Outdoor Adventures in Slidell, LA

Lake during sunset with a pier in the background and grass in the foreground

Many folks love Slidell, LA, because of the city’s tremendous variety of outdoor adventures. From Lake Pontchartrain and its fantastic fishing/boating to the gorgeous Gulf of Mexico and thousands of tiny bayous and waterways. You could spend a lifetime enjoying the outdoors here in Slidell. Read on to find the best fishing holes, crabbing spots, golf courses, and more! If you’re wanting an outdoor adventure in Slidell, the information below will help you enjoy everything the area offers. Find storage units in Slidell to store your boat and gear. 

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Hiking in Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge

Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge is an amazing place to hike and is mere minutes from Slidell. There are at least 7 top-rate trails to enjoy, all rated as “easy.” One of the best is the Boy Scout Road Trail, just over 2 miles long and an out-and-back trail. The trail starts with about a half mile of boardwalk that’s self-guided. At the boardwalk’s end, you can go either left or right. Going left takes you to the parking lot, but going right takes you on an incredible 4-mile round-trip hike to Bayou Lacombe. 

You can expect to see wild iris along the way and the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker. There are also many different types of birds for birders to appreciate. This is a kid-friendly trail, also, so be sure to bring them along!

Boating on Lake Pontchartrain

Sunset at Lake Pontchartrain with tree in foreground

At 630 Square miles, you’d be hard-pressed to see the entire lake in a week, let alone a single day. It’s well worth trying because Lake Pontchartrain is simply fantastic! Directly connected to the Gulf of Mexico, Lake Pontchartrain is the state’s biggest inland body of water and boasts the longest bridge over water in the world, The Causeway Bridge.

On a sunny day, you’ll see hundreds of boaters on the lake, including sailboats, powerboats, and personal recreation vehicles like paddleboards, kayaks, and canoes. Around the lake, you’ll also find fantastic restaurants you can visit with your boat and enjoy fantastic food, drinks and fun times. 

As for fishing, there are numerous different species in the lake and, because it’s salt water, you’ll find gigantic blue claw crabs, oysters, shrimp, and several other seafood species are also available to trap, catch, and enjoy. You should note that licenses and permits are needed to crab, shrimp, and oysters on Lake Pontchartrain. 

Fishing in the Bayous and Waterways

Lake Pontchartrain might be massive, but many boaters enjoy losing themselves in the thousands of bayous and waterways surrounding the lake. Many people use airboats to enter further into the bayous and waterways where it’s shallow, but you can use smaller powerboats and pontoon boats in many also. Remember that the daily tides govern these bayous and waterways, so checking the tide report is recommended.

There are many types of fish to catch in Lake Pontchartrain. They include flounder, speckled trout, bass, Atlantic croaker, and redfish, among many others. Sandbar and silky sharks can also be found but can’t be taken, and you’ll also land the occasional bull shark. 

Locals will tell you that the best bait for fishing in the lake is live or frozen shrimp. (For blue claw crabs? Chicken gizzards.) one fish that Lake Pontchartrain is known for is the sheepshead which many people use to make stuffed crabs but some use to bait their crab traps instead (or simply throw them back). Lastly, fall and winter are considered the two best seasons for fishing in this part of Louisiana. With wonderful year-round weather in Slidell, though, boating can be enjoyed most of the year.

Kayaking on Bayou Bonfouca

two people kayaking in the bayou with life vests on

As mentioned earlier, many waterways and bayous exist in and around Slidell, LA. One of the best is Bayou Bonfouca, a great place to kayak to your heart’s content. Kayaking on Bayou Bonfouca takes you to another world filled with tranquil waters, tall swamp grass, butterflies, and birds. It’s truly a magical place on a sunny day (bring sunscreen and BE CAREFUL OF ALLIGATORS).

To kayak in Bayou Bonfouca, your best choice is to use the Heritage Park boat launch, where you’ll have easy access to the Bayou. Of course, there are many other bayous to explore. The good news is you can explore them all free of charge because there’s no cost to register or fees to pay. 

Slidell Golf Courses

four people walking on a golf course with their golf clubs

You’ll find three golf courses in Slidell, although, unfortunately, none of them are municipal courses. Pinewood Golf Club is the oldest and was designed by Bill Bergin. In Oak Harbor Golf Club you’ll find the longest course, 6,885 yards. Lastly, the Royal Golf Club is the highest-rated Golf Course in the Slidell area. It’s 18 holes and just over 6,655 yards. All three of these excellent courses are within a 5-mile drive of Slidell, making them convenient for golfers to enjoy. 

Store Your Gear with Southern Self Storage

If you’re moving to Slidell, Louisiana, or just arrived, and are looking for storage units, Southern Self Storage is your best choice. Our storage units in Slidell are clean, safe, and secure, with 24/7 security video cameras, keypad-controlled front gates, and an on-site manager. 

Besides excellent security features, self storage in Slidell offers a wide range of amenities that will make your self-storage tasks convenient and easy. One is vehicle storage, including cars, trucks, boats, and motorcycles. Many of these vehicles can be stored inside a drive-up storage or outdoor parking spaces in our fully-fenced facility. Not sure what size self-storage unit you’re going to need? Not a problem, this storage unit size guide will help you decide. When you’re ready, click, call, or reserve your storage units in Slidell today.

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