Bayou Teche was designated as the only National Water Trail in Louisiana in 2015. Since then, we have been building a world-class paddle trail to welcome paddlers from all over the world.
Bayou Teche National Paddle Trail runs 135 miles from Port Barre to Berwick through St. Landry, St. Martin, Iberia and St. Mary parishes and is easily accessed from several state highways and Interstate 10. The trail has a total of 15 established access points that provide access to paddle trips with town to town segments as short as 6 miles or as long as 12 miles.
The trail flows through the communities of Port Barre, Arnaudville, Cecilia, Breaux Bridge, Parks, St. Martinville, Loureauville, New Iberia, Jeanerette, Charenton (Chitimacha Tribe of Louisiana lands), Baldwin, Franklin, Centerville, Patterson, and Berwick. We have installed access docks specifically designed for kayaks and canoes in most of these towns. Find our list of kayak docks and access points here and find paddle trail maps here.
The upper stretches of Bayou Teche (from Port Barre to St. Martinville) are suitable for families and inexperienced paddlers, but experienced paddlers will also enjoy its beauty. Below St. Martinville, more experienced paddlers are required to portage in several locations en route to Berwick.
Bayou Teche wildlife and vegetation are abundant along the trail. Cypress trees line the banks of the bayou and great live oaks draped in Spanish moss provide evidence of where small Acadian plantations once operated. Each town along the Teche offers its own personality and experiences that include architecture, agriculture, foodways, music and arts. Our Paddle Planner has itineraries for each of the four parishes and can help you plan the ultimate day or weekend trip along the trail!
