Bayou Teche National Wildlife Refuge is located in the coastal towns of Franklin, Garden City and Centerville on Bayou Teche in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, United States. The 9,028-acre refuge is forested with bottomland hardwoods and cypress-gum forests. The refuge was established in St. Mary Parish in 2001.
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The woman at the convention and visitor center in Morganton had not spontaneously told me about this National Wildlife Refuge. But when I asked about places where I could run my dog in a big space, I specifically asked about National Wildlife Refuges - because I’ve had many good experiences at them.
She mentioned this place, but didn’t say anything more about it. I think that - when she realized I didn’t have a budget to stay at hotels and had no interest in “tourist attractions” - she basically lost interest in me. And it was 4 o’clock on a Friday and perhaps she had already mentally checked out for the weekend.
But this place is extraordinary. Just a mile from the main road in Franklin, it is totally quiet – except when some mechanical noise cranked up about a mile to the east on Saturday morning for two hours, or about 7:30 p.m. on Friday evening, when about 8000 mosquitoes attacked me at the same time.
There is a mowed path from the parking lot down next to the bayou, but it is extremely rugged and difficult walking.
Just above the parking lot there is a road along the levee that has been for some reason closed off by a gate.
But if you go through the gate and directly up the hill to the left, you can walk along the levee and get a great view.
About 100 yards down that road there is a big sign leading you into a boardwalk trail into the swamp, which is short but very beautiful, with great nature interpretive signs along the boardwalk.
There is no signage out by the parking lot to indicate anything about the boardwalk trail. And no signs indicating whether the parking lot closes at night.
There is a sign indicating that the refuge itself – which is especially a habitat for the Louisiana black bear – is closed at night, but there is no gate to close on the fence.
On the other side of the bayou, there is a road that got a truck every five or ten minutes. Aside from that, we only saw one car with two hikers on Saturday morning. Otherwise we were totally alone.
My dog had a total blast in here – with no cars to worry about, lots of space to run very free and a bayou and swamp for good hunting.
I also got very happy and peaceful back here and - aside from two beautiful walks back in on the boardwalk – we lazed around camp most of the morning on Saturday.
Here are links to two audios I recorded back in the widlife refuge.
The first captures the feeling of our lazy Saturday morning around our “camp” - our parking spot at the trail head.
The second - recorded maybe an hour earlier on the beautiful boardwalk trail into the swamp in this refuge for the Louisiana black bear –includes my musings about “paying attention to...
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Stopped here along the way to somewhere else and was not disappointed. The use of the area is great for what it is. It was peaceful here and could immediately feel and hear the nature immediately upon entry from the entrance at the edge of the bayou from solid ground when stepping on to the board walk. Walk slowly as to not disturb the wildlife at you will be amazed at what you see and what is around you. This is a great way to stretch your legs if you have been...
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Had a small parking area that was surrounded by nature. My husband and I got to see a crane and a beaver while we were here. According to the signs on the boardwalk, there’s potential to see many more wildlife. I would recommend using bug spray before you go.
Of note, the roads leading to the parking are not maintained and are very bumpy. Also, it’s across...
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