St. Bernard State Park
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| St. Bernard State Park | |
|---|---|
| Location: | St. Bernard Parish, Louisiana, USA |
| Nearest city: | Braithwaite or Poydras |
| Established: | 1971 |
| Governing body: | Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism; Office of State Parks |
St. Bernard State Park is a state park located in the American state of Louisiana, on a tract of land in St. Bernard Parish, between the towns of Braithwaite and Caernarvon, with its headquarters in nearby Violet. Though located only approximately fifteen miles southeast of New Orleans, attendance had been fledgling at the park for years, ranking among the least visited in the state, before the impact of Hurricane Katrina on 29 August 2005. The hurricane caused significant damage to the park, which has remained closed for an indeterminate length of time as the surrounding area attempts to rebuild.
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[edit] History
The St. Bernard State Park was created in 1971 when the land that the park sits on was donated to the state by a local family. The park operated for 34 years as the only state park in the St. Bernard/Plaquemines Parish area until it was severely damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The park is one of two in the state (along with Fort Pike State Historic Site) that has remained closed since the date of the hurricane as Louisiana determines the feasibility of any potential restoration.
[edit] Facilities
Prior to the landing of Hurricane Katrina, St. Bernard State Park included the following facilities as compared to that which is available at certain other Louisiana state parks:
| Boating | Cabins | Dump Stations | Group Tents | Improved Campsites | Lodges | Picnic Areas | Playgrounds | Restrooms | Swimming | Tent Campsites | Trails | Unimproved Campsites |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No | No | Yes | No | Yes; 51 | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes; pool | No | Yes; nature trail | No |
[edit] Restoration
St. Bernard State Park suffered extensive damage as a result of Hurricane Katrina, so much so that the state of Louisiana has yet to decide whether rebuilding the struggling park will be worth the financial expenditure such a job would require.
