Couturie Forest | 52 Hike Challenge 2017 | Hike 5

Elevation

New Orleans is known for its below sea level status, so naturally we had to go find the highest point in the city. This point happens to be in City Park, a can’t miss sight in the Crescent City. NOLA’s highest elevation (43′) is the summit of Laborde Mountain on the Couturie Forest Trail.

The Hike – Couturie Forest

We prepared for our arduous journey by having a lovely Sunday brunch and casually deciding to go for a walk. The weather was perfect for a stroll along the well-kept mile-long path. Right off the bat we see a turtle train, sunning on a log. I love seeing wildlife while hiking so this was a great start. The rest of the trail to the summit wasn’t very crowded and it looked like there was some trail maintenance going on. The trail mostly follows the bank of some marshy water, surrounding hikers with green. We stopped at one point to check out a huge pile of snail shells on the bank. Not sure what, but some critter had a feast here!

We headed to the high point and hung out to chat with a friend for a bit, then headed back to the car through the forest and some impressive and beautiful palms. While this was a super quick hike, it was a nice way to get outside and move while staying conveniently in the city.

Have you hiked in the New Orleans area? Tell me about it in the comments!