Austin+Badger+Park


 * =Birding in Ohio=

Medina County
=Austin Badger Park= 5741 River Styx Road Medina, Ohio 44256 Austin Badger Park webpage Austin Badger Park map

media type="custom" key="29512085"

Austin Badger Park
Coordinates: 41.1176257, -81.8100357 eBird links: Hotspot map View details Recent visits Checklist: Printable Field Checklist My eBird links: Location life list Submit data

Tips for birding Austin Badger Park
Austin Badger Park is in the process of being created from an overgrown golf course. You may access the park from a new parking lot off of River Styx. There is a concrete path (previously a cart path) that winds its way through miles of grassy strips (overgrown fairways) and alongside mature trees. This park is very hilly, and while you climb to some beautiful hilltop views, you must walk up (and down) some very steep hills. I would rate it as strenuous. There is no map or mileage yet, so you should be responsible and remember how to get back to your vehicle.

I bird Austin Badger Park from my bike so that I can see a lot of the park (and more birds). Some neat things that I saw that made me suggest the hotspot: There is a section of the path which climbs up to the top of the railroad trestle (which spans River Styx Road), and I saw a family of red-tailed hawks from there. I was surprised by a family of bluebirds up by the abandoned golf building at the “turn”, marveled at a large group of yellow-shafted flickers in the mowed grass next to the cart path, and could have sworn I saw an osprey flying overhead today. There is a nice wetlands section that is, unfortunately, inaccessible, since the bridge over it has been damaged and I wouldn’t recommend that anyone go on it.

I’m not sure what the future holds for this park for birds or birders. There is a mountain bike trail going in and a fitness trail with exercise stations. It will become more and more popular as the years progress. Also, due to the nature of where the cart path is situated along the tree line, birders have limited habitat access. I can look into the wooded areas, but can’t see much from the path. You mainly watch the edges or look across the fairways. Still, there are a lot of species to see and hear there. From Mickie Getz

About Austin Badger Park
This picturesque park was originally farmland and woods until the 1970’s when it was purchased by several Cleveland businessmen who used it as a private hunting and fishing club. In 1992, the Hoffman Limited Company bought it for three phases of the Montville Lake subdivision. Phase three of that development included the Blue Heron Golf Course where that business operated for about six years. The golf course was designed around the ravines and woods.

Much gratitude goes to Dave and Gayle Kelley, who purchased the property and buildings under foreclosure in 2012 and sold the golf course portion to Montville Township who paid for approximately 75% of it with a Clean Ohio Grant. Also, many thanks to Biologists Randy Mitchell and Chris Cheney from the University of Akron who inventoried every animal, plant, insect, tree, and bird for the grant application.

The 252-acre Blue Heron Park parcel will be divided into three separate parks. The first park, Austin Badger Fitness Park, was opened September 2016 and was named in memory of one of Montville Township’s first settlers. A second park is planned to be a nature reserve and is underway.

Future plans are in the works for the third and final park area. From Austin Badger Park webpage



|| media type="custom" key="28651781"

media type="custom" key="29176141"

View Map in a new window || L4770606 US US-OH US-OH-103 41.1176257 -81.8100357 Austin Badger Park