Zemurray Big Lake bicycle loop
Louisiana · Other separated ride
Ride one short circuit of Big Lake in New Orleans City Park on the Zemurray Multi-Use Path. The park describes 0.75 mile of asphalt, with a lane for bicycles and a lane for pedestrians. Add the walk between your parking space and the loop to that distance. This is a relaxed lake circuit with art, trees and places to pause; pedestrians, children and rental cycles can make it busy. City Park trails, Big Lake
Plan your ride
- Location
- New Orleans · Louisiana
- Ride length
- 0.75 mi
- Ride format
- Loop
- Surface
- Asphalt loop with separate bicycle and pedestrian lanes.
- Road crossings
- Walk designated lake-side parking aisles→adjacent paved Zemurray bicycle lane→one Big Lake circuit following current lane signs→same connection→walk to car. No public-road extension or opposite-side lot assumption.
- Elevation
- Named contributor Michael Pellet maps this New Orleans Big Lake circuit as Easy, with a 0.8-mile rounded loop and very small elevation variation. Record visible since May31,2018; not an October2026 inspection, engineering maximum or accessibility certification. Current owner asphalt0.75-mile loop and mapped internal setting support a short recreational option; no percentage maximum adopted from crowdsourced profile.
- Starting location
- 6 Friedrichs Avenue, New Orleans, LA
Current owner 0.75-mile asphalt main circuit; walked parking approach additional and unmeasured. No Festival Grounds extension, no car-to-car precision.
Mapped facility-address approach near Big Lake. Follow the guide to designated lake-side public spaces; not a surveyed parking lot or stall.
Zemurray Big Lake bicycle loop — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-15. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
Ride one short circuit of Big Lake in New Orleans City Park on the Zemurray Multi-Use Path. The park describes 0.75 mile of asphalt, with a lane for bicycles and a lane for pedestrians. Add the walk between your parking space and the loop to that distance. This is a relaxed lake circuit with art, trees and places to pause; pedestrians, children and rental cycles can make it busy. City Park trails, Big Lake
Start beside Big Lake
Use designated City Park parking on the Big Lake side of Friedrichs Avenue, near the Bikes, Boats & More rental area at 6 Friedrichs Avenue. The detailed park map marks parking between Friedrichs Avenue and the lake path. Choose this lake-side area so the outing does not depend on crossing Friedrichs Avenue from the Festival Grounds or Reunion Shelter side. Walk your bicycle through the parking aisles to the adjacent paved lake loop, watching for reversing vehicles. Follow current parking and event signs; the map does not identify an individual parking stall. Official park map
The grounds and trails are free to enter, and City Park says free parking is available throughout the park. Parking is for park users in designated areas, with no overnight parking. Renting a bicycle or boat is optional and has its own charge. Visit information, Park rules
Follow the bicycle lane around the lake
From the lake-side path, follow the designated bicycle lane for one complete circuit, keeping the lake beside you and following any posted direction arrows. Slow for people joining the path near the rental area and give walkers room. At the northern side, stay on the asphalt main circuit rather than the short gravel Native Plant Trail. Continue around the lake and return to the same parking connection; walk your bike back to the car.
This circuit stays within the lake area. It does not include the Festival Grounds loop across Friedrichs Avenue, the park perimeter sidewalks, streets around the museum or a detour onto Wisner Boulevard. You do not need to cross a public road to extend the outing. Stop on a clear shoulder or designated rest area without blocking either lane. Trail descriptions, Detailed park map
Terrain and timing
The short asphalt circuit is a useful option for an unhurried ride. A contributor record visible since 2018 rates the Big Lake loop easy and depicts little elevation change; that is historical context, not a measured maximum slope or a guarantee about current pavement. Walk any awkward transition and shorten the ride if standing water, crowds or surface damage make it uncomfortable. Contributor terrain record
Use daylight hours, as specified on the Big Lake page. Bring your own water and do not depend on rental or restroom opening times. Keep pets leashed and obey barriers. This guide covers ordinary pedal bicycles; e-bike users need to check the park's designated-path rules and local signs. Big Lake hours, Park rules
Check before riding
The park's notice updated October 14, 2026 lists waterline work in the Wisner Tract, a forthcoming Marconi fishing-pier closure and early Carousel Gardens closings. Those notices concern other mapped areas, but events or local barriers can still affect arrival. Check the current notice and lake-side signs before unloading. Notifications and closures
Editorial draft only. The currently linked map was modified in March 2026 but prints a December 2019 base date; confirm the present parking connection, bicycle lane signs and pavement before publication. Main-loop mileage excludes the parking walk, and no surveyed parking pin or navigation track is supplied.