Entry No. 42 — the New Orleans file — filed under: roadside-oddity
Dr. Wagner's Honey Island Swamp Tours
Founded in 1982 by Tulane wetland ecologist Dr. Paul Wagner (now retired), these reservation-only boat tours run into the West Pearl River and Honey Island Swamp, one of the least-altered river swamps in the country. The roughly 70,000-acre swamp is famous for the Honey Island Swamp Monster, a Bigfoot-style cryptid first reported in 1963 by retired air traffic controller and amateur wildlife photographer Harlan Ford. Beyond the legend, the trips are genuinely ecology-forward, threading bottomland hardwoods that shelter alligators, wild boar, and migratory birds. Tours now launch at 55345 US-90 in Slidell.
The story
Most swamp tours around New Orleans lean hard into high-decibel airboats and theatrical gator-baiting. In 1982, Tulane wetland ecologist Dr. Paul Wagner took a different route, founding an operation dedicated to taking small boats deep into the Honey Island Swamp along the West Pearl River. Spanning nearly 70,000 acres, this bottomland hardwood ecosystem remains one of the least-altered river swamps in North America, shaded by dense cypress canopy and home to wild boar, migratory waterfowl, and alligators.
You can't discuss Honey Island without encountering its most infamous resident. In 1963, retired air traffic controller and photographer Harlan Ford returned from a swamp trip claiming he'd encountered a seven-foot, bipedal creature with yellow eyes standing over a boar carcass. Ford said he found distinct three-toed footprints pressed into the mudbanks. Though Dr. Wagner’s operation built its reputation on ecological facts rather than cryptid chasing, threading through narrow bayous where Spanish moss hangs thick enough to block the sun makes it easy to understand why Ford thought something was tracking him.
Dr. Wagner has since retired, but the tours continue using low-profile, open-sided boats capable of slipping into narrow tributaries that large commercial barges can't reach. The operation now launches from US-90 in Slidell, roughly fifty minutes northeast of New Orleans across Lake Pontchartrain.
What it's like
You’ll check in at the US-90 launch site before boarding a flat-bottom boat. The vibe is quiet and observation-focused—guides cut the motor to drift past alligators sunning on fallen logs and explain how the swamp's natural drainage works. Bring bug spray, wear layers you don't mind getting damp, and keep your eyes on the waterline for wild boars rooting in the mud. For the best wildlife sightings and stillest water, secure a spot on the earliest morning run.
The move: Book a morning two-hour boat into the Pearl River bottomlands and keep an eye out for the swamp monster's supposed three-toed tracks along the mudbanks.
- 📍 Slidell
- 💸 Free
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Outdoors
Where: 41490 Crawford Landing Rd, Slidell, LA 70461
Hours: Added 2026-06-22 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Old Town Slidell Soda Shop — Drive five miles into historic Slidell after your tour to grab ice cream and play vintage pinball machines.
- Abita Mystery House (UCM Museum) — Continue your North Shore tour of strange lore with a 20-mile drive west to this sprawling folk-art roadside maze.
- Insta-Gator Ranch and Hatchery — Follow up wild alligator sightings with a visit to this working conservation ranch in nearby Covington.
Good to know
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes, all tours operate by reservation only. Excursions run daily, and hotel pickup from New Orleans can be arranged when booking.
Where does the tour actually depart?
Tours launch from the dock at 55345 US-90 in Slidell, Louisiana, about 50 minutes from downtown New Orleans.
What was the origin of the Honey Island Swamp Monster?
The legend began in 1963 when Harlan Ford, an amateur photographer and former air traffic controller, reported seeing a web-footed, ape-like creature in the swamp and later produced plaster casts of three-toed tracks.
What times do the boats run?
Daily departure times typically include 9:30 AM, 12:15 PM, 2:45 PM, and a 5:00 PM late-afternoon trip, though exact schedules depend on seasonal reservations.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: Official site · Tripadvisor · Wikipedia · visitthenorthshore.com
last checked: 2026-06-22