Camping

Louisiana’s warm summers, mild winters and abundance of outdoor recreational opportunities are invitations to complete your outdoor adventure by enjoying one of the many campsites in our area.  Call ahead for availability when applicable.  Choose your camping location:

• Atchafalaya Basin Primitive Campsites - Click here to access a list of locations with GPS coordinates and a  map. These are primitive camping sites.  Some of the sites are located in clusters, so it is possible to continue on to another site if there are campers already at the site. Additionally, the sites are large enough to accommodate numerous campers if campers are willing to share the space. This article by the Atchafalaya Basin Program offers more detail about locating these sites. A full-color satellite Atchafalaya Basin map can be purchased from the Louisiana Geological Survey located on the LSU campus. Call (225) 578-8590 or write to: Box G, Baton Rouge, LA 70893. The folded map is $9; mailed in a tube is $12.
• Atchafalaya Delta WMA - Morgan City, LA area (337) 373-0032  Map
• Sherburne WMA - Opelousas, LA  (337) 948-0255
• Attakapas WMA (Most are state-owned lands in this area) - Myette Pointe, LA   318-253-7068
• Elm Hall WMA - Napoleonville, LA   337-948-0255
• Grassy Lake WMA - Bordelonville, LA  337-948-0255
• Spring Bayou WMA - Marksville, LA  318-253-7068
• Richard K. Yancey WMA - 35 miles south of Ferriday, LA  337-948-0255

Tips for a safe and eco-friendly camping trip:

1. If you arrive at your campsite and discover that someone missed picking up the last bits of trash from their visit, lend a hand by packing it up to bring with you for later disposal. Leave your campsite better than you found it.
2. Bring reusable utensils and plates. While disposable plates and utensils may seem like the more convenient option to bring along when camping, the excessive use of these products can be wasteful. Plus, you have to carry your trash with you anyway so it can end up being more of a hassle. Bring just enough reusable plates and utensils that are needed for lighter and more eco-friendly travel.
3. Don’t forget bug spray!
4. Leave baby alligators alone! If you disturb one, it will call for Momma to come to the rescue.    
5. Be careful when building a campfire.  Always use an existing campfire site instead of building a new one. If you must build a new campfire, make sure to build it away from dry grass or overhanging branches. Don’t cut down live trees to use for the campfire. Instead, use branches that are already on the ground or bring your own. Please don’t put whole driftwood trees on your campfire – it leaves unsightly half-burned logs. Douse the campfire with plenty of water until it’s cool to the touch.
6. Practice safe boating, especially when crossing main waterways. Water levels in the swamps and waterways tend to be high from winter to spring and low from summer to fall.
7. The swamp and wooded areas are home to poisonous snakes such as water moccasins, rattlesnakes, copperheads and coral snakes, all of which like to be left alone.