There may be no better place for a quick emersion into the wildlife of a Louisiana cypress swamp than the Wetland Trace in the Jean Lafitte Nature Study Park in the Town of Jean Lafitte.  The 41-acre site is almost entirely wet and is can be completely traversed on an elevated boardwalk that runs just over eight-tenths of a mile.  It's easy going, but the full range of what you can see is hard to find in a short distance elsewhere.

The Wetland Trace begins just off the main drag, Jean Lafitte Boulevard, at the end of City Park Street in the Town.  It's off to the left as you  come into town, although just about everything is off to the left since Bayou Barataria is on the right.  You can park at at Multi-Purpose Center, walk over a levee, and you are in.  Masses of Louisiana irises are growing off to the left, and they are scattered elsewhere along the boardwalk.  The hanging moss is everwhere, and marsh fern provides an almost uniform carpet where the water is shallow. 

The boardwalk is not new, but it is sturdy and safe.  There are overlooks and covered pavilions along the way.  At the back, the swamp opens to a wide, scenic canal and egret rookery.

The Town website mentions the Wetland Trace briefly and contains a wide variety of other information on the area. https://www.townofjeanlafitte.com/