Fort Pike State Historic Site

I love old forts. I don’t know how to rate this, because it is closed. I don’t know if it is the season, or Katrina. It looks like some of the fort has big cracks, like maybe they are afraid people might get hurt, so they closed it. If it is the budget, shame on the freeloaders for wanting to sit around and suck off money so that our historic sites get shut down. The boat ramp before the fort is open.

very disappointed to arrive on Friday May 16, 2014 at 3pm only to find the place fenced off and locked. The website and facebook stated they are open until 4. There was no answer at either number when we called.

I could regale you with the history of this fort, but Google would be far more informative. What I can do is tell you about my personal experiences here, and explain why you should come and visit for yourself.
Why should you visit? If you are even remotely into historic sites, you will enjoy yourself. This brick fortress is very old, but relatively well preserved. The fort has sustained some damage from hurricanes, but the state has kept it in decent shape. The view from the top of the fort is beautiful, and you are likely to see shrimp boats going to or from port.
I have very fond memories of this fort. My brothers and I were frequent visitors throughout our youth. The time spent running around the dark, damp corridors had a positive impact on who I am today. Sure the corridors are brick, and falling may hurt, but smashing your head can occasionally knock sense into you.
My main complaint is that there are no actual cannons on the site anymore. There used to be giant cannons along the top of the fort, but they have been replaced by plastic replicas. No one likes climbing on plastic replicas.
Note: There is a small fee to enter the fort, but it is well worth it.

This is a great little state park that is a nice road trip from New Orleans. I’d recommend you take the route I did; head on I-​10 and get off on Rte 433 in Slidell. Follow the signs and enjoy the day. Half (most?) of the fun is the ride. You can also combine it with a Honey Island Swamp Tour (the best swamp in the area, IMO).
Cruising along the lake through the marshes, in nice weather, great tunes… ahh.
Anyway, the park is just over the bridge. The Fort was built in the early 1800’s to defend the Rigolets (the waterway between Lake Pontchartrain and the Gulf of Mexico) though it never saw serious battle. It’s in relatively good condition. There’s a small lookout tower that lets you get a good view of the area.
Take Chef Menteur Highway back; you can see different marsh that way.
I did the trip in 2 – 3 hours on a crisp, clear, Fall day.