Forest Community Park

This park is located in southeastern Baton Rouge. The forest surrounding the park is comprised of three distinct habitat types, and is laced with four short (less than one mile each) trails for hiking, biking, and birding. Just over 140 bird species have been recorded from this site. 

Red-shouldered and Broad-winged Hawks nest here, and Cooper's and Sharp-shinned Hawks are commonly present during migration periods and winter. Additional breeding species include Yellow-billed Cuckoo, Great-crested Flycatcher, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Carolina Chickadee, and Tufted Titmouse. 

Other common migrants include Eastern Wood-Pewee, Acadian Flycatcher, Eastern Kingbird, Philadelphia and Warbling Vireos (fall), Eastern Towhee, Yellow-breasted Chat, Worm-eating Warbler, Louisiana Waterthrush, Black and White Warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting, and many other neotropical songbirds. 

The family-friendly park is chock full of amenities, including a playground, tennis courts, a splash pad, a recreation center, baseball fields, a fishing pond, a dog park, picnic tables and pavilions, restrooms, drinking fountains, canoe and bike rentals, viewing platforms, and cultural programs. Soft gravel walking and running trails are located throughout the park. Boardwalk trails are available through a section of the forest. The site is partially handicapped-accessible.