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Parkway Birding Trail BIR AIL DING TR Gulf Coast Stretching nearly 150 miles eastward through the “boot” of Southeastern Louisiana, the Zachary Taylor Parkway leg of the America’s Wetland Birding Traveling along the Creole Nature Trail All-American Road and six Zachary Richard, Musician/Poet Trail encompasses almost every major habitat type native to the state. additional state scenic byways, the America’s Wetland Birding Trail crosses Louisiana Native At its western end, within the Tunica-Biloxi Loop, the trail slogs through through 22 South Louisiana parishes rich in unparalleled history, culture, the low bottomland hardwoods and cypress-tupelo swamps of the lower arts and entertainment. The trail will guide you to some of the state’s most River floodplain. Further east, the Audubon Loop climbs into productive natural places along the Great Gulf Coast and will offer ready the prominent upland hardwood blufflands of the Mississippi River’s east access to some of the best birding in the country. bank. This is the only region of the state where the Eastern chipmunk and American ginseng live and grow and represents the southernmost The America’s Wetland Birding Trail consists of 115 bird watching sites extensions of these two species’ North American distribution ranges. crossing through 22 Louisiana parishes. Finally, the trail meanders higher up into the dry, 300+ foot pineland ridges near its boundary with Southern Mississippi.

The Zachary Taylor Parkway Birding Trail consists of 27 bird watching sites in 10 Louisiana parishes.

Red River Birding Trail

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1 3 C RO W L EY PONTCHARTRAIN 10 A 5 1 0 9 0 ST . M A RT I N V I L L E 0 10 2 2 6 Mississippi River 2 1 6 7 5 5 . 4 . ORANGE 3 1 1 M I 8 S S I vast pine forests, and pileated 4 7 S S 7 B 9 N EW I P 10 5 L 9 0 7 P 51 0 I I IB E R I A I 2 R 5 5 8 N E W 3 6 D A 5 3 3 6 9 9 1 0 1 I R 1 0 . 1 2 R 61 0 L A K E B O R G N E NG T 6 2 A BB E V I L L E I V E 1 6 4 . R O RL E A N S 01 1 7 1 4 8 5 4 1 8 5 woodpeckers replace the S A B I N E 2 6 E K A L A K E 1 1 1 3 1 6 7 C A L C A S I E U G R A N D 7 6 4 5 2 6 9 C H A N D E L E U R E K A L A K E L A K E 24 8 1 1 1 0 S O U N D 0 9 0 . CAMERON FRANKLIN 2 0 9 0 1 1 8 8 82 Bayou Lafourche 82 1 0 9 82 1 0 82 3 . 25 rocks, bison, and rattlesnakes 9 1 4 4 1 1 2 4 9 1 5 L A K E 3 Birding Trail 7 WHITE LAKE 1 1 0 VERMILION 9 22 S A L V A D O R 82 W E S T C O T E 7 9 0 BAY 5 6 8 1 1 1 0 B L A N C H E 1 9 4 23 Y A B A Y of the river’s upper reaches H O UM A . 1 POINTE A 7 . LA HACHE E T O C T S A E A S T C O T E 1 B R E T O N S O U N D zachary Taylor E H C N A L B L A N C H E G u l f B A Y 2 Sparsely populated and heavily cultivated in cotton, corn, and soybeans, in the Southern Great Plains. o f A T C H A F A L A Y A B A R A T A R I A M B A Y B A Y e 5 0 5 10 Miles SWAMP & FORESTED WETLANDS 8 x i 3 c o 5 0 5 10 Kilometers CO ASTAL MARSHES 5 the Northeast Louisiana Delta has served as one of the last homes for Geologically, the Red River 8 1 0 23 9 9 3 7 4 2 1 4 6 2 5 R E I L A B M I T I M B A L I E R E N N O B E R R E T E R R E B O N N E B A Y the ivory-billed woodpecker and Louisiana black bear. Agriculture neatly bisects a large “shield” C A I L L O U B A Y 1 Y A B A Y Parkway and hardwood timbering fragmented this once contiguous mosaic of of exposed, high-elevation Birding Trail bottomland hardwood and cypress-tupelo swamp habitats, virtually tertiary outcroppings, which exterminating both the woodpecker and the bear. The ivory-billed form the entire northwestern woodpecker may be lost forever, but the Louisiana black bear is making an quadrant of the state. This tertiary shield supports many of Louisiana’s impressive comeback, thanks to an intensive wildlife conservation program rarest plants. To this day, the Louisiana segment of the Red River Valley is initiated by both federal and state wildlife agencies. To date, hundreds best known for its timber resources, and interest in its mixed-pine forests of thousands of acres of abandoned farmland in this region have been culminated in the formation of the 600,000-acre Kisatchie National Forest purchased and restored to their former forested glory. system. Most of the forest’s districts lay along the Red River Trail. For complete information on America’s Wetland Birding Trails visit LouisianaTravel.com or http://louisianatravel.com/explore/louisiana_birding_trails.cfm The Mississippi River Birding Trail consists of 30 bird watching sites in 13 The Red River Birding Trail consists of 82 bird watching sites in 18 © 2009 Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism Louisiana parishes. Louisiana parishes. SPRINGHILL 71 BONITA

