The Creole Nature Trail is a federally designated scenic byway known as Louisiana’s Outback. It includes two Louisiana Highways, 27 and 82, that travel through the coastal prairies, marshes, and sandy beaches of Southwest Louisiana. Along these highways in Cameron Parish, there are several areas where wildflowers often bloom along the roadsides.
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (LaDOTD) has designated most of the area along Louisiana Highway 27, south of the Intracoastal Waterway, and Louisiana Highway 82 as a wildflower area.
“LaDOTD’s management of wildflowers promotes tourism and the conservation of native flowering plants and pollinators while enhancing the natural outdoor experience of the Creole Nature Trail,” said Carolyn Miller, the secretary/treasurer of the Creole Nature Trail District Board of Commissioners and member of the Southwest Louisiana Master Gardeners.
In the fall of 2023, the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries conducted a survey to identify significant plant species and wildflowers along the Creole Nature Trail. The index and map below highlight the fall-blooming wildflowers seen along the route.
While LaDOTD has reestablished native wildflowers in other parts of the state through plantings, the flowers along the Creole Nature Trail arrived naturally as storms and other natural methods deposited them. Through a thoughtful wildflower management plan and new roadside signage, LaDOTD aims to preserve these blooms while maintaining safe road conditions by limiting tall vegetation that could cause sight obstructions.
“The team at District 07 LaDOTD is always responsive to our organization and should be commended for being proactive on this issue,” said Anne Klenke, liaison to the Creole Nature Trail Board.
LADOTD has installed “Wildflower Area” signs along the roadside portions of the trail to indicate where it is managing growth to encourage wildflower preservation.
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About Visit Lake Charles
Visit Lake Charles, the official destination marketing organization for Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana, is the only organization in Southwest Louisiana providing advocacy, promotion, and education for the tourism industry. For more information on Visit Lake Charles and things to see and do in Louisiana’s Playground, log on to www.visitlakecharles.org.
About the Creole Nature Trail
The Creole Nature Trail is one of only 57 national scenic byways designated as an All-American Road in the USA. It encompasses more than 180 miles and four wildlife refuges and is known as “Louisiana’s Outback.” The gateway to the western side of the trail is Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point, 2740 Ruth St. in Sulphur, La. For more information on the Creole Nature Trail, go to www.creolenaturetrail.org.
About the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development (DOTD) is the official state agency responsible for overseeing and maintaining state highways and interstates. For more information on the agency, road improvement projects and other services, visit www.dotd.la.gov.
