Louisiana State Parks Passport: How to Get It Free and Win Prizes

(LAFAYETTE, LA) - If you’ve been looking for an excuse to get out and see more of Louisiana, the state just handed you one. The Louisiana State Parks Passport is free, and if you collect all 32 stamps, you can earn a prize that ranges from official state parks swag to an overnight stay.

How the Louisiana State Parks Passport Works

The idea is simple. You pick up a passport, visit Louisiana state parks and historic sites, and get a stamp at each stop. Fill all 32 pages with stamps and the passport is complete.

It’s a fun way to plan weekend trips, and honestly, a good reason to finally visit that park you keep driving past on the way somewhere else. Or, the passport may take you to parts of the state you never even gave a second thought. I checked in with Laura Lindsay with the Louisiana Office of State Parks who added some important information regarding the program.

There's no fee for the passport, but park entry fees apply
Visitors can get their passports stamped at the park entrance stations
No deadline (as of now) to complete the passport

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How to Get a Free Louisiana State Parks Passport

The passport doesn’t cost a thing. You request one by filling out the passport request form on the Louisiana State Parks website.

What You Win for Collecting All 32 Stamps

Once your passport is full, here’s how to claim your prize:

Print the Passport Prize Redemption Form.
Fill out the visitor information section with your name, address and email.
Have a park staff member complete and sign the staff verification section. They’ll confirm every page has its stamp.
Send it in by email to parks@crt.la.gov, or mail it to Louisiana State Parks, c/o H. Carter, P.O. Box 44426, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-4426.

Give it 10 to 15 business days to process. One important note: the entire form has to be filled out, or your prize won’t be mailed. According to the state, prizes “will vary from official Louisiana State Park swag to an overnight stay.”

Parks Participating in the Passport Program
(SP - State Park | SHS - State Historic Site):

Audubon SHS
Bayou Segnette SP
Bogue Chitto SP
Chemin-A-Haut SP
Chicot SP
Cypremort Point SP
Fairview-Riverside SP
Fontainebleau SP
Fort Jesup
Fort Randolph Buhlow
Fort. St. Jean Baptiste SHS
Grand Isle SP
Jimmie Davis SP
Lake Bistineau SP
Lake Bruin SP
Lake Claiborne SP
Lake D'Arbonne SP
Lake Fausse Pointe SP
Longfellow-Evangeline SHS
Mansfield SHS
North Toledo Bend SP
Palmetto Island SP
Port Hudson SHS
Poverty Point Reservoir SP
Poverty Point World Heritage SHS
Rebel SHS
Rosedown Plantation SHS
Sam Houston Jones SP
South Toledo Bend SP
St. Bernard SP
Tickfaw SP

State Parks Close to Acadiana

You don’t have to drive far to get started. Acadiana has several state parks and historic sites within an easy drive, including Lake Fausse Pointe and Longfellow-Evangeline in St. Martinville, Palmetto Island near Abbeville, Chicot near Ville Platte and Cypremort Point down in St. Mary Parish.

Having spent time when I was younger exploring some of the many state parks here in Louisiana when I was a Boy Scout, I can say there's something so calming about surrounding yourself with nature, whether roughing it in a tent or staying in one of the available cabins in the parks. I will cherish the memories of fishing with my father-in-law at Lake Fausse Pointe and learning how to clean the fish we caught.

With cooler weather finally showing up, this might be the best time of year to start stamping. Grab a passport, pack a lunch and go see what’s in our own backyard.