I crossed Lake Pontchartrain going south from Mississippi to New Orleans…read more It is an estuary that was created over 1000 years ago when the Mississippi River changed its path. It is connected to the Gulf of Mexico by the Rigolets strait. It covers an area of 630 square miles with an average depth of 12 to 14 feet. The Lake was named for Lake Pontchartrain was named for Louis Phélypeaux, Comte-de-Pontchartrain, the French Minister of the Marine, during the reign of France's "Sun King", Louis XIV, for whom the colony of La Louisiane was named.

I saw Lake Pontchartrain from NOLA Lakefront/Lakeshore Drive. Not much to see but it's cool that…read morethere's an extremely lengthy bridge for driving over this estuary. I wish I saw the lake at sunset instead of in the daytime, but grateful I finally got to see it while in NOLA.

The Pearl River Wildlife Management Area is great for many reasons…read more 1. It is free to enter if you have a Louisiana hunting or fishing license. If not, don't enter as the game wardens can issue you a citation. You also need to stop at the entrance and fill out a check in/check out form whenever you enter or leave the WMA. 2. There are woods everywhere. If you don't like the woods, there is probably something wrong with you. Spend any amount of time in the woods, and you will be a better human being. 3. There is a shooting range. I reviewed it separately, but I will mention that the road leading to the range is po-boy road. What an awesome name for a road. 4. There are many dirt roads here. If you have a fancy car, or even a trashy car, don't come here. If you are a real American and drive a truck or SUV, you will love driving down these dirt roads. The four reasons I listed are just a few of the reasons why this is a great place to visit. If you're reading this review, I highly recommend you pay a visit to this WMA.

Interesting place, lots of birdlife and swap areas to see…read more Bring your camera, and a fishing pole.

Great boardwalk trail over the marsh. It's a good way to see wildlife on the northshore on an easy…read morehike.

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of…read morelife, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived" ― Henry David Thoreau, Walden I have always felt like Thoreau knew what he was talking about when he wrote that. It's been some time since I've gone to live in the woods, but I do think one can accomplish a lot by taking a walk alone into the wilderness. The boardwalk in this section of the Big Branch Refuge is a great place to take such a walk. Located in between Slidell and Lacombe, this section of the national refuge is somewhat different than the other two areas. This spot in particular is a half mile boardwalk trail that runs from the pine forest to the swamp. The trail lets you see first hand how the forest has subsided over the years and become swamp. The remnants of dead pine trees that could no longer survive the excessive moisture dot the landscape. As the trail continues, you will end a large expanse of swamp and an incredible view. There is also more trails to hike, but on my most recent visit I was running out of daylight. This trail is popular, but I have found that more times than not, you will be the only hiker. On my most recent trip I encountered several groups on my hike back, but only one group was irritating enough that I wanted to push them into the swamp. When people are hiking and enjoying nature, hooping and hollering is not enjoyable to others. My hike though the wilderness was very enjoyable. For the first part of the hike all that could be heard was the wind and the birds. If you need to think, want to take photos, or just enjoy a walk through the woods, check this trail out.

Great all new state of the art marina. Dual boat launches, new fuel dock, kayak rentals, ice,…read morebeer, snacks. 7 days a week. 10 minute ride to lake Ponchartrain.

Well my rental house on the dock near the boating center so I'll count it as this. The fishing was…read moregreat and the experience was great but I just didn't like the racism in the neighborhood. Me and my family would be sitting on the dock and a white Family on their big boat just would look at us like they never seen a black person. Right down the road we saw a Confederate States flag above the American Flag near the lake. Being Louisiana is great but the racism is the only factor that doesn't give it that 5 star is deserves.

Nice little Park off the highway and easy to miss., turn around at next exit (we did)…read more Entrance near an industrial area, lots of trucks in and out. Nice parking area along the water, with some picnic tables. An information board located near entrance. Some people were just parked (maybe enjoying the view), a Ranger did drive thru. So the area is monitored. A decent trail with a nice boardwalk takes you into the refuge with views of the marsh and water. We were here mid-day so it was quiet. Some birds, and lots of turtles. On way out, net Blair (local birder) and we talked about sightings in area. He told me about a Kingfisher that hangs out over waterway off main road. The Kingfisher was right where he said it would be - we did not stop (lots of trucks) passing by. Nice to talk to locals, especially fellow bird enthusiasts. Worth a stop !!!

Is the hustle and bustle of city life getting you down?…read more Do you find yourself becoming stressed from traffic? Do you need a break? If you answered yes to the above questions, I have just the thing to cure what ails you. What is this miraculous cure you ask? Dirt. That's right friends, good ole 100% American dirt. Get you some. I realize that the words posted above these may seem ridiculous, and for some it won't help, but for me, getting off the road and into nature helps me every time. The Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge is one such place that I recommend you check out. This NWR is located off of the very last exit before Mississippi (Pearl River Turnaround). If you're heading from Louisiana, exit, turn left and drive down the first dirt road you encounter. There isn't really a very good sign, but you'll know it when you find it. As you first enter the NWR you will encounter a very cool railroad bridge. For many, this will be the coolest thing you see, but for me there is much more. The roads through the NWR are dirt and rock only. They are fairly well packed so four wheel drive is not necessary, but I would be reluctant to take a car back here if it is low slung. The roads run for many miles through the middle of the refuge and you are unlikely to encounter any other humans if you go during the week. If hiking is your thing, there are a few trails that I have yet to explore, but they do look promising for a brief nature hike. Each trail has its own parking area which is convenient since parking on the road wouldn't be ideal. The roads here seem to go on forever. I would guess that it took me nearly thirty minutes to drive the entirety of the main road. It ended up at a weird camp type residential area, finally dead ending at a very run down looking trailer. I haven't fully explored all of the roads yet, but it does seem to be a one way in, one way out situation. The hour or so I spent on my first trip invigorated me and I can't wait to go back.

Walmart + app would not work there. No cell service had to pay .10 more on a gallon. Being right by…read moreWalmart it should have worked

Ponchatoula's newest gas station! Right in front of Walmart. Gas prices are low, they're open 24/7,…read moreand they have everything you need from a convenience store!

A small nature area just on the side of Hwy 90 appx half way from NOLA to BSL. Older locals may…read moreremember it as the site of the White Kitchen, an almost mandatory stop for food and fuel before I10 existed. The nature site has plenty of parking, a boat launch and a nice walkway well out into the marsh.

This might be the only nature preserve named after a restaurant. It's located at the intersection…read moreof US 90 (Chef Menteur Highway) and US 190. The area was once home to a state line diner called the White Kitchen. According to local legend, Jayne Mansfield stopped in on her way from Mississippi to New Orleans. She perished in a car accident that night only a few miles away. The restaurant is long gone and all that remains are wide open spaces. The park doesn't offer any hiking trails for exploration but it does provide a peaceful setting for nature watching. The trees drip with Spanish moss and cypress knees poke up from the swamp. If you want to get out on the water there's a boat launch for easy access. If not, you can just stroll the boardwalk. You don't have to worry about close encounters with wildlife since the pathway is elevated from the water. There are alligators, frogs, turtles, snakes, wild turkeys, egrets, brown pelicans and ducks in the area. People have claimed to see bald eagles too. When I visited earlier this month I was only able to spot a few blue herons off in the distance. The place has seen better days. The placard at the end of the boardwalk must be at least twenty years old. It's sun-bleached and too faded to read. There are empty soda and beer cans floating in the water. The lack of maintenance detracts from the natural beauty. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit this park but it's worth a stop if you're in the area.