Lake Martin

Lake Martin, located in St. Martin Parish, is a wildlife preserve and one of Louisiana’s swamp lands. The swamp lands are home to a few trails as well as many different kinds of animals such as herons, egrets, ibis, bullfrogs, cottonmouths, alligators, and coypu (nutria) rats.

Lake Martin is home to a swampy ecosystem that supports globally significant numbers of species of colonial nesting water birds and native plants. Lake Martin is one of Louisiana’s largest nesting colonies for many species of water birds. Some of these species include the Anhinga, Great Blue Heron, Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Little Blue Heron, Tri-colored Heron, Cattle Egret, Black-crowned Night Heron, White Ibis, and Roseate Spoonbill. Lake Martin is also used as a rookery year round for many species.

Lake Martin is also home to a substantial nesting population of alligators, which can typically be spotted from Rookery Road, which runs right along the edge of the lake.

The preserve is currently owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy, who works to keep the lake clean and ecologically sound. They also maintain a visitor’s center and a boardwalk over the swamp at the South end of the lake.

What to Photograph:

The swamp and wildlife, I would definitely recommend taking one of the swamp tours.

Where it is:

FROM LAFAYETTE, LA:  

Take I-10 exit 109 for LA-328 toward Breaux Bridge 0.3 mi

Follow LA-328 S/Rees St, LA-31/S Main St and Lake Martin to Rookery Rd 13 min (6.6 mi)

Turn right onto LA-328 S/Rees St (signs for Breaux Bridge) 1.7 mi

Turn right onto E Bridge St 0.2 mi

Turn left onto LA-31/S Main St 2.7 mi

Turn right onto Lake Martin 1.8 mi

Turn left onto Rookery Rd

FROM BATON ROUGE, LA:

Take I-10 exit 115 for LA-347 toward Henderson/Cecilia 0.3 mi

Continue on LA-347. Take Doyle Melancon Rd and Lake Martin to Rookery Rd in 6 17 min (10.3 mi)

Turn left onto LA-347 (signs for Henderson) 3.4 mi

Turn left onto Andrew Broussard/Doyle Melancon Rd/Par Rd 214 Continue to follow Doyle Melancon Rd 3.0 mi

Turn right onto Clayton Castille Rd 0.9 mi

Turn right onto LA-347 0.2 mi

Turn left onto LA-351 0.7 mi

Turn right onto LA-31 0.3 mi

Turn left onto Lake Martin 1.8 mi

Turn left onto Rookery Rd

Maps:

Interactive Google Map

Use the map  + – controls to zoom in and out, click and drag the to move the map, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views.  Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view.

Cost:

There is no cost to visit Lake Martin, swamp tours will run about $20 per adult.

Facilities:

Champagne’s Cajun Swamp Tours. The store provides an ATM Machine, drinks,chips, snacks, sandwiches, and the only restroom facilities at Lake Martin, alternate restrooms are miles away. Fishing supplies: live bait,  and kayak & canoe rentals are available (life jackets included).

Links:

Champagne’s Cajun Swamp Tours

The Nature Conservancy Cypress Island Preserve

Location Contact Information:

CHAMPAGNE’S CAJUN SWAMP TOURS

1151 Rookery Rd
Breaux Bridge,
LA
70517

Hours: Mon-Sun 8am – till

Please note: times may vary by season

337-230-4068


Lake Martin Louisiana Swamp Photo Gallery

Click Here for full page gallery

More Photographic Destinations in Louisiana:

Interactive Google Map

Use the map  + – controls to zoom in and out, use the Map drop-down to change to “Map”, “Satellite”, “Hybrid”, or “Terrain” views.  Drag the little man icon from the upper left corner to a map location for street level view. Click on a pushpin for more information about the Photographic Destination, then click on the title to go to the location page.

Click Here for Photographic Destinations by State 

 

All the information in this post was believed to be accurate at the time it was published.  Please be sure to double check with the location before relying on this information as everything changes over time, especially hours, prices, and whether the location is still open.  

Great Places for Great Photos

 

Let me help you to find a great location for your next photography adventure.  I will list many lesser-known destinations, as well as the famous "Icon Locations" for photography.  I will provide photos (Lots of Photos), location information, consisting of what there is to photograph as well as other information about the destination.  I will give costs, maps, directions, contact information, and other essential information for a successful photo trip.  I will only post for locations that I have personally photographed to ensure a quality guide to great locations for photography. If you know of great places that are not posted, please send me the details, I may just decide that is a place I need to go!

 
 

Greg Disch is a freelance photographer located in Arkansas. Greg specializes in nature, scenic, wildlife, and other outdoor subjects in Arkansas and other areas of the country.  Most of the images on this site are available for sale as prints, personal use, or rights managed stock photos.

Greg offers both classroom instruction and in the field hands on photographic workshops. Classroom sessions are normally held in Fort Smith Arkansas, but arrangements can be made to bring a class to your group.

All classes and workshops have small class sizes designed to provide an optimum student to instructor ratio, where you can get the personal attention, you need.  Most classes and workshops are limited to a maximum of six participants and will be held with a minimum of only two.

If you are looking for a wonderful opportunity to get personal individual instruction, I do private workshops and classes at a location of your choice, whether doing a location photo shoot, coming to your home or business, traveling across the country on a road trip, or at my classroom.  This is a fantastic way to learn digital workflow and be sure that your computer equipment is properly configured for optimum performance.

2 Comments
  1. Hi Greg

    My name is Dee and I am from Omaha NE

    I’m planning a trip to the Lake Martin in Louisiana
    this month

    I booked a private boat tour with Champagne Swamp
    tours for two hours to do landscape and wildlife
    photography

    I was wondering if you thought a one hour tour would
    be sufficient or would I need to do 2 hours, as Lake
    Martin looks pretty small

    You have a great website full of fantastic information
    and I hope to hear from you on this matter

    Thanks again

    Dee

    • Hi Dee, Lake Martin is not very big but there is a lot to see and the longer tour will give you more time to photograph. You will definitely enjoy your trip, it is a fantastic place.

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