Grand Isle State Park (Louisiana) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Grand Isle State Park |
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A view of the Gulf of Mexico at Grand Isle State Park
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 Grand Isle State Park
Location in Louisiana
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| Location | Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States |
| Area | 140 acres (0.57 km2; 0.22 sq mi) |
| Established | 1968 |
| Governing body | Louisiana Office of State Parks |
| Official website: http://www.crt.state.la.us/louisiana-state-parks/parks/ | |
Grand Isle State Park is a special place located at the eastern end of Grand Isle. This island is a barrier island in Louisiana, USA. It's the only barrier island in Louisiana where people live!
Grand Isle State Park has faced big challenges from strong storms like Hurricanes Katrina, Gustav, and Ike. Even so, much of the park has been fixed up. Work to restore the beach in the area is still happening.
Fun Things to Do!
This area is famous for being one of America's best fishing spots. You can find over 300 different kinds of fish here! The park once had a very popular fishing pier. Sadly, Hurricane Katrina destroyed it in 2005, and it had to be rebuilt.
An observation tower gives amazing views of the coast. Visitors come to this 160-acre (0.65 km2) park to do many fun activities. You can beachcomb for shells, watch birds, go boating, or camp overnight. Crabbing, fishing, and sunbathing are also popular.
Park History and Challenges
There are old stories that say famous privateers, Jean and Pierre Lafitte, buried treasure here. These brothers were like pirates who worked for governments in the 1700s. Their base was on Grand Terre Island, which is right across the Barataria Pass. The legend of the rougarou, a mythical creature, is also part of the area's history.
On May 22, 2010, the beach had to close. This was because of oil from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. A part of the beach reopened on May 3, 2011. Later, on June 26, 2011, volunteers helped plant 1,600 black mangrove trees. These trees help stop the land from washing away.
In 2020, The New York Times newspaper listed Grand Isle State Park as one of its "52 Places to Go." The article mentioned that the park "may soon vanish." This is because the area faces one of the fastest rates of sea level rise in the world. This means the ocean water is getting higher very quickly.
