Canoe and Trail Adventures

Thank you for this awesome trip! My friends and I had a great time! I can only add — 5 stars!

This was so much fun! Our tour guide Matt was super friendly and knowledgable of the area. It was a fun ride, reasonably paced, and had a midway break so we could have a snack and take a swim in the lake! We were able to see gators, dragonflies, and two types of treefrogs during our tour. I highly recommend you bring sunscreen AND a hat, they do sell nifty hats there if you forgot! This is a great outdoor activity to do while in Nola in between nights of drinking and eating.
The only thing– while it says that anyone of any canoeing experience can do it, there was a pair of girls that have never done this before and they both greatly struggled. We (the group) did wait for them, but it was kind of annoying to have to constantly wait for them to get out of a jam. Would probably recommend that at least one person in your boat has paddled at least once before.

This was the HIGHLIGHT of our New Orleans trip! Thankfully we (my sister and I) went the week after the Jazz Fest and the first week of May was perfect weather, a nice balmy 76 – 80 degree weather. We went on a Friday and surprisingly we were the one ones who signed up for the day so we ended up getting a private tour. Chad was wonderful enough to give us informative background on New Orleans, answer our questions, drive us over the longest continuous bridge in the U.S. (learned that from Chad!!) and took us through the scenic route to pick up a fresh delicious messed (mayo, lettuce, tomato) catfish Po-​boy. At the meeting spot, we met Matt who was our tour guide and he took us through the swamp (we wore life vest too). He had great stories, great sense of humor, and made the trip very enjoyable. We saw alligators, turtles, huge birds, smelled swamp gas (whew!) and even stood up on our kayak (I took a great panorama view). Even if lunch wasn’t brought, they provided great snacks (voodoo chips & the local root beer was awesome!!!). Matt took great photos of us, the scenery and shared the photos on Flickr (for free). We received waterproof boxes to store our cameras, phones, etc. Most places would charge for every little thing but a family run business is the best way to go, especially as you can see they respect the swamp and care about the community. This was the perfect outing on a visit to New Orleans, which overall only takes 3 days max to see everything. The swamp tour took the morning to afternoon (around 1ish-​2PM). There was plenty of time after we were dropped off (to any district we wanted since there was no one else to accommodate) to do another activity/​relax. It’s much better than being on a swamp tour boat, scaring the animals from a distance and crammed with 20 other people. It’s a great form of relaxation (I would love to lie in a kayak and soak in the sun), exercise, and great activity for adults and kids!!! Take the tour with transportation or else you’ll miss out!~ I would do this trip every time i come back to New Orleans and I recommend it to everyone.

Great fun! Matt was a great, informative, knowledgeable and super friendly guide. Highly recommended!

A fabulous trip across Lake Pontchartrainto a quiet bayou.
Our driver Chad and river guide Matt did a fabulous job of introducing the group to swamp, marsh and bayou on this 3-​hour canoe/​kayak trip with lunch break. There were fascinating discussions of geology, ecology, shipping and the changing shoreline. We saw several alligators, a nesting osprey, redwing blackbirds and other birds, turtles, and even a tiny hitchhiking tree frog on a beautiful sunny day. There were spectacular views of the ghost swamp with dead cypress, as well as living moss-​draped trees and grasslands, and some very slight waves once we reached the lakeshore for lunch. The optional poboys can easily feed 2 – 3 people, and they provided snacks including locally produced sodas and chips. It was only $ 10 more for roundtrip transportation (about 40 min drive each way) from a meeting spot in the French Quarter to the bayou — making this a very convenient way to see sites outside of the city. We went over the Lake Pontchartrain causeway on the way there, and also got a view of the shipping canal that channeled the hurricane surge straight into the heart of the city on the way back over a different bridge. A refreshing change of pace from the French Quarter! The water was calm enough that you did not have to worry about your phone or camera, and they provided large dry bags and a smaller waterproof box for cell phones, as well as a set of binoculars for each canoe/​kayak. Matt also took photos, including a shot of each group, for free download from their website after the trip.

This was a great day out. I was expecting this to be a 3 hour door-​to-​door trip from our pick-​up point but it was the canoe adventure itself that was 3 hours. Our guide was very friendly and very knowledgeable. All in all, we got great value for money and it was a day well-​spent. A definite recommend!

