Parks & Recreation

Austin Bottoms Conservation Area spans more than 26,000 acres along the Muscatatuck River. Approximately 2,355 acres are now open for use. It consists of a variety of habitat types, dominated by bottomland forests and wetlands. The bottomland forest consists of species such as maples, oaks, sweetgum, river birch, sycamore and beech. Many birds use bottomland hardwood forests, such as wild turkey, yellow- and black-crowned night herons, wood ducks, red-headed woodpeckers, screech owls, great horned owls, bald eagles, broad-winged hawks, woodcock, wood thrush, hooded warblers, Kentucky warblers, blue jays and cardinals. These bottomland hardwoods also provide excellent habitat for many mammal ...

The Community Park was opened in 2016 in downtown Austin. In 2018 Austin Community Park received at $50,000 grant from Major League Baseball and Scotts Lawn Care to redo the Ellsworth W. Chandler Ball Field.

Beechwood Park is a small community park that includes a shelter house, basketball court and a playground.

Elk Creek Lake is a 48 acre lake located just west of Scottsburg. The forested park includes a trailhead to the Knobstone Trail.

Hardy Lake is a 2,100-acre park with a large lake, campgrounds, a beach, playgrounds, basketball and volleyball courts, an archery range, hiking trails, fishing piers and open play-fields (and, ice fishing in the winter months!).

The Leota Trailhead is located east of the county road which goes north from Leota Road (paved) about 2 miles west of Leota; the trailhead is near a small power transmission line. The trail crosses several steep ridges as it heads south from the Leota Trailhead through the Clark backcountry area. It then drops into the lush North Branch Valley, one of the most scenic areas along the trail (abundant ferns, wildflowers and very large trees), before winding its way up a very steep slope. The trail then traverses rolling to rugged terrain again, past a few wildlife ponds, to the New Chapel Trailhead. The total length of this segment is approximately 9 miles. To drive from the Leota Trailhead ...

The Linza Graham Park is operated by the City of Scottsburg Parks Department. The park includes an Outdoor Children’s Splash Park (Seasonal) & play structure, Baseball & Softball Diamonds, and an enclosed Shelter House. In additional to family fun activities the park is home to a wonderful stand of mature trees including white oaks, chestnut oaks and maples.

The Nichols-Wilson Park is operated by the City of Scottsburg Parks Department. The park includes three Shelter Facilities, a Softball Diamond and a Soccer/Football Field (Contact YMCA for Scheduling).

This nature preserve is a part of a larger 1428 acre property jointly acquired by the DNR Divisions of Fish and Wildlife, and Nature Preserves. It protects an extensive hardwood bottomland forest situated on the floodplain of the Muscatatuck River. Dominant trees include swamp white oak, pin oak, red maple, and green ash. The wet forest harbors plants such as cardinal flower, monkey flower, sweet Indian plantain, and many sedges. Occasional sloughs are dominated by buttonbush along with swamp milkweed, rice cutgrass, and featherfoil. Please Note: No parking or trails are present at this nature reserve. Visitors should be aware that hunting is allowed in season. There is no designated par ...

Westwood Golf Course is a 9-hole public golf course located just a mile west of Scottsburg.

Indianapolis and Louisville Traction Company built a track between Seymour and Sellersburg, Indiana as part of the Interurban line which extended from Indianapolis, IN to Louisville, KY.  Lake Iola created a water source for power equipment that created 1200-volt high tension direct current system for the trains powered by generators located on this site.