Lake Martin is a peaceful place with a unique environment. I went on a swamp tour here (Cajun Country Swamp tours); very educational. I recommend visiting in the morning or evening to see alligators and sweat less. Midday is very hot and I didn't see adult alligators at this time of day. I recommend Lake Martin to anyone that loves to be outside and learn about the environment.
Home to alligators and every water bird imaginable. There are tour boats that can enhance your visit to this scenic swamp`
This is a quiet place situated just outside of Lafayette, La.and close to Breaux Bridge, La. Lake Martin and the surrounding swamp area is home to many animal species and they can be seen in their natural habitat. Small snack shack, boat tours, boat launch, nature center with wooden walkway out into the water. Lots of birdwatchers go here to see the Roseate Spoonbills, which are big pink birds, that nest in the trees. Fun place to spend some time out in nature.
This is a free and open place to go after work. Not too many places open after 5:30 pm. This was a nice nature walk.
Lake Martin is bust outside of Lafayette and is easy to get to. Much to see for the road which surrounds the lake, but taking a few hours to paddle around in a kayak or canoe makes the trip even better. There are a few vendors alone the lake that offer rentals and a few that will take you on their tour boats. If you visit I. The summer, bring mosquito repellant. Great at sunset!
We visited the Nature Conservancy preserve, and were pleased to see many birds despite the unusual cold weather (ear muffs, gloves, winter jacket, scarf). Saw a possum on the trail, lots of turtles sunning themselves, bald eagle, herons and egrets, kingfisher, many ducks. The only downer (besides the cold) was the many bottles, cans and other trash along the side of the water. Don't know whether they are blown in from parts of the the lake that are not protected?
Worth the short drive from Lafayette. Natural beauty at it's best. There is nature station that only takes a few minutes to tour and a wooden board walk that brings you right into the middle of the marsh area that surrounds part of the lake. You never know what you are going to see, so have your cameras ready.
Great tour – our guide made a special point to find the alligators, and we saw several of them sunning themselves on top of logs… Who knew that they could live to be over 100 years old? He was very knowledgeable of all the wildlife, especially of the many types of water fowl that we saw along the way…
We thoroughly enjoyed the two hour sunset boat tour, Bob was very knowledgable and gave interesting info about the rookery and all the creatures there. We saw numerous birds, turtles, and the highlight was seeing not one, not two, but three alligators in various locations! The ride was very serene, the water was smooth, it smelled surprisingly fresh and clean, and there were no swarms of bugs at all....seeing the cypress and tupelo trees, the moss, and all other vegetation (those lotus pads!) was a terrific experience, we loved it! It was easy to capture great photos from any seat on the boat.
Lake Martin is a must see for people that want to see the beauty of one of the worlds great swamps. Depending on the time of year you can watch up close birds, alligators, turtles, fish and mammals. It is also a favorite spot for paddlers both canoe and kayak. Bring your camera.