Palmetto Island State Park (Pleasant Drive)

Palmetto Island State Park scenically sits on the Vermilion River, not far from its outfall into Vermilion Bay. It’s a good location for camping-type birders to use as a base to explore Louisiana's southern interior and adjacent rice/crawfish production areas to the west.

This site is a mature forested area favored by many songbird species. Other forest-loving birds flock here as well. Breeding species include Mississippi Kite, Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawks, Barred and Eastern Screech Owls, Acadian and Great-crested Flycatchers, along with White-eyed, Yellow-throated, and Red-eyed Vireos, and Northern Parula, Prothonotary, Swainson's, and Hooded Warblers.

The wet habitats of the river and swamps produce their share of waterbirds, including 15 waterfowl species, 15 shorebird species, six seabirds, and 13 wading birds recorded thus far, plus others such as Purple Gallinule, Anhinga, Common Loon, and both Double-crested and Neotropic Cormorants.

The checklist total for this park is an impressive 207 species–notably high for a forested southern-interior site–doubtlessly aided by nearby Vermilion Bay.

This park offers ample parking, restrooms/showers/drinking fountains, six rental cabins, 96 campsites, including RV hookups, four primitive camping sites plus one primitive group site, a nature center and trail system, canoe rentals, four pavilions and numerous picnic sites, two playgrounds and a splash-pad. There is a scenic overlook on the Vermilion River, and a boat launch and canoe/kayak trail into the river. Partially handicapped-accessible.