Beginning on February 2, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve in Louisiana will temporarily close its Visitor Center and most trails at the Barataria Preserve to accommodate demolition and construction for a major trail improvement and future facility enhancement project. The improvements are designed to increase the resiliency of park infrastructure, enhance visitor experience and reduce closures from flooding and storm impacts.
Throughout the duration of the construction work, the park will relocate visitor services to the Town of Lafitte’s Visitor Center, just six miles away. The Twin Canals parking lot, trail and canoe launch will remain open for visitor access throughout the project.
In 2021, Hurricane Ida caused extensive damage to boardwalks and trail infrastructure throughout the Preserve. As a result, the park received two Disaster Supplement (DS-22) awards for the Barataria Trails Improvement Project and the Jones Point Trailer Replacement Project. Tribal consultation began in October 2022, and public meetings were held in October 2022 and September 2023, with substantive feedback incorporated into project planning.
The planned construction includes rebuilding 1.3 miles of elevated boardwalk with durable composite materials and wooden guardrails, and removing 1.1 miles of damaged trail with restoration to natural wetland conditions. A finding of no significant impact was signed in December 2024, allowing the project to move forward. These improvements will make the trail network more resilient and accessible year-round.
For the Jones Point Trailer Relocation project, the park has selected a strategy to consolidate administrative functions within the existing Visitor Center building and relocate interpretive services and public operations to the larger, more accessible Education Center, which will become the new Visitor Center. This change will improve visitor circulation, create a more engaging experience and separate public-facing spaces from administrative operations.
Demolition and construction for the trail improvements are scheduled to begin in early February 2026 and will be completed in phases over two years. Trails will reopen to the public as each phase is finished. Construction for the Jones Point Relocation Project is expected to begin in spring 2027 and continue for approximately two years.
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