Hardy Lake is genuinely a fantastic property that really delighted me! Located in the southeast part of the state near Austin and Scottsburg, this park has all the water recreation activities you want along with a nice beach area, camping, and great trails.
It’s also home to the Dwight Chamberlain Raptor Center where nine amazing birds of prey live. I visited the park on a day when their volunteer group was hosting Breakfast with the Birds, a fundraiser for the raptor center. After exploring the park, I got a tour of the center and was able to meet all the birds. I learned why this center is so important and how the Friends volunteer group keeps it in the air!
IN the Podcast Episode
Learn the history of the Dwight Chamberlain Raptor Center from the park’s interpretive naturalist and meet all the birds who call it home. You’ll hear from the park’s property manager about the trails, hunting, and other activities. Plus, you’ll learn about their monthly breakfasts from their Friends group.
Listen to “Hardy Lake: Where the Raptor Center Soars” on Apple or Spotify.
Park Features
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Hardy Lake is a smaller property, but I liked that I was able to see almost all of it in one day. It really charmed me as I explored the park! I kept noticing small moments of beauty that stopped me in my tracks – glimpses of the water through the trees, pops of color from boats in the marina, a quiet cove where someone was fishing, water lilies blooming near the beach, and wooden bridges tucked into the woods along the trails.
The lake isn’t used for flood control, but instead the dam was constructed for water supply for the area. While it may be a smaller lake, because it isn’t used for flooding, the water levels stay consistent through the year. There’s a nice marina and four boat launches throughout the property.