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3/17/2025, Monday - Biked the Tammany Trace Trail in Louisiana

  • joraintree
  • Mar 17
  • 2 min read

On Sunday we drove to Slidell, Louisiana in so we could cycle on the Tammany Trace trail, which is another Hall of Fame Rail Trail. The trail is north of Lake Ponchartrain, which is just north of New Orleans (a city we love), and it connects Slidell, Mandeville, Abita Springs, and Covington. We have been here before and visited these lovely towns, but we never knew about this bike trail.


The trail is 28.2 miles long, and we got a late start (that's a whole other story, lol), so we knew we wouldn't be able to bike the entire thing, but we hoped to make it to Abita Springs and maybe visit Abita Brewing Company.
The trail is 28.2 miles long, and we got a late start (that's a whole other story, lol), so we knew we wouldn't be able to bike the entire thing, but we hoped to make it to Abita Springs and maybe visit Abita Brewing Company.


The bridge over Bayou Lacombe - we saw the sign that said the bridge hours were 7am to 6:30pm, and we wondered all day long whether the bridge really closed at 6:30 (note the foreshadowing).
The bridge over Bayou Lacombe - we saw the sign that said the bridge hours were 7am to 6:30pm, and we wondered all day long whether the bridge really closed at 6:30 (note the foreshadowing).

Bayou Lacombe
Bayou Lacombe





Mandeville Trailhead - we remember going to a farmers market at this location about 12 years ago!
Mandeville Trailhead - we remember going to a farmers market at this location about 12 years ago!

No horses in tunnel? Okay, that's a new one.
No horses in tunnel? Okay, that's a new one.

Our shady, trailside rest stop under the I-12 interstate bridges.
Our shady, trailside rest stop under the I-12 interstate bridges.

A park in Mandeville - we liked the giant pavilion with loads of solar panels on the roof.
A park in Mandeville - we liked the giant pavilion with loads of solar panels on the roof.

Abita Mystery House! We visited this cooky "museum" when we were here about 12 years ago. It's definitely worth a stop if you find yourself in Abita Springs.
Abita Mystery House! We visited this cooky "museum" when we were here about 12 years ago. It's definitely worth a stop if you find yourself in Abita Springs.

I liked this mural at the Abita Springs Trailhead.
I liked this mural at the Abita Springs Trailhead.

Abita Springs Trailhead. We had hoped to stop in this town to do a tasting at Abita Brewing Company and maybe have dinner. However, we thought about the possible bridge closing and decided we needed to turn back.
Abita Springs Trailhead. We had hoped to stop in this town to do a tasting at Abita Brewing Company and maybe have dinner. However, we thought about the possible bridge closing and decided we needed to turn back.

We tried to hightail it back to the Bayou Lacombe bridge before 6:30pm in case it did actually close. We talked about the bridge hours with another couple of bikers we encountered, and apparently we talked a little too long...
We tried to hightail it back to the Bayou Lacombe bridge before 6:30pm in case it did actually close. We talked about the bridge hours with another couple of bikers we encountered, and apparently we talked a little too long...

We arrived at 6:33pm to find the bridge going up. The worker there was super apologetic, but he said the hours were strict and he just couldn't lower it again. Whomp, whomp! (If only we hadn't stopped to talk, lol.)
We arrived at 6:33pm to find the bridge going up. The worker there was super apologetic, but he said the hours were strict and he just couldn't lower it again. Whomp, whomp! (If only we hadn't stopped to talk, lol.)

Our trusty phones (via Google Maps) showed us how to get around another way, which took us briefly on a busy road, then through neighborhoods like this.
Our trusty phones (via Google Maps) showed us how to get around another way, which took us briefly on a busy road, then through neighborhoods like this.

It looked to me like my bike bag was also happy for the nice bike ride, and successfully making it back to our vehicle, even with a little detour. Plus, we're soon to hit 1,000 miles on these bikes!
It looked to me like my bike bag was also happy for the nice bike ride, and successfully making it back to our vehicle, even with a little detour. Plus, we're soon to hit 1,000 miles on these bikes!

Despite the hiccups in our ride this day, we thoroughly enjoyed the Tammany Trace trail, and we can see why it made it into the Rail Trail Hall of Fame.


Here is the Relive video of our 50.07-mile bike ride this day, with many additional photos:




Back in Slidell, we found a nice Mexican restaurant for dinner. This photo doesn't even begin to illustrate the enormity of my margarita! (I had no idea it would be so huge.)
Back in Slidell, we found a nice Mexican restaurant for dinner. This photo doesn't even begin to illustrate the enormity of my margarita! (I had no idea it would be so huge.)

My Spinach Enchiladas were full of nice, fresh spinach - yum!
My Spinach Enchiladas were full of nice, fresh spinach - yum!

Eric also liked his meaty, mushroomy meal (I don't remember what it was called, lol).
Eric also liked his meaty, mushroomy meal (I don't remember what it was called, lol).

 
 
 

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