Fairview-Riverside State Park

119 Fairview Drive
Madisonville, LA 70447

Phone:
985-845-3318 or 888-677-3247 toll free

Explore Fairview-Riverside

Scattered throughout the park beneath a canopy of huge oak trees, you will find numerous picnic tables, as well as a group pavilion, a playground, and comfort stations. Spend a relaxing afternoon on the river or venture out into the water for lively outdoor recreation.

The cool, crystal-clear waters of the Tchefuncte River yield bass, bluegill, white perch, and bream near the park area, and channel catfish, speckled trout and redfish where the river meets the lake. Freshwater fishing from the river bank or a boat offers unmatched delights for even the most casual fisherman. Crabbing in the lake and the river is also popular.

Just two miles away by road and a few minutes by water is the Madisonville public boat launch. Many visitors use the launch for access to the calm waters of the Tchefuncte River or the exhilarating expanse of Lake Pontchartrain.

When you enter the park, you will notice a large home facing the water. This is Otis House, originally built in the 1880s as the family home for sawmill owner William Theodore Jay. It was later purchased and renovated in the 1930s by Frank Otis, serving as his summer home until his death in 1962. Mr. Otis left the property to the State of Louisiana to be developed into a recreational site for visitors. The house was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

The Otis House Museum is open for tours between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Museum admission is $2 per adult. Children (3 and under) and seniors (62 and over) are admitted free.

Directions:
From I-12, take LA 21 (Exit 58) south to Madisonville, then travel east on LA 22. The park is two miles east of town.

Hours of Operation:
6 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sunday through Thursday. All park sites close at 10 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and days preceding holidays.