Located in the southwest corner of Louisiana, the Louisiana Outback is wild and rugged piece of the U.S. filled with bayous, swamps, barrier islands and many National Wildlife Refuges. You don’t have to travel “Down Under” for an Outback experience!It’s gets about as wild as you want here!
Creole Nature Trail
Louisiana’s Creole Nature Trail All-American Road is an opportunity to experience one of America’s untamed natural wonders. The 180-mile trail into “Louisiana’s Outback,” is a wetland landscape comprising five nature refuges and sanctuaries teeming with vegetation—moss-draped live oaks and sheltering marsh grasses.View alligators and birds up close and in the wild, along with colorful wildflowers and rare cheniers shaped by salty winds.
Paths thread along swamps, through pasture lands, and into legend; the 18th-century pirate Jean Lafitte allegedly hid his gold somewhere along the Calcasieu River here. Located on major migratory flyways, this “outback” supports large populations of herons, ibises, and other waterfowl.
Exiting I-10 in Sulphur or Lake Charles, prepare yourself for your journey. Check fuel levels; get snacks and light beverages; stock up on film; and, most importantly, assign each person in the vehicle to a window – because on the Creole Nature Trail, you never know what you might see!
Current information about the trail is accessible on the website. We mentioned checking fuel levels because facilities like public restrooms, restaurants and gas stations along the trail are limited, especially south of Hackberry on LA 27; LA 27 south of the Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge; or on LA 82 from the Texas State line to the Vermilion Parish line. Remember, it’s called an outback wilderness!
Another interesting place to visit is the state-run Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, which is a center for alligator research, and the reptile is frequently glimpsed along the trail. Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge (RWR) serves as a refuge for wildlife and fisheries species and an “outdoor laboratory” for research on marsh management, wildlife, and fisheries. RWR staff provide counsel for state, federal, and international regulations on the use of alligators, coastal wetlands, and other wildlife and fisheries resources.
The Cameron Prairie National Wildlife Refuge will give you a chance to see many species of migratory birds, ducks, geese, nutria and, of course alligators! There is a visitor center with restrooms, a boat launch and the Pintail Wildlife Drive. The three mile driving loop through moist soil wetlands provide feeding/resting habitat for wintering waterfowl. There is excellent viewing of a variety of wildlife from a half mile accessible boardwalk with viewing scopes. Groceries and fuel are available at the refuge too.
Cameron Area RV Parks
For RVers who want to explore the Cameron area, there is a variety of places to camp.
The Cameron Parish website has a good list for considering where to stay. As they say in Louisiana, “Pick Your Passion” and in the Outback, there’s a lot to pick from!
RVing should be a passion that you are able to enjoy for years to come, so make sure that you are able to put yourself in a position to do so. If you want to save money on a great RV, then be sure to come into Rocky Mountain RV and Marine for the best brands and prices in New Mexico.
