Welcome to No Tracers!
In this post, I invite you to embark on a visual journey through the hauntingly beautiful remnants of the now-demolished Six Flags in New Orleans. Join me as I unveil my favorite digital and film images from my first..and one of the final explorations of this legendary urban exploration site. Let us pay tribute to the echoes of laughter and thrill that once resonated within its walls. Rest in pieces, dear Six Flags, your legacy will forever linger in the shadows of our memories.
THE CINEMATIC EXPLORATION VIDEO
AN URBEX PODCAST
Getting In
Normally this part of the blog details how I access abandoned places, but this exploration was quite different. Allow me to explain - an exploring friend of mine, NOLADeej, and I had spoken about trying to sneak into the park, ahead of its impending demolition date, but when he drove past to scope it out, he noticed that security had ramped up and demo equipment had been transferred into the park. This immediately made us rethink our mission. However, a few weeks later I got a message from Deej, with a link to a Vimeo video from a photographer named Jason Lanier, which showed some of the demolition, from a first person perspective. I quickly realized that this guy, Jason, must have some sort of access into the park, allowing him to film this video. With my curiosity peaked, I went looking for Jason's instagram account, with the goal of having him join me on my podcast, No Tracers, to talk about his role in documenting the demo of Six Flags. After asking Jason to join me on my show, I realized that he was hosting some photography workshops at the abandoned Six Flags and I messaged him about potentially filming some behind the scenes for him, should he need it, as I was already set to be in Louisiana, for a family visit, during the timeframe of his first workshop at the park.
From there we chatted about our love of exploration, he told me some stories from his documentation of the park over the last decade, and we shared our sadness for the imminent demolition that was set to occur, which would take away this iconic place, for good.
The day before I was set to drive down to photograph the park with him and the group of photographers who had decided to take part in his workshop, he sent me a text, asking if I could drive down early and film behind the scenes for him, to which I immediately jumped at the thought of, dropped everything, rented a Dodge Charger, and drove like a bat out of hell to get to NOLA in time to meet them.
Exploring The Park at Night
First things first, getting to DRIVE A CAR past security, into the old Six Flags parking lot, and then THROUGH the grounds of the abandoned Six Flags was a dream that I never even had considered to be a possibility until it was literally happening.
The first night I was tasked with filming behind the scenes and helping Jason and his associate, Adam, light up the ferris wheel for some stellar night photography, something only Jason is permitted to do. I agreed to not take any professional photos that night in exchange for being able to film a POV video on my gopro, which you can see below, if you're interested.
DAY 2 - PHOTOGRAPHY DAY
My second day at the park was the day I got to capture the abandoned six flags from 10AM until 3PM, before I had to head out to meet back up with my family for dinner. These images were captured mostly on digital, with a few film photographs sprinkled in, taken on a Kiev4A film camera that I picked up in a market in Greece a few years back.
The Entrance
Walking through these gates made me remember going to Six Flags in Texas as a kid and how magnificent the size these theme parks were.
Capturing abandoned places on film has quickly become one of my favorite mediums!
The Iconic Ferris Wheel
To capture this rusted ferris wheel, that I've seen photos of for years, really made me appreciate not only the urban exploring community but also reminded me of why I truly love this hobby. Getting to step foot in a place that a very small percentage of humans have been able to enter, post its abandonment, is truly something special and not to be overlooked or undervalued.
Fun fact: Jason has spent his time and energy landscaping this park himself, because most landscaping crews refuse to do the job, due to the animals that still live in the park: alligators, large snakes, and wild boars, amongst other things.
The Old Theatre
Check out this old employee harassment notice! It appears as if someone was trying to save this piece of the wall.
THE SHOT EVERYONE WANTS
This is the epic shot that every urban explorer dreams of getting at the abandoned Six Flags and with this shot, I officially marked this park off of my urbex bucket list. I was absolutely elated when I saw how perfectly this came out.
THE KIDS ZONE
...and yes, I did slide down the slide...
AN OLD RIDE
To see some of the rollercoaster seating still in tact was absolutely wild! I had to take a photo showing my torso tattoo, because I felt it matched the aesthetic of this ride!
THE ZEPHER
This is another absolutely iconic part of the abandoned Six Flags in New Orleans..the ride that all explorers dream of climbing to the top of for a photo. Unfortunately, part of Jason's agreement with the park is that he can not allow anyone to climb the Zepher. That's okay, though, because at least I got to see it!
THE KRAZY KREW
This was the final ride I got to check out before I had to depart. This ride, as a kid, was my worst nightmare.
Look at the fungi that are growing on and eating away at the headrests on the seats!
THE SPOILS
This section of the blog is where I share my favorite small parts of the exploration with you, the details, if you will. Be sure to check out the sea of Six Flags memorabilia that has been left to collect dust for the past twenty years!
A pile of weathered and destroyed DELL computers lay on main street, likely the victims of scavengers, left to decay in the elements.
The impenitrable safe..I wonder if anything remains inside..
I captured many images of the old iron fencing that has been left in the park.
An old Coca-Cola engraved picnic table.
This is one of the only fully intact lamp posts, with a lightbulb, that remain in the park!
THE EXIT
Getting out was..well, the most simple exit..I drove past the security team and thanked them for allowing me this once in a lifetime opportunity to explore the iconic abandoned Six Flags park.
I also have to give a very special thank you to Jason Lanier for not only allowing me to tag along on this workshop, but also for giving me the chance to capture some behind the scenes for him, which gave me an additional chance to see the park at night.
And with that, the infamous Six Flags New Orleans is no longer with us. May she rest in pieces and may her memory be kept alive in our hearts and in our images.
Until next time, thank you for reading.
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*Disclaimer: I do not give out addresses to locations.
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