The Joyce Wildlife Management Area Swamp Walk runs 1,000 feet into a cypress-tupelo swamp south of Ponchatoula, and the parking lot sits close enough to Interstate 55 that traffic noise fades out about a third of the way in.
The land has a harder past than the quiet suggests. The Joyce family of Chicago cut the primeval cypress forest out of this stretch between North Pass and Selsers Canal, then donated what remained to the state. That gift of 12,809 acres in 1982 became the WMA, and additional purchases and leases since then have grown it to 42,292 acres. More than half of the property has grown cypress back on its own. The southern end, closer to the passes, turned into marsh under saltwater pressure tied in part to the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet.
Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries built the original boardwalk in 1990 to give people a way into the swamp interior without a boat. Hurricane Isaac wrecked it in August 2012, and the structure sat closed for more than two years while the state tore out the old planking and built a replacement. It reopened in January 2015. Recent visitor reports describe the deck as well maintained, with benches spaced along the route for anyone who wants to sit and listen.
The walk itself takes about six minutes each way. Cypress and tupelo close overhead for most of it, and the canopy holds the light down to a green filtered version of itself. The boardwalk ends at a deck that opens onto shrub marsh and a stretch of wetland prairie, which is the best spot on the property for scanning wide open habitat. Around the deck, the shrub marsh fills in with red maple, wax myrtle, red bay, and younger cypress and tupelo. A 500-acre freshwater marsh of maiden cane covers the northern section of the WMA.
Nearly 200 bird species have been recorded here, and the property sits on the Mississippi Flyway, so neotropical migrants pour through in spring and fall. Some duck species stay year-round. Eagles and ospreys have nested nearby. Nutria, otter, mink, raccoon, gray squirrel, and white-tailed deer all use the swamp, along with turtles, skinks, and a long list of frogs. Alligators show up in the floating vegetation visible from the end deck. Western cottonmouths live here too, so watch where you put your hands on the rails.
Permits catch people off guard. Anyone 18 and older needs a WMA access permit, which runs $20 for the year or $5 for five consecutive days. Every visitor regardless of age also has to complete a free self-clearing permit before setting foot on the property. A kiosk with paper permits sits in the parking area at the trailhead, and the state’s check-in app works too. A number of older guides still reference the Wild Louisiana Stamp, which no longer covers this.
One safety item deserves real attention. The entrance to the boardwalk crosses active Canadian National Railroad tracks, and trains run fast through this empty stretch. A train that looks distant can reach the crossing in seconds, so look both ways twice and cross with purpose.
Bugs are a year-round consideration. Mosquitoes stay active any time the temperature climbs above the mid-fifties, and deer flies swarm in late spring. Long sleeves and long pants beat repellent alone. The boardwalk has raised edges and no stairs, which makes it workable for wheelchair users once past the track crossing.
To get there from downtown Ponchatoula, head south on Business 51, merge onto I-55 south, take exit 22, go under the freeway, and turn right onto Old US 51. The parking area shows up immediately on the left.
Go on a weekday morning and you will likely have the whole thing to yourself.