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Louisiana’s Birding Trail! This is one of a series of four Toledo 7 FLORIENLindy C. Boggs Recreation Area/LockI-49 & 7 Bend Reservoir PINEVILLE driving routes through Louisiana that focus on the state’s Dam No. 1 8 ALEXANDRIA 6 rich and diverse natural environments. The other tour 8 LakeANA OpheliaCOCO National Wildlife Refuge 5 Louisiana segments include the Red River, Gulf Coast, and 9111 Grassy Lake Wildlife Management Area 71 392 LEESVILLE MARKSVILLE 10 Morganza Spillway C 9 Mississippi River trails, all of which offer rewarding alc 1 Anacoco as LECOMPTE ie Lake u

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experiences for the seasoned naturalist as well as the iver 111 3 2 interested amateur. Come make your own adventure here 20 12 12 Tunica Hills Wildlife ManagementLONG LEAF Area 4 21 in the Pelican State! DERIDDER W 190 h 13 Centenary State Historicis Site I-55 BOGALUSA ke 13 y C 19

LOOP 2 hi 14 14 Mary Ann Brown Preservetto 71 18 Cr 15 ee 17 JACKSON 22 MERRYVILLE15 Audubon State Historic Sitek r e 10 iv R 16 Port Hudson State Historic Site 23 e FOLSOM in b 16 a 17 Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site S OPELOUSAS DENHAM LIVINGSTON 27 109 1827 Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge SPRINGS COVINGTON DEQUINCY I-49 19 West Feliciana Parish EUNICE ALBANY KINDER 26 24 SUNSET 11 I-12 12 BATON ROUGE 20 Camp Moore Confederate Museum & Cemetery GRAND I-10 25 SULPHUR COTEAU LACOMBE 21 SandyWESTLAKE Hollow Wildlife ManagementJENNINGS Area VINTON 90 90 90 GONZALES Lake

LOOP 3 LAFAYETTE 2210 Ben’s210 Creek Wildlife Management Area Pontchartrain BROUSSARD CROWLEYe 23 CassidyLAKE Park Bayou Q I-10 New ueu IntracoastalWaterway e DONALDSONVILLE Orleans 24 BogueCHARLES Chitto National Wildlife Refuge LAPLACE 90 61 Lake Borgne 25 Pearl River Wildlife Management AreaGUEYDAN 27 NEW IBERIA KENNER METAIRIE 90 26 AbitaCalcasieu Creek Flatwoods Preserve BAYOU Lake Int racoastal Waterw GAUCHE Sabine 27 Lake Ramsay Preserve ay HARVEY Lake THIBODAUX HOLLY BEACH CAMERON Lake White Salvador Lake MORGAN 90 CITY MYRTLE GROVE