We had such a wonderful day! The guides were the perfect mix of friendly, knowledgable, and professional. We went at a nice easy pace through the bayou, and Matt was excellent at orienting us to what we were going to see, as well as pointing out things along the way. It gave us such a great understanding of the various ecosystems, along with the plants, trees and animals that live there. Matt’s enthusiasm was effusive, as well as his love for this place and teaching others about it.
We were particularly lucky to see bald eagles, cute green frogs, cottonmouth snakes, and gators. Oh yeah, and a RAINBOW! With a bald eagle flying beneath it! I really can’t recommend this tour enough. We’re avid outdoors people, and even though we could have easily managed a kayak trip on our own, it would have been more work and we would have missed out on so much of what we were traveling through.

Highly recommended tour! Matt, our tour guide was super friendly & knowledgeable. Toured the scenic bayou, learning about wildlife, birds, and vegetation along the bayou. All together, an excellent time. Very much worth it.

Chad was an excellent tour guide. He was very knowledgeable and friendly. It was a relaxing, yet fun, escape from the city. This is a great tour for tourists and locals to enjoy!

My boyfriend and I signed up for this excursion in order to get up close and personal with the flora and fauna of the bayou. Not only did we see a variety of birds on our adventure, we too became literally a part of the swamp when our canoe capsized! (It was entirely our own fault!). Our canoeing mishap unfortunately broke our guide’s hitherto unbroken string of successful trips to Lake Pontchartrain, but provided us with ample comic relief! Our guide Matt, and the rest of our group, were supportive as we all shared the laughter and joy of this unique experience. We highly recommend this company and relish participating in a future swamp adventure!

We did the day tour. Chad picked us up at Crescent City Bikes (another awesome tour — look them up!) and drove us out to the swamps for a nice paddle. We were not interested in powering through the swamp on air boats or whatever, and this hit the spot. We felt like we were a million miles away from Bourbon St and that is exactly what we were looking for.
Our guides, Matt & Matt, were both extremely knowledgable and friendly.
This was a great tour that reminds you that nature is never too far away, even from crazy New Orleans.

Nous avons eu l’occasion de découvrir le bayou aux côtés de Matt, pour un excellent moment en pleine nature. Nous avons pu réserver notre sortie la veille du jour choisi, et Chad (un des responsables de cette structure familiale) nous a même répondu au milieu de la nuit pour arranger les détails !
La visite se fait par petits groupes (12 maximum) avec 1 ou 2 accompagnateurs, passionnés par leur métier. La découverte du bayou vous emmènera jusqu’au Lac Pontchartrain, avec une découverte complète de la flore et faune locale (nous avons pu observer 5 alligators — mais tout dépend des journées !).
Bien plus intéressant et eco-​friendly qu’une séance de bateau à moteur, avec des alligators nourris par l’homme. Le tarif peut sembler élevé, mais n’hésitez pas: ça les vaut !

I love it when I can honestly give a sweet, locally owned business a raving five star review. Canoe and Trail Adventures definitely deserves it.
My girlfriend and I booked a kayak tour after deciding we wanted to see a little more of Louisiana than New Orleans. We had originally booked online for a Sunday tour but due to inclement weather the company rescheduled (their communication during the whole process was great). On Monday morning we met the bus at the meet-​up point in the French Quarter. From there we drove out approximately 50 minutes to a little bayou between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. After a short informational lecture and some safety tips we launched our canoes and kayaks, eventually dividing into two groups of eight boats.
The scenery was incredible and the guides were very knowledgable about the animals, plant life, and overall ecosystem. Our guide Matt has made bird call identification one of his many hobbies. We learned how to estimate an alligator’s length from the size of his snout and about the successful alligator rehabilitation program that has brought them back from the edge of extinction. We managed to see four alligators on our tour and came within about 10 feet of them in our kayaks (safely and respectfully). At the midway lunch point, where they provided water and snacks, we listened to the guides tell stories about local trappers and animal encounters. We were positioned under a Bald Eagle nest so we got to see the baby birds poke their heads out while we floated along. On the paddle back a Barred Owl stopped about 10 feet away and we just sat and hung out for a few minutes before he flew away. It was a really great experience!
Overall I would say that Chad, Matt, and Eleanor are wonderful guides who really love what they do and want you to love it too. The kayaking was relaxing (not at all strenuous) and the pace was slow. Just as an aside, make sure to budget a full day for the trip because we initially met at 10 am and we didn’t return to the French Quarter until 4 pm. The general pace of things is a bit lackadaisical but it made for a much more enjoyable experience.

