Because of upcoming demolition and construction of the trails and Visitor Center, all trails at the Barataria Preserve and the Visitor Center are closed, with the exception of Twin Canals Trail. This is a day-use area only with no restrooms. Visitor services are relocated to the Wetlands Education Center and trails at 4917 City Park Drive, Jean Lafitte, 70067. Rangers will be on site Wednesdays and Thursdays 10 am to 2 pm for programming and ranger talks at the Town of Lafitte's Civic Center.
The memorial itself closed for restoration starting on September 16, 2025. Starting on March 2, 2026, access to Tour Stops 2 and 3 will be temporarily closed. The closure point will be at the Shirley House. Visitors will still be able to continue north along Union Avenue and access the remainder of the Tour Road. This section will remain closed for the duration of the Illinois Memorial Restoration. The project is expected to be completed by September 2026.
The Acadian Cultural Center in Lafayette is temporarily closed due to HVAC issues. Join us at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center in Eunice for programs and events 5 days a week, Tuesday through Saturday.
The New Orleans Jazz NHP & Jean Lafitte NHP&P have a combined French Quarter Visitor Center at 419 Decatur Street. Open Tuesdays through Saturdays, 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Calendar for events: https://www.nps.gov/jazz/planyourvisit/calendar.
Due to weather related incidents, Vicksburg National Cemetery is closed to vehicular traffic, however it is open to pedestrians. Visitor can park in the adjacent USS Cairo parking lot and walk into the cemetery.
The interior of the Oakland Main House is ONLY open to the public on weekends from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All tours of the house are self-guided and occupancy within the building is limited. Please plan accordingly.
Park grounds and visitor center are open, but you're encouraged to call the visitor center at 318-926-5492 for the latest information and COVID-19 precautions before you visit.
Vicksburg National Military Park has restored public access to Grant Circle and a section of Union Avenue after completing an extensive, multi-year rehabilitation project to repair catastrophic damage caused by heavy rainfall in early 2020. With the project’s completion, the northern section of the park is once again accessible to vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park and Cane River National Heritage Area will host an open house on June 18 for visitors to explore interactive exhibits, stories and artifacts. The open house will feature brief remarks introducing the renovated depot space, followed by a reservation-only behind-the-scenes tour of the park’s curation facility.
The National Park Service today announced the selection of Treacy Stone as the new superintendent of Vicksburg National Military Park. Stone will begin his new role in June.
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve will host a free event on April 14 and 15 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress.
The National Park Service is expanding opportunities for qualified volunteers and permitted participants to assist with the management and humane removal of invasive and overabundant species at Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana, and Cumberland Island National Seashore in Georgia.
On March 2, the National Park Service will close a short section of the Tour Road near the Illinois Memorial that provides access to Tour Stops 2 (Shirley House) and 3 (Third Louisiana Redan). This section will remain closed for the duration of the Illinois Memorial Restoration. The project is expected to be completed by September 2026.
The National Park Service will conduct prescribed fires to manage vegetation in select areas of Vicksburg National Military Park on Sunday, February 22 and Monday, February 23, depending on weather. Areas for prescribed fires will include large grassy areas in the South Loop, near the Illinois Memorial and Shirley House, the western slope of Fort Hill, along Graveyard Road and at Thayer’s Approach. The area of prescribed burns will include approximately 231 acres.
Beginning February 2, 2026, parts of the Barataria Preserve, including the visitor center and most trails, will be temporarily closed for construction projects.
On September 2, 2025, the National Park Service (NPS) will begin comprehensive restoration work on the Illinois Memorial. The memorial itself will be closed during the restoration starting on September 2. The parking area will be partially closed, however there will still be parking spaces open to allow access to the Shirley House. The Tour Road will remain open. The contractors have up to one year to complete the project.
On March 3, 2025, the National Park Service (NPS) will begin repair work on Grant Circle and a section of Union Ave in the northern portion of the park. Following heavy rainfall in early 2020, these roads suffered catastrophic failures necessitating closure to ensure visitor safety. These roads have been closed since that time.
