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Big Lake Native Plant Trail
4.8 ★★★★★ 26 Google reviews · Running trail in New Orleans, Louisiana · Open 24 hours
Runner's snapshot
- Surface
- Boardwalk
- Distance
- Not reported
- Shape
- Not reported
- Shade
- Not reported
- Access
- Open 24 hours
Confirmed from Big Lake Native Plant Trail's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.
What runners say about Big Lake Native Plant Trail
“It's beautifully maintained so it can showcase a huge variety of gorgeous native plants, making it seem possible to truly make habitat re-creation part of our daily lives.”
“It’s a great place for anyone interested in local flora or just looking for a quiet, natural setting to enjoy.”
The paved trail with its own parking lot, is within walking distance of many other attractions in New Orleans City Park (like the Children's Museum) and follows around the shores of Big Lake. Gardens along the trail are maintained by volunteers with the Native Plant Initiative of GNO, City Park and involved citizens.
This is a great, easy, relaxing place to visit and see some of the native plants of Louisiana! Perfect for a quick walk.
The Big Lake Native Plant Trail is an opportunity to see native Louisiana landscape as it grows in the wild. This is not a formal garden at all, instead it is much what you may see growing wild in the ditches, fields and bayous across the Southern part of the state.
An excellent exhibition of Louisiana native plants in a fantastic recreational space. The trail is a perfect location for a walk to engage in nature. Kudos to the hard work of many volunteers and community groups.
Trail conditions & character
“It's beautifully maintained so it can showcase a huge variety of gorgeous native plants, making it seem possible to truly make habitat re-creation part of our daily lives.”
“It’s a great place for anyone interested in local flora or just looking for a quiet, natural setting to enjoy.”
“come check out the different plants and walk on the cute little boardwalk for some extra ~enrichment~”
Plan your run at Big Lake Native Plant Trail
The practical stuff
- AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
- SurfaceBoardwalk — flat and scenic, and slick when wet, so watch your footing
- DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
- ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
Hours
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
Running trails near New Orleans
Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.
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