Park side of the "Rusty Rainbow."
Tucked away downtown, between Nola's historic Bywater and Marigny neighborhoods, is Crescent Park. If you didn't know it was there, you probably would never happen upon it. It's not visible from the street, and the only indication of its existence (if you're in the Bywater) is a large, rusty, metal arc, which looks more like something out of an industrial factory complex than the entrance to a beautiful, riverside, urban park.
A portion of the 1.4 mile park (which spans from Elysian Fields Ave. to Mazant St.) opened to the public in February of 2014, which included the renovated Piety Wharf, and a fenced-in, off-leash dog run. At that time the park was only accessible from Piety and Mazant streets. The Marigny end opened in July of 2015, giving visitors full access to the park's 20 acres of carefully planned "native" landscaping and spectacular views of the riverfront.
The "Rusty Rainbow," as the large arc is dubbed, is situated at the Piety St. entrance into the park (accessed from Chartres) and provides pedestrian-only access over the train tracks. It's a bit of a climb, and not the best way into the park for anyone challenged by stairs.
Vehicular parking is available at the Piety entrance as well as at Bartholomew, which is closest to the dog run. (There is also stair access at the Mandeville entrance in the Marigny, as well as an elevator.)
View of the Piety lot with park map
View of the Bartholomew lot at Alvar end.
The actual entrance to the Crescent Dog Run is inside the park at Pauline Street. Cement markers like the one below, are located throughout the park and correspond to the perpendicular streets. These help you to know how where you are in the park in relation to the adjacent neighborhoods.
Of course, the run has a list of rules. The most important of which pertain to the age and health of dogs visiting the park (no puppies under 6 months) and the supervision of children (no kids under 8 years old). Dogs are only allowed off-leash when inside the run. Smoking, alcohol, drugs, and firearms are not allowed inside the run.
The run has a couple of benches, some grassy areas, and several trees. The trees are still young and don't provide much shade, but there is plenty of room for dogs to roam, explore, and get some exercise.
Fountains are located throughout Crescent Park, as are pet waste stations and bike racks. Unfortunately, the only restrooms are at the opposite end of the park by the Mandeville entrance.
Crescent Park is open from 8 am to 6 pm. During Daylight Savings Time, it stays open until 7:00. Keep in mind, Crescent Park and the dog run are on the other side of the tracks of an active railway line. Be sure to plan visits to allow for the possibility of having to wait for a train to pass.
If you missed our previous post in the series, you can read about it here:
For more information on the dog run and amenities at Crescent Park, please see the links below:
Instagram Loves the New Crescent Park Addition
Top Dog Park Nominee: Crescent Dog Run
Visiting Crescent Park
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