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Home/Featured/Louisiana Nature Trail
natural wood gazebo reflects in water of pond in forest

Louisiana Nature Trail

This Louisiana nature trail offers a beautiful walk in the woods in the gentle hills near St. Francisville. The area was once home to artist and naturalist John James Audubon.

Louisiana nature trail through forest with sun and shade
Along the Mary Ann Brown Nature Trail near St. Francisville, Louisiana

I arrived at the Mary Ann Brown Trail at sunrise. The weather was cool and clear. Flashes of sunlight streaked through the thick canopy of trees as I started my 2.5-mile-long hike. Autumn color arrives in November in Louisiana, and I see the gold and reddish leaves beginning to lose their grip on the high branches. Fallen leaves blanket the trail.

gold red and green leaves overhead in tree with blue sky on louisiana nature trail
Fall color arrives in Louisiana!
gold brown and green leavs on wooden bench
Falling leaves on a park bench

slow down along this louisiana nature trail

This trail through the woods near St. Francisville, Louisiana is well marked and easy to follow. And you will find wooden benches along the trail that are an inviting place to stop, relax and enjoy the natural surroundings. “The more you slow down, the more you will see, the more you will observe,” explains Will DeGravelles of the Louisiana Nature Conservancy. He refers to the different layers of nature, “from the very small to the scale of the canopy of the entire landscape.”

wooden bench surrounded by trees and leaves on Louisiana nature trail
A place to observe nature along the Mary Ann Brown Trail.

The Nature Conservancy of Louisiana owns and operates this preserve and trail. It’s one of the few Nature Conservancy properties in Louisiana that is open to the public. DeGravelles explains that most of the preserves are closed, “either because of access issues or because we’re protecting a rare natural community.”

Beauty large and small along the trail

large tree trunk surrounded by sunlit leaves in forest along nature trail
The impressive trunk of a tree lit by the morning sun.
small mushrooms growing on tree branch
Look closely for what’s growing on a dead tree branch
small white flowers above leaves in forest
Tiny flowers add to the Fall color along the trail

Mary Ann Brown Trail featured on TV

Watch this Heart of Louisiana TV feature on the Mary Ann Brown Trail

Louisiana’s contribution to the birds of america

Artist and naturalist John James Audubon spent time of the forested hills of this region of Louisiana in the 1820’s. Audubon lived at the Oakley Plantation, now a Louisiana Historic Site, a short distance from the Mary Ann Brown Preserve. “It’s very possible Audubon roamed through this very spot,” DeGravelles tells me. “He loved Louisiana and was inspired by it, Degravelles says, adding, “and that’s evident in his writings and paintings.”

picnic pavilion and trees on sunny day
Picnic pavilion and group activity area at the Mary Ann Brown Preserve

getting to this louisiana nature trail

The Mary Ann Brown Nature Preserve and Trail is located at 13535 LA-965, St. Francisville, LA. Phone: (225) 338-1040.

Mary Ann Brown Nature Preserve

13535 LA-965, St Francisville, LA 70775

More to explore outdoors

Red Japanese torri gate in garden in St. Francisville Louisiana

Japanese-American Garden

    Mountain biker crosses wooden bridge biking the beast trail at St. Francisville Louisiana

    Biking the Beast

      fountain and gazebo with blooming roses in botanic garden

      Baton Rouge Botanic Garden

        Written by:
        Dave McNamara
        Published on:
        November 10, 2022
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        Categories: Capital Area, Featured

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