Rail-Trail
State: LA Length: 3.10 miles Surface:
From the Friends of the Lafitte Corrior web site:
The Lafitte Corridor is the largely derelict strip of land in New Orleans, Louisiana, along the old Norfolk Southern Rail Line from Basin Street to Canal Boulevard next to St. Louis Avenue. Since the 1970s, planners have suggested turning this space into a public linear park and many residents in the surrounding neighborhoods have supported the idea.
The path of the proposed greenway follows a corridor which has been critical to transportation throughout New Orleans history first as a waterway & later as a rail line. There is no other direct route between Mid-City and Tremé, the Quarter and the CBD that is publicly-owned and generally undeveloped.
In post-Katrina New Orleans, with land use being re-examined throughout the City, supporters have realized the urgency of putting their idea into action. The long-term vision for the corridor is to develop a trail and park system (also called a greenway ) that spans from the French Quarter to the Cemeteries.
State: LA Length: 21 miles Surface: Asphalt
This small section of the 3,000+ mile Mississippi River Trail follows along its namesake river atop a levee built on the bank of the Mississippi River through New Orleans. The trail is popular with locals and visitors alike. The trail is referred to locally by many names, including the New Orleans Levee Top Trail, the Levee Bike Path, the Mississippi Levee Trail, and the Mississippi River Trail.
State: LA Length: 27.50 miles Surface: Asphalt
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 is 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 7 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. 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. Currently the trail ends at the Slidell-Carollo trailhead. There are plans to continue the Tammany Trace to downtown Slidell at Heritage Park.