The National Park Service (NPS) will be conducting prescribed fires to manage vegetation in select areas of Vicksburg National Military Park on February 5 and 6, 2005, weather dependent. Areas for prescribed fires will include large grassy areas in the South Loop, near the Illinois Memorial and Shirley House, the western slope of Fort Hill, along Graveyard Road, and at Thayer’s Approach. The area of prescribed burns will include approximately 231 acres.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park (CARI), in partnership with the International Fiber Collaborative (IFC), announces a student art exhibition themed, Art Inspired by the Civil Rights Movement. The artwork depicts historical moments, activists, and movements that have shaped civil rights.
Mark Foust, Regional Director of the National Park Service (NPS) South Atlantic-Gulf, announced today the appointment of Rebecca Lasell as the new superintendent for Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve and New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park.
Cane River Creole National Historical Park is closed on all federal holidays. The park will be closed Tuesday, December 24, Wednesday, December 25, 2024, and Wednesday, January 1, 2025.
Postcards are a unique way to share important experiences. Since the mid 1800s, people have used postcards to send pictures and art with a short message. Viewing the art on postcards is a great way to learn about the past. Visit our display of vintage postcards from different National Parks and local landmarks. Share your memories with the rangers and find your next trip idea!
Drum Program with Tim Brown, II Tuesday at 1:00 pm At the National Park Service French Quarter Visitor Center 419 Decatur St, New Orleans This program is free and open to the public.
New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve present a Drum Program with Tim Brown, II Tuesday at 1:00 pm At the National Park Service French Quarter visitor center 419 Decatur Street, New Orleans, LA This program is free and open to the public.
The New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park and the Jean Lafitte National Historical Park & Preserve present a Drum Program with Tim Brown, II Tuesday at 1:00 pm At the National Park Service French Quarter visitor center 419 Decatur St, New Orleans This program is free and open to the public.
Join a park ranger to learn about and explore the folk music traditions of southern Louisiana. Many different cultures have blended instruments, style, and language into the music you hear throughout Acadiana. Join in on this ranger talk to find out how it all happend!
Come out and learn what life was like for a soldier during the Civil War. See the things they carried, the food they ate, and the weapons they used. A rifled musket firing demonstration may be included as part of the program.
Join Chalmette Battlefield Volunteer Jim Cowie for a hands-on demonstration of celestial navigation as it was conducted during the late 18th and 19th century. Period-correct tools and instruments will be demonstrated and used during the presentation. Learn how the meteorological and geographical forces in the Atlantic and Caribbean basins led to early colonization and economic development in the new world. These forces also affected the possibility of tropical events; we'll discover how using simple navigation techniques to predict tropical activity increased safer transportation!
The Cane River region is home to a unique culture; the Creoles. Generations of the same families of workers, enslaved and tenant, and owners lived on these lands for over 200 years. The park tells their stories and preserves the cultural landscape of Oakland and Magnolia Plantations, two of the most intact Creole cotton plantations in the United States.
Explore a diverse array of histories contained within El Camino Real de los Tejas’ 150-year life, including the Spanish struggle to missionize American Indian nations, the growth of cattle ranching in the Mexican period, and the movement for Texan independence and statehood.
In Jean Lafitte's day, silver and gold filled a pirate's treasure chest, but today's treasures are people, places, and memories. Discover New Orleans’ rich cultural mix. Learn Cajun traditions from people who live them. Watch an alligator bask on a bayou’s bank. Walk in the footsteps of the men who fought at 1815’s Battle of New Orleans. Follow the link to discover the treasure of Jean Lafitte.
Discover the roots of jazz at the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park. Located in the heart of the French Quarter, our park offers live performances, exhibits, and programs that celebrate the legacy of America's unique musical art form. Immerse yourself in the vibrant history and culture of jazz, a sound that continues to inspire the world. Join us in preserving and celebrating the music!
Now a nearly forgotten culture, Poverty Point at its peak 3,000 years ago was part of an enormous trading network that stretched for hundreds of miles across the continent. It was - and is - also an engineering marvel, the product of five million hours of labor. Explore the culture of a highly sophisticated people who left behind one of North America’s most important archeological sites.
To Confederate President Jefferson Davis, Vicksburg was the "nailhead that holds the South's two halves together." President Abraham Lincoln remarked "Vicksburg is the key" to victory, and could be the north's lifeline into the south. As the federals closed in on the Fortress City, they were met by a ring of forts with over 170 cannon. The resulting battle would determine the war's outcome.
