Living only a mile away, I’ve been biking and walking the Tammany Trace for nearly twenty years. It started as an inexpensive way to keep my younger son and daughter entertained, and get in a little exercise as well. A 31-mile asphalt trail and wildlife conservation corridor, the Trace links parks, greenways, wetlands and pedestrian bridges through Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville and Slidell. And you can travel the Trace with a tasty treat or icy beverage nearby all along the way.
Covington Trailhead
Once a bustling railroad town, the City of Covington pays tribute to its century old heritage with the recently opened Covington Trailhead. Shop the Wednesday morning Farmers Market for fresh seasonal produce, a variety of cheeses, bakery goods or homemade salsa, and take a break under the shady blue canopies. Across from the Parish Courthouse, the award winning chefs and owners of LOLA restaurant prepare home-made bread, soups, desserts and fresh lemonade inside their vintage caboose kitchen. Just a block down, cool off with a brew, burger and full menu of pub fare at the Covington Tap Room, which boasts beers from around the world. Pedal down North New Hampshire Street and stop for lunch or weekend breakfasts and dinners at the Toad Hollow Café known for their organic menu. It’s my go-to place for primo tuna salad, chicken salad sandwiches with mango, or hibiscus-mint herbal teas. For a real treat, do a morning ride and stop in for their weekend breakfast/brunch with the popular pecan smoked trout with eggs.
Just two blocks away, enjoy a picnic at Bogue Falaya Park while the kids play on a generous playground. On Saturday the Covington Farmers Market features local produce, chef demonstrations and book signings. Check out Houston Anthony’s booth for farm fresh produce at bargain prices. And who can resist Rick Webb’s jellies? This vibrant octogenarian still makes his own jam and jelly from his twenty-acre farm.
Moving east toward Abita Springs, hop off the Trace and cross Boston Street to the service road at the new Chimes Restaurant. With scenic views of the Bogue Falaya River, enjoy a lunch or dinner inside or outside with wide screen HD televisions. And oyster fans will love the thirty-five cent raw oyster special everyday from 4 pm–7 pm. The Chimes serves sixty different beers from twenty different countries, as well as local brews like Abita Beer or the Covington Brewhouse labels.
Abita Springs
About four miles away, downtown Abita Springs offers the Abita Tourism Plaza with historic gazebo, museum and playground. Sip a brew and grab a bite at the Abita Brew Pub, or get an icy snoball at the Abita Snoball stand. Homemade bread, pastries and lunch beckon from the Maple Street Bakery & Café, where you can dine on the shaded porch of a vintage shotgun. Don’t miss an all time favorite spinach salad with chicken, cranberries, grapes and walnuts. If you’re an early bird, stop at the Abita Café and sit outside for a full fledged breakfast, or enjoy some of their innovative lunch specials. A recent chalkboard listed a BBQ rib poboy, a Southwest Meatball soup, and pannéed pork chop with dressing. A quick walk from the gazebo and playground, Artigue’s Abita Market, a century old country store, is a great place for a cold drink and deli sandwich.
Tammany Trace Headquarters
Moving on east, the next stop is a beehive of activity at the Tammany Trace Trailhead Headquarters. Many people use this as their starting point, as it has numerous picnic tables and tons of parking. Kids can take a break from cycling and play at the Kids Konnection playground, built for all children with or without special needs. Look for the green caboose for information on the Trace as well as rest rooms, water fountains, and beverage vending machines.
Mandeville Trailhead
Travel another four miles and the Mandeville Trailhead features a pavilion, amphitheater, children’s splash fountain, free Friday evening concerts and the Saturday morning Mandeville Community Market. If you don’t own a bike, rent one across the street at the Kickstand Café or just stop in for a sandwich or a scrumptious veggie wrap. Visit their old fashioned ice cream parlor with sno-balls, shakes and ice cream cones. Less than a block away, across from the library, the Good Earth Market & Café features organic dishes including grilled chicken, shrimp and tilapia sandwiches or a veggie and portabella burger.
Cruise down Girod Street on the newly installed sidewalks and stop at the many eateries along the way. Vianne’s Tea Salon and Café serves teas from around the world along with fresh baked scones with homemade lemon curd, jam and mock clotted cream. Dine in or try their new curbside service. Just one block from Lake Pontchartrain, the Broken Egg Café boasts a charming 1920s cottage and a legacy of neighborhood breakfast, brunch and lunch dining with gourmet omelets and a brioche French toast stuffed with fresh Louisiana strawberries and blueberries. A stone’s throw from the lakefront, Maxein’s Coffee House is a favorite meeting place for friends and colleagues with premium coffee, pastries, and for lunch try their turkey panini or veggie pizza. All comes with a birds-eye-view of the lake on their outdoor patio. Stroll, bike, or jog along Mandeville’s scenic lakefront with park benches and swing sets for the kids. Wet your whistle at Barley Oaks, one of the Northshore’s finest beer gardens inspired by German biergartens, Bavarian décor, and English pubs. Barley Oaks offers more than forty brews on tap with seventy bottle varieties and a limited menu of appetizers and sandwiches, with a huge balcony and front row seats to lakefront sunsets.
Fontainebleau State Park, Lacombe, & Slidell-Carollo
The Trace goes straight through the Fontainebleau State Park—an excellent place to picnic, hike, fish, swim, camp, or stay at one of the new stilted cabins over Lake Pontchartrain. Follow one of the longest and prettiest stretches of the Trace past cemeteries, majestic oaks, and a bridge over Bayou Lacombe to your last stop at the Slidell-Carollo Trailhead. The final stop offers plenty of parking, rest rooms and a playground for the kiddies. A bicycle crossover takes you to the Thompson Road shopping area filled with shopping and restaurants.
The Trace welcomes pedestrians, bicyclists, equestrians, rollerbladers and joggers. So grab the sunscreen and follow a tasty trail along the Trace. Nothing like a snoball bribe to get those kids pedaling that extra mile.
Details. Details. Details. tammanytrace.org Covington Trailhead 419 N. New Hampshire Street Covington, La (985) 892-1873 Abita Springs Trailhead 22049 Main Street Abita Springs, La (985) 892-0711 Tammany Trace Headquarters 21490 Koop Drive Mandeville, La (985) 867-9490 Mandeville Trailhead 675 Lafitte Street Mandeville, La (985) 624-3147 Fontainbleau State Park 67825 Highway 190 Mandeville, La (985) 624-4443 For Camping Reservations, call (877) 226-7652 Slidell/Carollo Trailhead 2289 Highway 190 Slidell, La (985) 781-1229
