With 80,000 acres of wildlife preserves, scenic bayous, hiking and biking trails, and miles of open shoreline along Lake Pontchartrain’s northern shore, St. Tammany parish preserves an outdoor paradise just begging to be explored. Fishing in Fairview-Riverside or Fontainebleau state parks, bird watching at Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge, or spotting carnivorous pitcher plants from the boardwalk at Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve are just the tip of the iceberg. Here are few other outdoors-y options to consider when you’re ready to kick off your next Northshore expedition.
Visit St Tammany
Barefoot strolling along the Lake Pontchartrain shoreline at Fontainebleau State Park.
Kayak with Canoe & Trail Adventures
“When you cross the Causeway heading north, you can already see the green,” said Lauren Almquist, co-owner of Covington-based Canoe & Trail Adventures. “Everywhere around here is water, trees, grasses. The Northshore is very nature focused, and it really is an escape from the city.”
Lauren and her husband, Chad, lead guided tours, moonlight paddles, and outdoor skills summer camps for kids. They also rent canoes and kayaks for paddling on both Cane Bayou, which meanders between Fontainebleau State Park and Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge; and on the Bogue Falaya River, behind The Chimes restaurant in Covington.
“The amount of wildlife you see on Cane Bayou is abundant,” said Almquist, who lives on the bayou and gets out on the water nearly every day. “The birds are migrating in the spring. It’s just perfect in March and April. When you reach Lake Pontchartrain, the water is shallow enough to get out and walk, and you can see blue crabs all around.”
The Northshore offers several canoe and kayak launch sites situated around St. Tammany Parish. Find a full listing as well as additional outfitters at Visit the Northshore/Canoe & Kayak Launch Sites.
Hike the Northlake Nature Center
A Northshore gem, the Northlake Nature Center’s popularity is apparent as soon as you swing into the bustling parking lot off Highway 190 in Mandeville. Yet, just steps into the park’s 400 acres of longleaf pine and hardwood forest, hikers can veer off on different routes weaving through the property and find themselves enveloped in sudden, serene solitude.
More than eight miles of boardwalks and pine-needle-strewn trails twist beneath the fragrant forest canopy, leading the way to scenic spots beside Bayou Castine and Savanna Lake. Take the boardwalk across the Beaver Pond, where dragonflies flit above the water’s surface, then pick a colored loop trail to guide your hike, making sure to stop at several scenic overlooks highlighted on the trail map at the parking lot. The trails are open from dawn to dusk, seven days a week.
Bike the Tammany Trace
The Tammany Trace is a 31-mile rails-to-trails conversion connecting the towns of Covington, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Lacombe, and Slidell.
Bike the Tammany Trace
Once the right-of-way for the Illinois Central Railroad, the Tammany Trace is a 31-mile non-motorized vehicle trail that links together five Northshore communities in a necklace. Bring your own wheels, or you can rent a bike, e-bike, or trike from a Brooks’ Bike Shop location in Covington, Mandeville, or Slidell, and hop on one of the Trace trailheads to experience Louisiana’s shining example of a rails-to-trails conversion.
While you could easily spend all day cycling the Trace, enjoying the flat terrain, fresh air, and scents of pine, you’ll want to build in enough time to stop and visit the Abita Trailhead Museum, the Cultural Interpretive Center in Mandeville, or the Camp Salmen Nature Park (or all three!). The kids will have a blast at the Kids Konnection playground at the Koop Drive Trailhead. On Saturday mornings, pick up some goodies at the Mandeville Community Market, or better still, time your ride to break for lunch at the Abita Brew Pub.
For more inspiration on outdoor activities, Visit the Northshore’s Things to Do Outdoors page to start planning your escape today.
