Morgan City sits on the edge of the Atchafalaya Basin, the largest river swamp in North America — nearly 2,200 square miles of bayous, cypress-tupelo forests, backwater lakes, and river channels between the levees of the Atchafalaya River. The basin is one of the most biologically productive wetland ecosystems in the country, supporting enormous populations of fish, shrimp, crawfish, alligators, and migratory birds.
Several operators in and around Morgan City run guided boat tours into the basin. The standard tour covers an hour or two of slow travel through cypress swamps, with close encounters with alligators guaranteed in warmer months, plus herons, egrets, anhingas, and often river otters. The basin's visual quality — black water, Spanish moss hanging from ancient cypress trees, the sounds of frogs and insects — is distinctive and memorable. Fishing trips can also be arranged for bass, catfish, and sac-à-lait (white crappie). Ask at the tourism office on Federal Ave for current operators and schedules.