Camping, trails, maps & photo credits — Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. Discover New Orleans’ rich cultural mix. Learn Cajun traditions from people who live them. Watch an alligator bask on a bayou’s bank. Walk in the footsteps of the men who fought at 1815’s Battle of New Orleans. Follow the link to discover the treasure of Jean Lafitte.
Camping & reservations
Use this unit’s official planning instructions to confirm permitted overnight options, tours and any required permits. A day-use parking area is not an authorized campsite.
Confirm official overnight options and permits. Official trip-planning information ↗
Truck-camping & permitted overnight use
Confirm whether this unit offers a designated campsite suitable for a truck camper or RV. Verify permission to stay overnight, the exact site dimensions and vehicle approach before traveling.
Backcountry camping and vehicle camping require park-specific authorization; National Park Service land is not generally open to unrestricted roadside camping. Confirm designated sites, permits and food-storage rules with this unit.
Activities, hiking & trails
Self-Guided Tours - Walking. Official activities and trail-planning information ↗
NPS-listed recreation: Arts and Culture, Craft Demonstrations, Cultural Demonstrations, Live Music, Fishing, Freshwater Fishing, Guided Tours, Self-Guided Tours - Walking, Hands-On, Citizen Science, Arts and Crafts, Hunting and Gathering, Hunting, Living History, Historic Weapons Demonstration, First Person Interpretation, Junior Ranger Program, Wildlife Watching, Birdwatching, Park Film, Museum Exhibits, Shopping, Bookstore and Park Store, Gift Shop and Souvenirs.
Maps & road access
Use the official NPS directions and current alerts. Check vehicle restrictions and campground approach roads before traveling.
Jean Lafitte's headquarters and the park's French Quarter Visitor Center are located at 419 Decatur Street in New Orleans. There are five other park sites scattered throughout south Louisiana. For information on all of the park sites and visitor centers, see the Directions Details link. Official directions / site access ↗
Before you travel
All of the temperatures listed are in degrees Fahrenheit. Note that relative humidity, especially in summer months, can reach 90%, so temperatures can feel 10-20 degrees hotter than the actual temperature. Spring (March, April, May): average high 77 and low 61. Summer (June, July, August): average high 89 and low 75. Fall (September, October, November): average high 78 and low 64. Winter (December, January, February): average high 64 and low 48.
Source review: 2026-11-01. Conditions, fees, permits and availability can change. National Park Service official information ↗
Photograph sources & licensing
Banner: Barataria Preserve of Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
Spanish moss and lush vegetation provide glimpses of Louisiana's wild wetlands at Jean Lafitte's Barataria Preserve.
Credit: NPS Photo. Original source ↗ · Public domain — NPS-created federal work ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.
Second large photograph: Chalmete Battlefield at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
Chalmette Battlefield's American rampart and cannons still guard the site of the Battle of New Orleans in 1815.
Credit: NPS Photo. Original source ↗ · Public domain — NPS-created federal work ↗. Resized and cropped to match the profile display framing; original image source linked.
Photographs are real images of the named unit; no AI-generated photographs are used. Federal photo credit register.