Less than 30 minutes away from New Orleans you'll find Bayou Segnette State Park. While many RVers may view its campground as a base just for exploring the Big Easy, this state park offers many attractions in it's own right.
The unique ecosystem brought together in Bayou Segnette State Park reflects its location near the Mississippi River and the Gulf of Mexico. Both marshland and swamp habitats flourish here, and provide guests with many chances to observe wildlife such as alligator, kingfishers, turtles and lightning bugs.
Boating, fishing and swimming are all popular activities for RV visitors at this park. The boating and fishing can be done from the park's boat launch into Bayou Segnette, while the swimming happens in the wave pool. The wave pool is the park's main summertime attraction. Guests can also rent one of 16 floating cabins that are available here.
Enjoy picnics with friends down at the playground area, or take a hike with your dog. You'll appreciate seeing various reptiles, birds and animals in the underbrush and overhead. Wildlife programs are offered at the Nature Center and the park rangers are eager to show guests the wonders of Bayou Segnette.
Bayou Segnette State Park is located in Westwego, LA, off of Business Highway 90. From Interstate 10, you can access Hwy 90 easily and there should be no problems for bigger sized rigs to navigate the route.
Once you get onto Business Hwy 90 (also called the Westbank Expressway), drive for seven miles through city streets until you get to Drake Avenue. There may be heavy traffic through this section if you're traveling during peak hours. The park's entrance is located a short ways down on Drake Ave. The park is easy enough to drive through as the interior roads are paved.
In this campground, you'll find spacious, angled, back-in sites. The sites are varied with mixed sun and shade overhead. Campers report that there is plenty of space for tow vehicle parking at the site. Some of the sites have a wooden patio. Campsite surfaces are asphalt that is telling its age. Be sure to bring your leveling blocks to help you set up your trailer. Day use visitors will find parking near the boat launch and swimming area. If you have a large RV, the best place to find parking is the large lot by the wave pool.
There are 98 campsites with 30 and 50 Amp electrical hookups and a water hookup as well. No sewer connection is provided, but there is a dump station on the premises. Wi-fi reception and cell phone connectivity is reported to be decent at this campground.
Each site comes equipped with a picnic table, grill, and fire ring, so get ready for campfires and roasting marshmallows in the evenings.
Campers appreciate the clean bathhouses here as well as the free laundry facilities. There is a nature center with educational displays of the wildlife located in the park. Check the schedule for kids' programs and events.
In the event of rainy weather, the grounds of the park can become quite muddy and wet. There are plenty of bugs and critters who also call this state park home. Remember this is a marshy habitat, and plan accordingly.
After Hurricane Katrina, the original cabins at Bayou Segnette were completely rebuilt. The new cabins that "float" above the Marcello Canal were completed in 2016. This is an alternate way to experience all that this state park has to offer if you don't have your RV with you. Or, invite your non-RVing friends to meet you there!
One of the main attractions at this campground is the Bayou Segnette wave pool. Between Memorial Day and Labor Day, certified lifeguards are on duty to watch swimmers during pool hours.
Day park users may also pay a fee to use this pool, and once the pool has reached capacity, they don't let anyone else in to swim. Arrive early!
The wave pool also has life jacket rental and a small splash pool and slide for younger kids. Bring your lunch and picnic at one of the tables or you can purchase food from the concessions stand. Lockers are also available for rent.
You don't have to choose between saltwater and freshwater fishing here! This is a great location for fishing and the boat launch makes it convenient to get out into the water. Guests renting out the floating cabins here at Bayou Segnette even report being able to fish off their patio.
Anglers catch catfish, largemouth bass, redfish and trout in these waters. There is a cleaning station located by the boat launch for you to use for all those fish you catch.
There are many canals and tributaries to explore during your RV trip to Bayou Segnette State Park. It can be busy at times, but there are plenty of quiet corners to find for the serious paddler. The boat launch is well-maintained.
While paddling, you'll enjoy the diverse wildlife you can see from the two different types of wetlands that come together here: swamp and marsh. Keep your eyes out for alligators or other water reptiles.
Three short trails are located inside the state park, providing a shaded forest landscape for your hiking, trail running, and wildlife viewing.
Wildcat Walk is a third of a mile from the main parking lot to the picnic area through the woods. The West-We-Go Trail is a half-miles and picks up where Wildcat Walk ends. Finally the Raccoon Run covers less than a half-mile to bring hikers to the playground area.
If you put all three trails together, you'll have a loop of about a mile and a half long trail for hiking, running, or walking. Dogs are allowed on this trail if they are on a leash. This trail is rated easy and is relatively flat. There are boardwalks where there is wetland and marshy ground.
Guest report that this trail is not maintained on a consistent basis, and that some parts are overgrown. Be sure to wear long pants and be prepared to do some maneuvers through brush as needed.
There are two areas in Bayou Segnette for picnicking.
First is the playground area, which is a hit for families with kids. The playground has slides and a climbing wall. There are numerous picnic tables and grills for RV guests to use on a first-come, first-served basis.
There are also seven picnic pavilions available to rent for larger gatherings. Pavilions can accommodate anywhere from 40-60 guests and have bathrooms nearby. There are parking lots next to each pavilion. There is access to water and grills at each pavilion, but no electricity.
With the Mississippi River feeding freshwater down into the bayou and saltwater coming in from the Gulf of Mexico, you have a unique blending of two different types of wetlands, creating a smorgasbord of food for birds of all types.
Birding enthusiasts will enjoy the diversity of flying creatures to see here. There are Glossy ibis, Red-shouldered hawks and Eastern bluebird. One can also observe Belted kingfishers diving down into the waters looking for fish to eat.
