lake martin rookery

Worth the short drive from Lafayette. Natural beauty at it's best. There is nature station that only takes a few minutes to tour and a wooden board walk that brings you right into the middle of the marsh area that surrounds part of the lake. You never know what you are going to see, so have your cameras ready.

You have to go at the right time of the year! It is a true South Louisiana swamp that is easily accessible via automobile. You can travel slowly just about all the way around it. Be careful, in certain seasons, there are alligators on the road.

Lake Martin is a must see for people that want to see the beauty of one of the worlds great swamps. Depending on the time of year you can watch up close birds, alligators, turtles, fish and mammals. It is also a favorite spot for paddlers both canoe and kayak. Bring your camera.

lake martin is one mile long and one half mile wide compared to the one hundred fifty mile long and up to 50 mile wide atchafalaya swamp. also, check the spelling of rookary! Trip Advisor should know better.

Lake Martin is bust outside of Lafayette and is easy to get to. Much to see for the road which surrounds the lake, but taking a few hours to paddle around in a kayak or canoe makes the trip even better. There are a few vendors alone the lake that offer rentals and a few that will take you on their tour boats. If you visit I. The summer, bring mosquito repellant. Great at sunset!

We thoroughly enjoyed the two hour sunset boat tour, Bob was very knowledgable and gave interesting info about the rookery and all the creatures there. We saw numerous birds, turtles, and the highlight was seeing not one, not two, but three alligators in various locations! The ride was very serene, the water was smooth, it smelled surprisingly fresh and clean, and there were no swarms of bugs at all....seeing the cypress and tupelo trees, the moss, and all other vegetation (those lotus pads!) was a terrific experience, we loved it! It was easy to capture great photos from any seat on the boat.

We visited the Nature Conservancy preserve, and were pleased to see many birds despite the unusual cold weather (ear muffs, gloves, winter jacket, scarf). Saw a possum on the trail, lots of turtles sunning themselves, bald eagle, herons and egrets, kingfisher, many ducks. The only downer (besides the cold) was the many bottles, cans and other trash along the side of the water. Don't know whether they are blown in from parts of the the lake that are not protected?

This is a quiet place situated just outside of Lafayette, La.and close to Breaux Bridge, La. Lake Martin and the surrounding swamp area is home to many animal species and they can be seen in their natural habitat. Small snack shack, boat tours, boat launch, nature center with wooden walkway out into the water. Lots of birdwatchers go here to see the Roseate Spoonbills, which are big pink birds, that nest in the trees. Fun place to spend some time out in nature.

Great tour – our guide made a special point to find the alligators, and we saw several of them sunning themselves on top of logs… Who knew that they could live to be over 100 years old? He was very knowledgeable of all the wildlife, especially of the many types of water fowl that we saw along the way…

Home to alligators and every water bird imaginable. There are tour boats that can enhance your visit to this scenic swamp`

We really enjoyed the time we spent at Lake Martin, and will go back again if we are in the area. Most of our time was spent on a two-hour swamp tour that took us into many parts of the rookary. Some of the areas are closed during nesting season. We didn't see many birds in September, but we did get to see several alligators, including a baby, an alligator nest, and several adults. It was hot by the end of the 10:00 tour in mid-September, and I think the 8:00 tour would be better if you can get there that early. We saw some people kayaking on their own, and I think we will do that next time. This was a good stop on our multi-generational trip.

We stopped by in August which is not the best time to visit this area since there are not many birds here at this time and it is hot and humid. The longer trail is closed this time of the year due to nesting alligators. Nice boardwalk over a cypress swamp near the visitor center. The staff told us the best time is in Spring especially April when the birds are at the rookery and there are also many song birds passing through on the Spring migration. We were also told that the lake is a lovely place to canoe and you can rent canoes nearby. I would love to visit in the Spring or fall.

One of the great features about the rookery is that there is a wooden walkway out into the marsh to view the birds, reptiles and insects. recommend you bring a folding stool if you plan on staying a while. There are no benches. Summer is a slow time for the area. Spring and fall are best for activity. Of course the winter migration fills the area with migratory fowl. All in all a very good place for photographers and birders or anyone who wants to get away from the hussle and bustle and enjoy nature.

Lake Martin is a peaceful place with a unique environment. I went on a swamp tour here (Cajun Country Swamp tours); very educational. I recommend visiting in the morning or evening to see alligators and sweat less. Midday is very hot and I didn't see adult alligators at this time of day. I recommend Lake Martin to anyone that loves to be outside and learn about the environment.

This is a free and open place to go after work. Not too many places open after 5:30 pm. This was a nice nature walk.