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c h e VENICE Stretching nearly 150 miles eastward through the “boot” of Southeastern Louisiana, the Zachary Taylor Parkway segment of the America’s WETLAND Birding Trail includes almost every major habitat type native to the state. At its western end, within the Tunica-Biloxi Loop, the trail meanders through the low bottomland hardwoods and cypress-tupelo swamps of the lower Mississippi River floodplain. Further east, the Audubon Loop climbs into the prominent upland hardwood blufflands of the Mississippi River’s east bank. This is the only region of the state where the Eastern chipmunk and American ginseng live and grow, representing the southernmost extensions of these two species’ North American distribution ranges. Finally, the trail climbs higher up into the dry, 300-foot pineland ridges near its boundary with Southern Mississippi.

While you’re here, we hope you’ll find time to put down your binoculars and enjoy everything else our state has to offer—our unique music, cuisine, art and history. Please visit www.LouisianaTravel.com for helpful travel information.

Happy Birding,

Information Canoeing Picnic Area Driving Trail

Restrooms Boat Access Hiking Viewing Area

Handicapped Access Fishing Swimming Lookout Tower

Food Camping Beach Area Biking

Parking Cabins/Lodge Visitor Water LOOP 1 Site 3: Grand Cote National Wildlife Refuge/ Central Louisiana National Wildlife Refuge outdoor aquaculture classroom, boardwalk, observation platform Colonial Trails Address: 401 Island Rd., Marksville, LA 71351 Access: Office Mon-Fri 7:30am-4pm; Trail daily; Free GPS Coordinates: N 31.10967; W 92.13764 Scenic Byway Contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Central LA Wildlife Refuges Headquarters, 318-253-4238 Website: www.fws.gov/grandcote

Site 1: Marksville State Site 4: Historic Site Echo-Cheneyville Road exhibits, interpretive programs Address: No physical address Address: Access: Daily; Free 837 Martin Luther King Dr., Marksville, LA 71351 Limitations: Traffic area with few pull-offs Access: Daily 9am-5pm, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and GPS Coordinates: N 31.03295; W 92.29531 New Year’s Day; Free GPS Coordinates: N 31.15447; W 92.04681 Contact: Site Manager, 318-253-8954 or 888-253-8954 Site 5: Website: www.lastateparks.com J.H. Overton Recreation Area Address: 766 LA Hwy. 454, Pineview, LA 71360 Access: Daily; Free Site 2: GPS Coordinates: N 31.19607; W 92.30779 Spring Bayou State Wildlife Contact: Red River Waterway Commission, 800-874-9431 Management Area Website: www.redriverwaterway.com, or www.mvk.usace. army.mil/lakes/JBennettWaterway/ Address: 2628 Spring Bayou Rd., Marksville, LA 71351 main.php?page=mapsContent Access: Daily; Free. Valid LA or fishing license or Wild LA Stamp required unless exempt by law GPS Coordinates: N 31.12618; W 92.01546 Contact: LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, WMA Manager, 318-948-0255 Website: www.wlf.louisiana.gov/hunting/wmas/wmas/list. cfm?wmaid=48 Site 8: Lake Ophelia National Wildlife Refuge

ATV trails Address: 642 Lake Long Rd., Marksville, LA 71351 Access: Daily; Free Limitations: Roadways can be problematic in wet weather GPS Coordinates: N 31.21943; W 91.93938 Contact: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Refuge Manager, 318-253-4238 Website: www.fws.gov/lakeophelia/

Site 9: Grassy Lake Wildlife Management Area

Address: 3081 Grassy Lake Rd., Bordelonville, LA 71320 Access: Daily; Free; Valid LA hunting or fishing license or Site 6: Wild LA Stamp required unless exempt by law, self-clearing Ben Routh Recreation Area permit required

observation deck GPS Coordinates: N 31.15057; W 91.78781 Address: 156 Ben Routh Rd., Effie, LA 71331 Contact: LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, Region 6 Access: Daily; Free Office, 337-948-0255 GPS Coordinates: N 31.21083; W 92.12913 Website: www.wlf.louisiana.gov Contact: Red River Waterway Commission, 800-874-9431 Website: www.redriverwaterway.com or www.mvk.usace.army.mil/lakes/JBennettWaterway/main. php?page=mapsContent Site 10: Morganza Spillway

