If you close your eyes and try and picture wild Louisiana chances are what you're picturing looks a lot like the Lacassine Wildlife Refuge, a 35,000 acre nature preserve.
Trails and levees intersect all the fresh water marsh which plays home to everything from large reptiles to tiny songbirds.
Located along a prominent migratory route the refuge is an important resting point for a variety of species and thousands of birds flock there every single year, making it a perfect spot for bird watching.
Even if you don't consider yourself a bird watcher there's still plenty on offer, there's fishing, hiking, and abundant opportunities for wildlife photography.
There's a two mile driving loop for visitors to see the entire park from the comfort of their air conditioned car, which is perfect when dealing with Louisiana's famous heat and humidity.
