A good walk not spoiled
Off busy Essen and near the interstate, there's a peaceful place to visit with plants and birds
In the middle of Baton Rouge, Burden Museum & Gardens has preserved 440 acres for trees, birds and reptiles.
Its three-mile trail system, opened in 2009 off Essen Lane, winds through woods, wetlands and open fields. It is built for hiking and learning, though wandering without much of a plan works just as well.
Walk beneath old live oaks, cross the Mosaic Boardwalk and gaze upon Black Swamp, a rain-fed wetland where tupelo trees have stood for roughly 200 years, quietly ignoring all the commotion of developments around them.
Bring binoculars. About 320 bird species have been recorded around Burden, including hummingbirds, mockingbirds, waterfowl, wading birds, migratory songbirds and several varieties of woodpeckers.