Fontainebleau State Park
Encyclopedia
Fontainebleau State Park is located in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
, on the outskirts of the town of Mandeville, LA. It is located on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain
. The park is 2800 acres (1,133.1 ha) in size and was once the site of a sugar plantation and a brick yard operated by Bernard de Marigny
. The park has a strong history of hosting Boy and Girl Scout activities The park has a multitude of habitats for birds.
, Bayou Cane and Bayou Castine. The park was originally named Tchefuncte State Park and Conservation Reservation, after the Tchefuncte River
.
St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana
St. Tammany Parish is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana, in the New Orleans–Metairie–Kenner Metropolitan Statistical Area. The parish seat is Covington....
, on the outskirts of the town of Mandeville, LA. It is located on the north shore of Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
. The park is 2800 acres (1,133.1 ha) in size and was once the site of a sugar plantation and a brick yard operated by Bernard de Marigny
Bernard de Marigny
Bernard Xavier Philippe de Marigny de Mandeville, was a French-Creole American nobleman, playboy, politician, and President of the Louisiana Senate between 1822-1823.-Early life:...
. The park has a strong history of hosting Boy and Girl Scout activities The park has a multitude of habitats for birds.
History
The visitor center highlights the history of the land which was once owned by the wealthy Bernard De Marigny. Marigny operated a sugar mill that was build in 1829. The wealthy Marigny named his large holding Fontainebleau after the beautiful forest near Paris France. Fontainebleau is surrounded on three sides by water, Lake PontchartrainLake Pontchartrain
Lake Pontchartrain is a brackish estuary located in southeastern Louisiana. It is the second-largest inland saltwater body of water in the United States, after the Great Salt Lake in Utah, and the largest lake in Louisiana. As an estuary, Pontchartrain is not a true lake.It covers an area of with...
, Bayou Cane and Bayou Castine. The park was originally named Tchefuncte State Park and Conservation Reservation, after the Tchefuncte River
Tchefuncte River
The Tchefuncte River drains into Lake Pontchartrain in Louisiana in the United States. It is about long.In the 19th century it was an important commercial waterway, where building materials and other products of the North Shore of Lake Pontchartrain were loaded to be shipped across the Lake to...
.
Overnight features
- Twelve cabins, six are handicapped accessible including two that are ADA Compliant.
- 163 RV and tenting campsites, many with water and electric and available RV dump stations.
- Comfort Stations with showers.
- Playground
- Three group camps and a lodge.
Day use facilities
- A 4.8 miles (7.7 km) hiking trail.
- A 1.2 miles (1.9 km) nature trail. The nature trail includes a boardwalk into the marsh.
- Picnic area and playground.
- Pavilion.
- Beach, fishing pond and fishing pier.
- Visitors' Center with museum displays, interpretive programs and gift shop.
- The Tammany TraceTammany TraceThe Tammany Trace is a rail trail in Louisiana occupying a former Illinois Central Railroad corridor.It has been developed into a asphalt trail for hiking, cycling, and wheelchair use with a parallel equestrian trail....
crosses Fontainebleau State Park. This is a rail-trail conversion of the old IC corridor, and is a 31 miles (49.9 km) paved trail for hikingHikingHiking is an outdoor activity which consists of walking in natural environments, often in mountainous or other scenic terrain. People often hike on hiking trails. It is such a popular activity that there are numerous hiking organizations worldwide. The health benefits of different types of hiking...
, inline skatingInline skatingInline skating is a recreational sport practiced widely internationally. Inline skates typically have 2 to 5 polyurethane wheels, arranged in a single line. The in-line design allows for greater speed than roller skates and better maneuverability...
and bicycling with a parallel equestrianEquestrianismEquestrianism more often known as riding, horseback riding or horse riding refers to the skill of riding, driving, or vaulting with horses...
trail.