Hike-in Required
Yes
Open Year-round
Yes
Guided tours
No
ADA accessible
No
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

The Oxbow Wildlife Viewing area is a short trail - about 1 to 1.5 miles in total  - that leads to a pond beside that Atchafalaya River. Once near the pond, a bench appears overlooking a clearing uphill from the pond, and several other trails become evident, each leading through the forest, looping around the pond and returning to the clearing.

A part of the Atchafalaya National Wildlife Refuge, though small, the Oxbow area is one of the few places where it is possible to access the interior of the refuge on foot. The shallow canals and ponds may encourage alligators to bathe in their warmer waters, while the sounds of frogs, insects and bird songs fill the air.

Other wetland area wildlife such as egrets and armadillo can be seen in the area.

If the goal is to spot wildlife here, the best course of action is to head in, have a seat, and be patient. Deer, bear, turkey, waterfowl, wading birds and songbirds all make their home throughout the wildlife area's 15,000 acres of protected refuge.

There are no amenities at Oxbow, and pets must be leashed throughout the entire wildlife refuge.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Winter
Spring
Summer
Fall

Congestion

Low

Parking Pass

None

Pros

Short walk. Rarely crowded.

Cons

Trails can be muddy.

Pets allowed

Allowed with Restrictions

Features

Family friendly
Near lake or river
Bird watching

Location

Nearby Lodging + Camping

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