Address: 2084 LA Hwy. 1, Morganza, LA 70759 Site 7: Access: Daily; Free Lindy C. Boggs Recreation Area/Lock GPS Coordinates: N 30.78208; W 91.62320 & Dam No. 1 Contact: Pointe Coupée Office of Tourism, 225-638-3998

Address: 3543 Vick Rd., Vick, LA 71331 Access: Daily; Free GPS Coordinates: N 31.15127; W 91.57201 Website: www.redriverwaterway.com or www.mvk.usace.army.mil/lakes/JBennettWaterway Site 11: Site 13: Sherburne Wildlife Management Area Centenary State Historic Site

Address: 5652 Hwy. 182, Opelousas, LA 70571 Address: 3522 College St., Jackson, LA 70748 Access: Daily; Free; Valid LA hunting or fishing license or Access: Daily 9am-5pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas Wild LA Stamp required, unless exempt by law and New Year’s Day; Admission Fee GPS Coordinates: N 30.51621; W 91.71633 GPS Coordinates: N 30.84055; W 91.21215 Contact: Sherburne Complex Information, 337-948-0255 Contact: Centenary State Historic Site Information, Website: www.wlf.state.la.us 888-677-2364 Website: www.lastateparks.com LOOP 2 Site 14: Mary Ann Brown Preserve Louisiana Scenic pavilion, pond house Address: 13515 Hwy. 965, Bayou Byway St. Francisville, LA 70775 Access: Daily; Free GPS Coordinates: N 30.82010; W 91.26506 Contact: Nature Conservancy of Louisiana, 225-338-1040 Site 12: Website: www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/ Tunica Hills Wildlife Management Area states/louisiana/preserves, or www.stfrancisville.us

Address: No physical address Access: Daily; Free; Valid LA hunting or fishing license or Wild LA Stamp required, unless exempt by law Site 15: Limitations: Roadway could be problematic in wet weather Audubon State Historic Site GPS Coordinates: N 30.92879; W 91.52527

Contact: LA Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Region 7 Address: 11788 Hwy. 965, St. Francisville, LA 70775 Office, 225-765-2360 Access: Daily 9am-5pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas, Website: www.wlf.louisiana.gov and New Year’s Day; Admission Fee GPS Coordinates: N 30.79717; W 91.30693 Contact: Site Manager, 225-635-3739 or 888-677-2838 Website: www.lastateparks.com Site 16: Limitations: Roadways can be problematic in wet weather Port Hudson State Historic Site GPS Coordinates: N 30.80786; W 91.37597 Contact: West Feliciana Parish Recreational and Sports Park, Access: Daily 9am-5pm; Fee 225-784-8447 GPS Coordinates: N 30.69255; W 91.26922 Website: www.stfrancisville.us Contact: Port Hudson State Historic Site, 888-677-3400 Website: www.lastateparks.com LOOP 3

Site 17: Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site Louisiana Scenic Address: 12501 Hwy. 10, St. Francisville, LA 70775 Access: Daily 9am-5pm except Thanksgiving, Christmas and Bayou Byway New Year’s Day; Admission Fee GPS Coordinates: N 30.79081; W 91.37270 Contact: Rosedown Plantation State Historic Site, 225-635-3332 Site 20: Website: www.lastateparks.com Camp Moore Confederate Museum & Cemetery

museum, gift shop Site 18: Address: 70640 Camp Moore Rd., Tangipahoa, LA 70465 Cat Island National Wildlife Refuge Access: Tues-Sat 10am-3pm; Admission Fee GPS Coordinates: N 30.88487; W 90.51073 Address: 76 Pintail Ln., Natchez, MS 39120 Contact: Camp Moore Confederate Museum & Cemetery, Access: Daily; Free 985-229-2438 GPS Coordinates: N 30.79324; W 91.43641 Website: www.campmoore.com Contact: Refuge Manager, 225-635-4753 Website: www.southeast.fws.gov/CatIsland

