Louisiana Outdoors A to Z HIT THE TRAILS By Erin Z. Bass ouisiana is gaining traction as a premier hiking destination in the South, with plenty of alligators, bald eagles and swampland to keep backpackers and day trippers constantly looking around the next bend. Making up 4,416 acres in Terrebonne Parish, Mandalay National Wildlife Refuge provides a glimpse of three di erent habitats and abundant wildlife within a 45-minute hike. Even better: Geocachers can find hidden treasures in the preserve, since Mandalay is part of Louisiana’s first ocial GeoTour. Chicot State Park also o ers a rich mix of ecosystems, while the Wild Azalea Trail in Kisatchie National Forest is home to the longest hiking trail in the state. L Carre Spillway near LaPlace and the Joyce WMA Swamp Walk boardwalk extending 1,000 feet into a dense tupelo and cypress forest. Channel your inner Indiana Jones by hunting for hidden treasures on the Solomon Northup Geocaching Trail, or walk to Louisiana’s highest “peak,” 535-foot-high Driskill Mountain. n INGREDIENTS By Erin Z. Bass Get a taste of Louisiana at its most savory while soaking up some sunshine at one of the state's many open-air markets. Shreveport Farmers' Market, Baton Rouge's Red Stick Market and Third Street View the changing colors of a Market in Leesville are all held in city centers, with New Orleans’ hardwood forest on three trails at French Market adding full-service eateries and art to the mix. For fresh Tunica Hills, also known for its seafood, The Seafood Shed in Lafourche Parish is known for keeping wildlife. More moderate trails prices low, and for the best peaches in the South, look to Ruston Farmers include the 5.5-mile Bonnet Market (the city is also home to the Louisiana Peach Festival in June). Farm stands from Gotreaux Family Farms in Scott and Anderson's Produce in Coushatta give visitors a couple more ways to gather fresh-picked fruits and vegetables. For Louisiana peaches and other seasonal items straight from the PHOTOS: (TOP) Longleaf Vista fields, stop by Ed Lester Farms in Coushatta, on the banks of the Red River. n Recreation Area interpretative trail; (BOTTOM) Chef Jeffrey Hansell of Oxlot 9 ©Stephen DeVries http://LouisianaTravel.com 23
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