Well worth the time. Great place to visit.

Well done historic site in the heart of the Natchitoches Historic District. The staff is friendly, the grounds are well kept and the exhibits are more in-depth than expected for a site this size. Just touring the fort site itself is worth the price of admission.

Nice little stop to learn the history of the area. Note that you should stop at the visitors center first and not directly to the fort location

We had a great time walking through this historic site. With Covid19 on the rise we were the only ones there but the grounds were very well kept.

Working in the area and stopped for directions and short tour. Great information.

We have never had a bad visit to this fort. This is one of our favorite things to do in Natchitoches and have been here many times. It is a short hike up a gravel path to the site of the fort, but well worth a look around.

Fort St. Jean Baptiste was a very cool visit. The tour guides were great and we got to see all around the fort. The indoor museum was really cool too. Bug spray may be needed, but it should be mostly fine.

It’s historic and will take you into a new decade. Plenty of room for large families to enjoy and it’s not far from the hotel on second street that is brand new!

I really enjoyed the friendly staff who not only knew a lot about the history of the Fort, but also reenacted life in the fort during the early 1700s. Even though the original fort no longer exists (this replica fort was built in the 1970s after the original blueprint of the fort was found and was built approximately where the original fort was located), I was able to experience the harsh life and conditions during that era.

This is a replica of the original fort that once stood in downtown Natchitoches. If youre interested in learning about the local history, this is the spot. The exhibits in the museum as well as the fort itself are in pristine shape. The reenactor on site was also very informative.

Great place to teach children about early settlers and what life was like for them.

This is a highly detailed full scale replica of the original 1713 Fort built by St. Denis and his party of Royal French Marines and settlers that came to inhabit this part of French Louisiana. Originally intended as an outpost to guard against Spanish incursion from Texas it also served as a trading post for local Native Americans to bring furs and exchange for European made goods. This trading post/outpost would draw new colonists to the area from France and become the oldest permanent settlement in the Louisiana Purchase... Natchitoches.The fort has doubled thick post walls to guard against attack by small arms & cannon. It faces the Cane River (Old Red River Channel) because that was the main highway of the time. Inside the stockade is barracks for troops, a jail, a church, the Trading Post/store, the store owners house, the Royal Governors house, a kitchen, storage building and the bakers oven. Much of the wall material is of bousillage, mud & Spanish moss. Many of the Park Staff are in period costume carrying weapons & accoutrements of the period. As you take an interpretive tour with them they will take you through the entire fort, explain the details and fire their weapons so you will experience some sight, sound and smell of this Colonial outpost.When this fort was built in 1713 the Spanish felt this to be too close to their Eastern border. As a result they sent soldiers, priests and Lipon Apache slaves from Mexico City to build their own fort of Presidio Los Adaes just a few miles west on the El Camino Real (LA Hwy 6) at Robeline, LA. The Office of Louisiana State Parks has another park & active archaeological site there. Both Ft. St Jean Baptiste & Presidio Los Adaes should be visited during your stay in the area. These two opposing forts and their Garrisons had to be both vigilant and cooperative to survive in the wilds of frontier Louisiana.

Great way to learn about the French influence in Louisiana. Very knowledgeable staff.

Amazing!!

Walk

Excellent tour with knowledgeable and friendly guide!

Good for a school field trips

The History of Fort St. Jean Baptiste is awesome!

Not open

Great interpretive staff and beautiful location

More than meets the eye when driving by.must see