Cypremort Point State Park

Cypremort Point State Park covers 185 acres on the shore of Vermilion Bay in St. Mary Parish, and Louisiana State Parks calls it one of the very few places near the Gulf of Mexico that can be reached by car. The park was established on November 20, 2004. Cypremort is French for dead cypress. Chitimacha tradition, as Wikipedia relays it, holds that a great cypress at this spot was one of four trees marking the edges of their land.

The beach is a half mile long and man-made, for swimming and picnicking. Anglers fish Vermilion Bay or run the Gulf from the boat launch just outside the entrance, and flounder and redfish are common catches. Two shore fishing areas, 100 feet each, have a fish-cleaning station, a kayak launch, rod holders and lights. A marsh boardwalk with an outdoor classroom shows nutria, muskrat, alligators and native birds. There are 22 premium and 5 unimproved campsites and 6 deluxe cabins.

The park is at 306 Beach Lane and is open daily; gates run 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Entry is $3 a person, free for those 62 and older and children 3 and under. Highway 83 South is closed from Lydia to the park from October 26, 2026, through January 17, 2027. From Highway 90 East, take Highway 318 South to Highway 83 South through Glencoe, then Highway 319.