Those of us lucky enough to call Louisiana home are well aware that our state is just overflowing with natural beauty. From the Kisatchie to Cocodrie, Louisiana is a nature lover’s paradise, offering everything from rolling hills to sleepy bayous. One particular spot stands out from the rest for its awe-inspiring beauty and attracts visitors from all over the world, and we are lucky enough to have it right in our own backyard. You’ve driven over it, you’ve seen countless photos of it, but how much do you really know about the Atchafalaya River Swamp? Let’s check it out.
Clocking in at almost one million acres, the Atchafalaya Basin is the largest river swamp in the nation.
Good Speed/Google
Beginning near Simmesport, the basin stretches 140 miles south all the way to the Gulf of Mexico.
Good Speed/Google It’s larger than the Florida everglades!
It’s easily one of the most photographed natural areas in our state.
Felixmizionikov/Getty Images This iconic “between the bridges” shot is one that circulates often.
Some of the most beautiful natural scenery in the state is found here in the Basin. With a mixture of bottomland hardwoods, swamps, bayous, and backwater lakes, it’s easy to see why this natural oasis is a nature lover’s paradise.
The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area/Facebook And there are plenty of animals that would agree!
The Basin is home to countless critters of the land and air variety including about 65 species of reptiles, 250 species of birds, and more than 100 different species of fish.
Alex Aparicio/Google The Basin is also home to the largest nesting concentration of bald eagles in the south, not to mention all the crawfish. The Basin harvests nearly 22 million pound of crawfish annually. That’s a lot of mudbugs!
There are plenty of ways to explore the Basin…
Amy/Google
…and a boat or a kayak is one of the best ways to see the Basin up close.
Sheila Crotwell/Google
A swamp boat tour is one of the best ways to see the Basin.
Atchafalaya Basin Landing Airboat Swamp Tour/Google There’s nothing like soaring through the swamps on a high-speed airboat. Luckily, there are plenty of tour companies that would love to give you a tour of the Basin. Not only will you have a front row seat to some truly stunning scenery, but you’ll learn about the history and importance of these wetlands and how Louisianians have been living off the Basin for centuries.
For more information, check out the Atchafalaya National Heritage’s website.
Good Speed/Google
It’s larger than the Florida everglades!
Felixmizionikov/Getty Images
This iconic “between the bridges” shot is one that circulates often.
The Atchafalaya National Heritage Area/Facebook
And there are plenty of animals that would agree!
Alex Aparicio/Google
The Basin is also home to the largest nesting concentration of bald eagles in the south, not to mention all the crawfish. The Basin harvests nearly 22 million pound of crawfish annually. That’s a lot of mudbugs!
Amy/Google
Sheila Crotwell/Google
Atchafalaya Basin Landing Airboat Swamp Tour/Google
There’s nothing like soaring through the swamps on a high-speed airboat. Luckily, there are plenty of tour companies that would love to give you a tour of the Basin. Not only will you have a front row seat to some truly stunning scenery, but you’ll learn about the history and importance of these wetlands and how Louisianians have been living off the Basin for centuries.
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Address: Atchafalaya River, Louisiana, USA
