Bayou Wilderness RV Campground

The Great Outdoors

Visit the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge near Lottie, just an hour's drive east when you're camping at Bayou Wilderness RV Campground. Here you can see a vast, wild swamp sustaining regional habitats such as bottomland hardwood forests, bayous, oxbow lakes, and wetlands and featuring native species including the Louisiana black bear, migratory neotropical songbirds, waterfowl, and other aquatic animals. The old Big Alabama Bridge has been converted to a public wildlife viewing area with interpretive displays, and there is also a public interpretive nature trail. The sporting complex features rifle, handgun, archery, and skeet/trap ranges. Outdoor recreational opportunities include paddling and paddle trails, hiking, biking, hunting and fishing, wildlife viewing, and nature photography.The Thistlethwaite State Wildlife Management Area north of Opelousas is another opportunity to experience raw natural beauty when you are camping with a travel trailer near here. This area covers 11,000 acres and features mixed forest cover, pecan, hickory, hackberry, elm, maple, cypress, palmetto, dogwood, redbud, elderberry, French mulberry, and blackberry. It is home to deer, squirrel, rabbit, beaver, raccoon, bobcat, otter, opossum, birds of prey, woodpeckers, and neotropical migrant songbirds. There is one mile of wooded trails, and recreational opportunities include hiking, birding, hunting, and trapping.The Acadiana Park Nature Station is owned and operated by Lafayette’s Division of Arts & Culture in the Department of Community Development. It’s a great place to visit when you camp in an RV near Carencro. It features both Mississippi River floodplains and Mississippi River escarpments as well as vines, ferns, fungi, mosses, and wildflowers. Birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, and insects and spiders live here. There are six miles of hiking trails and a kayak launch. Environmental education and interpretive programming for all ages include public tours, night hikes, weekend nature talks, and weekend trail tours as well as young naturalist clubs and outreach programs.

Exploring the Area

Head to Lafayette with your Carencro camper rental if you are looking for big-city attractions and amenities along with a healthy dose of culture and diversity. Lafayette is in the heart of Cajun and Creole country and is a very historically and culturally significant area. You’ll be able to explore and educate yourself at local museums, historic sites and structures, galleries, live music and other performance venues, and festivals and community events. There are also guided tours to suit many interests, including food, culture, voodoo, nature, and more. Make sure to check out Lafayette Travel and the Louisiana Office of Tourism for up-to-date information on area attractions, events, promotions, and visitor guides.Visit Pelican Park with your RV rental near Bayou Wilderness RV Campground to experience community spirit and the best of what the area has to offer. This is a large, well-maintained sports complex that also hosts community events and live music. Food and beer are available for purchase at the weekly Mercredi Show and some other events. Festivals hosted here include sports tournaments, a hot air balloon festival, the Special Olympics, and a New Year’s bash.When you take your rental RV out of the campground in search of sustenance, you’ll be able to treat yourself to the best of what the area has to offer including family-friendly favorites, pizza, ethnic eateries, and regional specialties including Southern, Cajun, and Creole dishes. You’ll also likely need to refill your rig, and you will be able to find gasoline or diesel fuel easily at any of the local service stations, truck stops, or convenience stores.