This was just what we needed to work off the meals we have been indulging here. We went on the iberville tour with Chad who was knowledgable but overbearing. The route was just gorgeous, a fabulous Eco friendly was to see more then just the city. Added bonus the new hubby and I got to practice directional communication and trust (we are not used to canoes)

Byron was a first class bayou guide. He seemed to enjoy answering our many questions about the landscape and the infrastructure post-​Katrina. I was also impressed by his ethic for stewardship, he picked up any human refuse (a couple cans left by less than respectful visitors) and even removed some old markers nailed into trees when the trail to Maurepas was used by huntimg expeditions. We learned a great deal about the wildlife and flora. While Byron comes short of calling himself a naturalist, he has traveled with university groups and actually has a great deal of up to date information on the history and conservation of these precious resources in Louisiana. Book your trip with these guys if you want to learn and have a trip that treads lightly leaving the place better than how you found it.

I couldn’t possibly write a review adequate enough to tell you what a great experience we had on our moonlight paddle this evening, so you’ll just have to go do it yourself.

I travel a lot and this is one of the best organized trips I’ve ever been on, and our favorite part of our trip to New Orleans.
It’s a little family business, so they’re flexible (allowed us to move our tour because of bad weather) and very accessible. Chad responded to all my e-​mails quickly and personally.
No experience is necessary! They will do what you and the group are capable of. One of our guides, Byron, spontaneously suggested we canoe out to a different place because it happened to be accessible that day. They picked us up super close to our hotel. Our other guide Mike was extremely pleasant and knowledgeable about Louisiana history and the outdoors.
This tour (feels weird to even call it a tour) was like hanging out with long lost family for a few hours in a very unique part of the US. You will not regret doing this.

My boyfriend and I had a fabulous time on the 4+ hour canoeing trip in the late afternoon until dusk. Brought along some wine and food for an on-​the-​water-​picnic.
For those concerned about the physical exercise — canoeing was easy, relaxing, slow paced and fun — anyone can do it. Wildlife sightings were plentiful and never was there any danger. Our guide Chad was very knowledgeable and even took some great photos of us and emailed them afterwards. We also met up with him at one of the pickup spots and rode to the lake and back together as we were car-​less in the city.
A truly unforgettable experience! Highly recommended!

Highly recommended. If you’re (justifiably) turned off by the idea of speeding through the bayou on an airboat and throwing marshmallows to alligators and want to really experience the beauty and uniqueness of this part of the world, look no further.
The Pontchartrain paddle tour is about 40 minutes from the pick up spot, and before you know it you’re in complete secluded wetlands where you can’t hear a single car. We saw 2 alligators, a family of ospreys, and even a small shark in the lake.
They timed the tour so that when we got to the lake at the mouth of the bayou the sun was setting over the lake.
They bring locally made snacks and drinks, provide binoculars and an ice chest of you want I bring your own beverages, and keep your gadgets safe with waterproof boxes.
This is a family owned business run by people who love nature and know how to safely enjoy it. We got an intensive history lesson along the trip as well. I really can’t say enough good things about this tour– do yourself a favor and book it.

What a fantastic, unique, and fun experience. There were six of us, including Chad, our guide, in three canoes. We didn’t see another person while we were on the water — only beautiful scenery, birds, alligators, a snake, and other wildlife. Chad was extremely knowledgeable and an all-​around great guy. Our evening tour ended with sunset over the marsh — perfect. Everyone agreed it was the highlight of our visit to New Orleans.
Thanks so much to Chad and Canoe and Trail Adventures!

I recently went on a «moonlight paddle» organized by Canoe and Trail in the Manchac Wetlands just north of Laplace, LA (between Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas).
We saw a variety of ducks and herons, some kingfishers, many frogs, and after it got dark, our guide showed us dozens of alligator eyes. The cypress and other flora were absolutely beautiful, and the experience of canoeing through a swamp with no lights under a full moon will stay with me for a very long time.
The guides were very friendly and very knowledgeable, so that the tour was very educational but also had a laid back, fun atmosphere. They also did a great job of keeping everyone together without being overbearing.
We used their equipment (canoes, paddles, etc.) and it was all in very good condition. It was a great value for money.
I cannot recommend Canoe and Trail enough. If you do go, make sure to use the restroom before you go out (can’t do that in a canoe) and wear *plenty* of bug spray (it’s a swamp in southern Louisiana, after all).