and Baton Rouge metropolitan areas, Tickfaw State Park is a popular day-trip destination and an easy hiking excursion to add to any itinerary.

The park features four ecosystems: cypress swamp, bottomland hardwood forest, mixed pine/hardwood forest, and the Tickfaw River.
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Though very flat and easy to hike, the trail can get muddy at times. Luckily, some of the trail consists of boardwalks, but come prepared for potential mud. This is a flood plain, after all!
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There is no shortage of animal life on the trail and in the river. Keep an eye out for armadillos, beavers, deer, snakes, turtles, and of course, alligators! Small lizards are often found sunning themselves on the boardwalk.
Mia Stevens/Alltrails.com

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The River Loop Trail is just over two miles long in total. A portion skirts alongside the river, allowing for ample wildlife viewing opportunities.
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Keep an eye out for the bridge for a lovely view of the river.
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This being Louisiana, the summers can be quite hot and sticky. Beat the humidity while you’re here by sending the kiddos to the splash pad. It’s open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.
Pradeep Veeramachaneni/Google

If you want to extend your stay here, there are 50 campsites and 14 cabins on hand for overnight visits. The cabins accommodate eight people. Other activities in the park include canoeing on the river and exploring the Visitor Center with displays about swamp life, an 800-gallon aquarium, and a gift shop.

In 2021, Hurricane Ida caused quite a bit of damage to the park. It would be a good idea to call ahead to make sure everything is operational before venturing out.

Have you hiked the River Loop trail at Tickfaw State Park? What else did you do there? Tell us in the comments!

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