Parks

LINCOLN, Neb. – Couples and families can take advantage of several special Valentine’s Day offers, including reduced lodging, at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area and Eugene T. Mahoney, Ponca and Platte River state parks. Guests who reserve a cabin or lodge room at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park between Feb. 10 and 14 can add a Valentine’s Special package to their reservation. Cabins and lodge room rates from Feb. 9-13 are priced at a 30 percent discount. The $25 …

LINCOLN, Neb. – A public informational open house will be held Thursday, Jan. 16 at the Lake McConaughy Visitor Center and Water Interpretive Center regarding proposed changes to visitor management at Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala. The open house is scheduled for 3-6 p.m. Mountain Time. Caring for natural resources and providing exceptional opportunities for safe and fun recreation are top priorities for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala state recreation areas (SRAs) hosted an …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Get the family outdoors, learn about wildlife and contribute to science Jan. 3 at the Christmas Bird Count for Kids, hosted by the Schramm Education Center. Staff will lead families on bird walks and bird feeder watches, help tally results and share them with the National Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count project. The Christmas Bird Count is a 119-year-old event where bird lovers of all ages and skill levels count all the birds they can see …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Visitors to Fort Atkinson State Historical Park can see a special presentation, “Custer and the Royal Buffalo Hunt of 1872,” on Jan. 4. Using newspaper accounts and images of the period, historian Jeff Barnes will narrate the 1872 meeting of Lt. Col. George Custer, Gen. Phil Sheridan, the Grand Duke Alexis of Russia and “Buffalo Bill” Cody in Nebraska. Barnes’ presentation will include the visit of Custer, Sheridan and the Grand Duke in Omaha, followed by their …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is inviting the public to ring in the New Year by enjoying a guided hike through one of the state’s scenic state park lands. First Day Hikes are scheduled at 15 Nebraska state park areas on New Year’s Day, part of a larger effort of the America’s State Parks alliance. The hikes have been offered at Nebraska state parks for the past five years, and see robust attendance each year, said …

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. – A traveling photography exhibit by renowned nature photographer Michael Forsberg of Lincoln along with a documentary by Forsberg and filmmaker Peter Stegen called “Follow the Water” is on display at the Lake McConaughy Visitor and Water Interpretive Center from Nov. 15 through Feb. 2, 2020. Forsberg’s imagery of wildlife and landscapes has long been revered for its contribution to conservation. His honors include the Ansel Adams Award for Conservation Photography from the Sierra Club and Environmental …

MINATARE, Neb. — The public will have a special opportunity for viewing birds during an event at Lake Minatare State Recreation Area on Saturday, Dec. 7. The day marks the only opportunity for the public to access the 2,158-acre reservoir on the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge for its annual closure between Oct. 15 and Jan. 14. Birdwatchers who want to participate may arrive at Scout’s Rest Cabin at the lake’s northwest corner any time from 10 a.m. to noon …

GERING, Neb. — A free workshop at Wildcat Hills Nature Center will help participants use items found in nature to make the holidays more festive. “Nature’s Gifts: Decorations from the Great Outdoors” will be Saturday, Dec. 14, at 10 a.m. MST. Amanda Filipi, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission outdoor education specialist, will provide instruction for creating festive ornaments and crafts from items found in nature. On the list of projects are bird feeders, including those constructed in garland fashion. Some …

MERRIMAN, Neb. – Tickets are on sale for Christmas at the Bowring, the annual holiday celebration at Bowring Ranch State Historical Park. The event will be Saturday, Dec. 14, at 6 p.m. MST. The celebration will include a rib-eye steak dinner with trimmings, live music by the Twin River Band and door prizes. Tickets, which are $25 each, may be purchased now through Dec. 6 and are sold only in advance. To reserve tickets, call the park’s visitors center at …

CRAWFORD, Neb. – Tickets will soon go on sale for the 25th Christmas dinner at Fort Robinson State Park. The event Dec. 7 will take people back to 1878, an important year in the fort’s history. The 200 ticket-holders of the event at the park’s Buffalo Soldiers Barracks will be treated to the same menu as the one of that year, when it was a military post for the U.S. Cavalry. The dinner will include turkey, stuffing, potatoes and gravy, …