You wouldn’t pin me as a swamp-loving kind of girl, but there’s something about the creepy and wild, primordial green soup that draws me in. Actually, as a kid, my favorite Girl Scout hikes were the ones where we found ourselves in swampy areas, jumping across half sunken wooden planks, and giggling about the smell of skunk cabbage. It was in these moments that I felt adventure, curiosity, and all the wonderful emotions that come to children exploring the outdoors.

I still get those feelings when I visit the woods, but more so when it’s the swamp. And there’s nothing quite like the marshes and bayous of the southern United States to make you feel absolutely immersed in a bog. While the Jean Lafitte National Park is a little lacking in color this time of year, I hope you’ll enjoy some of the magic that I found in the following photos.

Aside from zoos, this was the first time I ever saw a ‘gator! Because my camera has minimal zoom, in order to get that shot I had to actually crouch down quite close to it – though I didn’t go off the boardwalk (that would not be smart!). He was a pretty chill guy and I’m glad I could snag a few shots of him in his goopy element!

I hope you enjoyed the sights of this fabulous place, and I’ll see you on our next adventure!

To find out more about the Jean Lafitte Swamp, visit the National Park’s website here! And to see more posts of New Orleans, click here! What’s your favorite kind of outdoor atmosphere? Share with me in the comments below!