The Tammany Trace - Road Bike Trail

The Tammany Trace is in Louisiana, near New Orleans and Mandeville and is a top-rated rail-to-trail. Fontainebleau State Park offers quick access to The Trace. Here you can enjoy a 31-mile asphalt trail that occupies a former Illinois Central Railroad corridor.

This trail runs along the northern shore of Lake Pontchartrain. Hurricane Katrina damaged it in 2005, but in 2007 it was reopened and is again available to use by the public. It’s open to hikers, cyclists, and some parts include a separate pathway suitable for horseback riding. You’ll find it’s mostly paved and although certain parts are dirt roads, it is easy to use and wheelchair friendly.

Before you go:

Drinking water

Restrooms

Fee required

Lift service

Fat bike grooming

Family Friendly

Night riding

E-bikes allowed

Dogs Allowed

Obstacles

Shuttles

Detailed Trail Description of the Tammany Trace

The Fontainebleau State Park and Camp Salmen Nature Park are two of the most popular local outdoor sites that the Tammany Trace connects to. The Bayou Lacombe Bridge and Cane Bayou are some of the scenic overlooks you can expect to see along the way.

From Covington's downtown, this route travels past Abita Springs and then heads to Mandeville and Lacombe and ends in Slidell. If you start from Slidell, you’ll find the trailhead behind the gas station on 190. There are numerous starting points and access points. The trace is open from 7 am – 6.30 pm, all year round. There are restrooms along the way and no fee is required to use it.

Additional Trail Features of the Tammany Trace

The trail offers water fountains, a pavilion, and picnic tables. There is also a Kids Konnection playground. Along with great views, this multi-use trace has many more features, such as:

• E-bikes are allowed. Please be mindful of the 15mph speed limit;
• Rollerblade friendly;
• A number of cafés, breweries, and coffee houses;
• Bike rentals are available;
• Ample parking at access and starting points.

Sights of Interest, Landscapes, Views.

The Tammany trace is gifted with stunning wetlands, woods vistas and bountiful heritage features. You’ll find several trailheads including Covington Trailhead, Mandeville, and Lacombe. You can also see the 9/11 Memorial Plaza as well, which houses a World Trade Center steel beam.

The Kids Konnection playground was founded by Susan McHugh and her friend Michelle, both parents to special-needs children. This is a safe playground inclusive of the trail area and is wheelchair friendly. The playground is open from 8 am to 6:30 pm.

Recommendations/Precautions

For the safety of all users, there are some precautions you need to take and rules you need to adhere to when making use of the Tammany Trace hiking trail. For cyclists specifically, helmets are required. Other guidelines exist for horsemen and rollerbladers.

There are also some traffic rules that are common to many similar areas, but for cycling the following should be kept in mind:

• While rollerbladers should yield if a cyclist approaches, if you’re on a bike you need to yield for a jogger.
• Stay on trails—they are marked clearly.
• Avoid areas and structures inappropriate for recreation, such as drainage ditches.
• Pedestrians but also traffic moving slower than others must keep right.
• Use accessories like a bell to notify others when you pass.

Note that pets are not allowed and the trail is only open to emergency vehicles. Wildlife should never be fed.