Palmetto Island State Park, state park in Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, USA

Palmetto Island State Park is a natural area on an island south of Abbeville in Louisiana, surrounded by swamps and the Vermilion River. The park offers riverside areas for relaxation, walking trails through dense vegetation, a splash pad for children, and six simple cabins with screened porches for overnight stays.

Louisiana acquired the land for Palmetto Island State Park in 1981, but construction for public use did not begin until 2002. Budget constraints and other concerns delayed the opening until October 28, 2010, when the 1,299-acre park finally welcomed visitors.

The park is named for the dwarf palmetto that forms a dense understory beneath the bottomland hardwood forest. The visitor center's multi-purpose room is rented for meetings, weddings and other social events, and an aquatic pavilion overlooks the Vermilion River. Interior lagoons hold a population of Iris nelsonii, a Louisiana iris.

The park has a boat launch for canoes and kayaks, which are popular because the water is calm and easy to navigate on the bayous. Visitors can also stay overnight at the campground with tent sites and RV parking or in the small cabins by the river.

The park's interior lagoons hold a newly recorded population of Iris nelsonii, a Louisiana iris found in few other places. Canoeists and kayakers can paddle among it while watching native plants and animals. The 0.75-mile nature trail starts at the visitor center.