Site 21: Sandy Hollow Wildlife Management Area Site 19: West Feliciana Parish Address: 98004 Oilfield Rd., Kentwood, LA 70444 ball fields, tennis courts, playgrounds Access: Daily; Free; Valid LA hunting or fishing license or Address: 10226 West Feliciana Pkwy., St. Francisville, Wild LA Stamp required, unless exempt by law LA 70775 GPS Coordinates: N 30.83960; W 90.41423 Access: Mon-Fri 7am-dark, Sat-Sun 8am-dark; Free Contact: LA Department of Wildlife & Fisheries, Region 7 Office, 225-765-2360 Website: www.wlf.louisiana.gov Site 22: Site 25: Ben’s Creek Wildlife Management Area Pearl River Wildlife Management Area Address: No physical address Access: Daily; Free; Valid LA hunting or fishing license or Address: 603 Willis, Wild LA Stamp required, unless exempt by law, self-clearing Bogalusa, LA 70427 permit required Access: Daily; Free; Valid LA GPS Coordinates: N 30.86248; W 89.97522 hunting or fishing license or Contact: LA Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Region 7 Wild LA Stamp required, unless exempt by law Office, 225-765-2360 GPS Coordinates: N 30.39107; W 89.72894 Website: www.wlf.louisiana.gov Contact: Pearl River WMA Headquarters, 985-646-6440 Website: www.wlf.state.la.us

Site 23: Cassidy Park Site 26:

tennis courts, barnyard display, playground Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve

Address: No physical address boardwalk, benches, interpretive stations Access: Daily; Free Address: No physical address GPS Coordinates: N 30.78281; W 89.87261 Access: Daily; Free Contact: City of Bogalusa, 985-732-6211 GPS Coordinates: N 30.50608; W 89.96597 Contact: The Nature Conservancy (Florida Parishes), 985-809-1414 Website: www.nature.org/wherewework/northamerica/ Site 24: states/louisiana/preserves Bogue Chitto National Wildlife Refuge

Address: No physical address Site 27: Access: Daily; Free Lake Ramsay Preserve

Limitations: The area interpretive displays is closed when the river Address: No physical address gauge at Pearl River Access: Daily; Free (The adjacent Lake Ramsay WMA reaches 15.5 feet. requires a valid hunting or fishing or Wild LA Stamp and GPS Coordinates: self-clearing permit.) N 30.45115; W 89.70822 GPS Coordinates: N 30.51024; W 89.16423 Contact: U.S. Fish and Contact: The Nature Conservancy (Florida Parishes), Wildlife Service, Southeast 985-809-1414 LA Refuges Headquarters, 985-882-2000 Website: www.fws.gov/boguechitto America’s Wetland

America’s WETLAND is one of the largest and most productive expanses of coastal wetlands in North America. This valuable landscape extending along Louisiana’s coast is disappearing at a rate of 25 square miles per year. This unique ecosystem is the natural nursery ground for much of the country’s seafood, with 95% of all marine life in the Gulf of Mexico spending all or part of its life cycle in these coastal wetlands. America’s WETLAND is the wintering habitat for more than 10 million waterfowl and migratory birds in the Mississippi Flyway and Central Flyway. As the wetlands disappear, habitat is lost, threatening national refuges and putting at risk numerous rare, threatened and endangered species.

The America’s WETLAND Birding Trails will help visitors explore some of Louisiana’s most treasured natural places along the coast and expose them to some of the best birding in the country through the numerous State Parks, State Historic Sites, State Preservation Areas, National Wildlife Refuges, Wildlife Management Areas, and other natural spots throughout the state. In addition to exceptional birds and other wildlife, America’s WETLAND Birding Trails also allow visitors to experience some of the state’s unique history and culture. To learn more about America’s WETLAND please visit www.americaswetland.com.