The new state park is located south of Abbeville, Louisiana in Vermilion Parish.

The state of Louisiana acquired the property for the park in 1981 but did not begin construction on it with the intent of public use until 2002.

Palmetto Island State Park has a visitor center which houses a multi-purpose room that can rented for meetings, weddings and other social events.

Guests may stay at one of six two-bedroom cabins nestled in the woods or use any of the park's 95 campsites.

Interior lagoons allow canoers and kayakers the opportunity to observe native animal and plant life.