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Tammany Trace:
Louisiana
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Description:
On the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain, Tammany Trace offers a fascinating, scenic trek through five St. Tammany Parish communities. Before the 24-mile causeway was completed in the 1960s, this area was quite cut off from the sway of New Orleans. Today, the parish is one of the fastest growing in the state. Despite the rapid growth, however, this 27.5-mile corridor remains blessed with beautiful views of woods and wetlands. Passing through the historic towns of Covington, Abita Springs, and Mandeville, you'll experience the piney woods and moss-draped oaks that earned the area its Ozone Belt nickname. In the late 1800s New Orleanians seeking respite from the oppressive heat of the coastal plain chose this as a vacation spot. Today, the trail passes many of their stately retreats. While the western endpoint is in trendy Covington, the first trailhead (with parking, restrooms, and water fountains) lies seven miles east in Abita Springs. The latter is also home to the famed Abita Brewpub, which serves a pleasant lunch at trailside seating (park at adjacent Abita Springs Park). The famous local beer and root beer are brewed nearby. The route south to Mandeville threads a mostly suburban setting with several street crossings. Beware the problematic crossing at US Highway 190; plans call for improvements by 2008. To connect with local culture, stop by the Saturday morning market at the Mandeville trailhead to browse handmade items and sample a variety of local foods. Beyond Mandeville, the trail leads southeast through the damp, heavy wetlands climate. This is the Louisiana of Deep South lore. You'll come within several blocks of Lake Pontchartrain before angling inland toward the bayou. Keep watch for alligators, as well as the nefarious nutria, a semiaquatic rodent that's been gnawing its way through the Louisiana wetlands since the 1930s. Though Hurricane Katrina did ravage the trail-not to mention the rest of southeast Louisiana-crews have removed the fallen trees, and most of the route is again open. That said, Katrina did push back plans to improve trail access, particularly along the Mandeville-Slidell section. Another impediment is an unfinished bridge across the Lacombe Bayou on the eastern trail section. The route currently stops at Lake Road to the west and South Oaklawn Drive to the east. While cyclists can bypass this gap via US Highway 190, the high volume of traffic makes this detour hazardous. Plans call for construction of a new bridge across the bayou by the end of 2008.
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Parking & Trail Access:
Directions: To reach the Tammany Trace trailhead, take I-12 east to LA 59 north, cross Little Creek, and turn left on Koop Drive. Rangers staff a visitor center in a green caboose past the St. Tammany Parish government building. Park beside the caboose. Contact: Tammany Trace 21490 Koop Drive Mandeville, LA 70471 (985) 867-9490
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Reviews: [0 trail ratings]
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Tammany Trace June29 and 30 2009
By mrdhia on July 09, 2009
My wife and I just rode the Trace. we took two days and it was great. In Manderville we went down and rode around the lake front. We toured the state park. A great trail.
Absolutely wonderful riding!
By cbtandem on May 24, 2009
We just spent a week in Abita Springs and rode on the Tammany Trace. Even though we had not ridden at all this year, we found the trail to be easy riding. The scenery was great; there were many places to stop. I wish there were places like this everywhere! The surface was wonderful, even for a rode tandem.
MANDEVILLE
By Terrell Brunet on September 23, 2008
I'm a life long mandevilliean. When I was a kid, a very long time ago, I walked the rail to school, smashed pennys when the trains went by and though rock from the bed at snakes. YES, lots of snakes. But if your coming to bike/hike the trace you need to take the side trips. In Mandeville, soon after the 190 under pass, take coffee street to the lake front. Bike the lake front then take girod street back to the trace. This will take you the trial head, pass many GREAT place to eat, have coffee { Maxein's } and if your lucky, see free music at the trial head. Covington and Abita Springs are also great side trips.