📷 Photo by Mick Haupt on UnsplashRutherford Beach
Creole, LA
A remote Gulf beach at the end of a road through the marsh, where you can often drive onto the hard sand. Check the tide and sand before driving on.
Rutherford Beach is a Gulf of Mexico beach near Creole in Cameron Parish in southwest Louisiana, on the Creole Nature Trail, a roughly 180-mile All-American Road. It is known as a place to hunt for shells, and the water is less blue than at beaches farther east. According to Only In Your State you can drive onto the sand, park right by the water and stay overnight on the beach in a camper van, RV or tent.
Time-sensitive and important: in 2021 the Cameron Parish sheriff warned, according to KPLC, for the parish's beaches in general, that rising tides can bury vehicles and RVs in the sand; one RV floated about a mile down the beach and was a total loss. Four-wheel-drive vehicles also got stuck. Recommended: four-wheel drive, a tow strap, staying on established tracks, never driving over the dunes, and keeping to the 10 mph limit.
Before you drive out, check the tides, sand conditions and current rules with the parish: the source mentions no fees, permits or seasonal restrictions.
- Nearest town
- Creole, LA
- Category
- Nature & parks
- GPS
- 29.7630, -93.1270
Hours, fees and access change. Confirm with the operator or park before you go.
Good to know
Best time to go
The most pleasant months are usually March–April and October–November. Still fine, with some compromises, in May, September and December–February. Hot in June–August. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)
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FAQs
Where is Rutherford Beach?
Rutherford Beach is in Creole, LA, at GPS 29.7630, -93.1270. It is about 12 mi from Cameron.
Which road trips pass Rutherford Beach?
Rutherford Beach is a stop on these CampingSpirit trip guides: Louisiana’s Creole Nature Trail.
What is there to see near Rutherford Beach?
Places worth a stop nearby: Pintail Wildlife Drive (13 mi), Sabine NWR Wetland Walkway (18 mi), Holly Beach (20 mi) and Village Creek State Park (71 mi).
When is the best time to visit Rutherford Beach?
The most pleasant months are usually March–April and October–November. Still fine, with some compromises, in May, September and December–February. (Estimate from long-term temperature averages, terrain and pass seasons)