PARKS AND RECREATION ON THE GO WITH FIDO
By Kim Welsh
New Orleans is known for its unique music , food and culture . But the natural beauty of our bayous and nature preserves are the Big Easy ’ s unspoken attractions . My husband and I are native New Orleanians and it ’ s safe to say we are always eager to immerse ourselves in our cultural melting pot , our festivals , and our irresistibly delicious cuisine . Perhaps a bit too much food , according to our bathroom scale , so our New Year ’ s Eve resolutions involved losing some weight the old-fashioned way by basically eating less and moving more .
We decided that the best way to move more would be to take in the natural side of our city , the other wild side . This may be the first resolution we have kept beyond the first couple of months because we have fallen in love with our weekend southern Louisiana adventure seeking in the beauty of the natural areas
4 around New Orleans . We discovered many waterway activities , hiking , and biking trails , and we may have found our new favorite side of the city . We have two Frenchies , Jacques Imo and Bruneau , and they haven ’ t missed any chow either and needed to get out and walk more . It ’ s a winning move for all of us !
One of our favorite places to take a leisurely hike is the Ridge Trail in the nearby Bayou Sauvage Urban National Wildlife Refuge , a true urban jewel . We discovered this 6.8-mile out-andback trail that is an easy walk through swamp and marsh on an elevated boardwalk and gravel trail that takes about two hours to complete . This trail is great for birding , hiking and walking , and we don ’ t encounter many other people while exploring . Wading waterfowl , brown pelicans and marsh rabbits are easily spotted . Dogs are welcome on a leash .
Life Unleashed