Tickfaw State Park

Tickfaw State Park sits on the floodplain of the Tickfaw River in Livingston Parish and holds four distinct ecosystems in a small area: cypress and tupelo swamp, bottomland hardwood forest, mixed pine and hardwood forest, and the river itself. When winter and spring rains push the river over its steep banks, the park detains the floodwater, and the state says those floods support the wetland habitat and the fisheries.

Four trails, about 4.75 miles in all, cross those habitats. The Gum Cypress Trail is a half mile and accessible to wheelchairs, the Pine Hardwood Trail is another half mile, and the River Overlook and Bottomland Hardwood Trail runs three quarters of a mile. The River Trail is the long one at three miles. Boardwalks carry walkers through the wet ground. The nature center, where visitors check in, holds an 800-gallon aquarium of fish from the Tickfaw River and displays on the animals, history and culture of the area.

The park is at 27225 Patterson Road in Springfield. The gate is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, and admission is $3 per person, free for seniors and for children 3 and under, as listed in 2026. Canoes rent for $25 a day with paddles and life jackets. Overnight options include 30 full-hookup campsites, 20 water-only sites, seven canvas glamping tents and 14 cabins. Expect high water after heavy rain.