Tour: "Lake Catherine & the Rigolets"

The Rigolets is an area of New Orleans East that has played a vital part in New Orleans history. Maroon communities developed in the area during the colonial period, and forts were later built to protect the city. Most of what made this area distinctive has been washed away, but there are a few remains of this once integral part of the city. This tour explores sites that have been restored as well as a few that no longer exist except as photographs and memories.

This tour includes the Fort Pike historic site, which charges a small fee; however, should the tour be completed at night or if you want to avoid the fee, one can visit the surrounding areas instead. It is recommended that one tour the area in daylight so that the sites are easier to view and the animals are easier to avoid.

This is a hybrid driving/walking tour that spans a ten mile stretch of Chef Menteur Highway through the Lake Catherine area. NOTE: There are lots of mosquitoes at most times of the year, so bring repellent, and watch out for snakes during the warmer months. Please, be respectful of the wildlife.

The tour begins at Fort Macomb, which is located near the intersection of Highway 90 and Fort Macomb Road. The fort is on the right, and is not accessible to foot traffic but can easily be seen from a shell road that leads along the opposite bank of the adjacent canal.