Travel

Ponca State Park is offering a healthy start to your new year with a “First Day Hike”. Guests are welcome to take part in unguided hikes or in a scavenger hunt-style hike. Scavenger hunt forms can be picked up at the Resource and Education Center. At 1:30 p.m., join park naturalists for a guided hike on Bigley’s Ravine Trail. Participants should dress accordingly and bring a water bottle, camera and/or binoculars. At the conclusion of the hike, stop in at …

It’s the holiday season and I’m thankful for the beauty of nature in Nebraska. I am thankful for the sky. I am thankful for the breathtaking views of the landscape. I am thankful for the diversity of habitat. Grasslands. Wetlands. Woodlands. Water. And, yes, even cropland. I am thankful for all free-ranging, living creatures. Large. Medium. And, small. I am thankful for being allowed to harvest nature’s bounty. I am thankful for being given the role to become an active participant in the cycle of nature, the …

It’s time for Winterfest at Ponca State Park! Join us this Saturday, December 27 for a variety of winter activities, including the National Championship Fruitcake Fling and 3K Yule Log Quest.

Did you know that cabins and other lodging facilities are available for rental this time of year at five Nebraska state park lands with various discounts and special packages? They sure are! You may even be able to rent one for a night or two over this holiday period with your family! Find out which ones and more about state park lodging by tuning in to my Weekly Outdoor Report this Thursday evening during the 6 p.m. CST sportscast with Ross …

It usually takes some prodding to get me into the holiday spirit. I’m much more inclined to get excited about the arrival of ice for fishing this time of year than the coming of Santa Claus and his reindeer. Thanks to one event this season, though, I moved the needle a little closer to the “St. Nicked” side of the holiday excitement meter from its position at “Scrooged.” My wife and I attended Fort Robinson State Park’s annual Christmas dinner …

Join Ponca State Park for the Annual Christmas Bird Count on Sunday, December 14. Experienced and novice birders, nature enthusiasts, and families are invited to participate in this 115-year-old tradition sponsored by the National Audubon Society. Guests are advised to dress accordingly and to bring their binoculars and bird books. The event will begin at 7:30 a.m. in the Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center. A chili feed will be offered at noon amid counting. This event is …

The 1st Annual Snowman Building Contest at Ponca State Park started Saturday, November 29th with extremely challenging conditions. With highs in the 60s snow was scarce. However, Lee Brogie and her granddaughter Hazel took on the challenge. They found 2 patches of snow between the new playground and the East shelter and were able to construct this 8-inch snowman with a twig nose and a leaf hat. Entries for the Snowman Building Contest will be accepted thru March 19 ( …

Celebrate Thanksgiving weekend at Ponca State Park this Saturday, November 29. With Christmas just around the corner, warm up your cookie decorating skills and get a head start on holiday crafts such as homemade ornaments and greeting cards. The day will conclude with free family photos and lighted hayrack rides. All activities will meet at the Resource and Education Center. All ages welcome. Start your Christmas Day countdown by making your own natural chalkboard at 9 a.m. Participants must preregister …

Visit Ponca State Park on Saturday, November 22 for a natural science lesson on turtles, tortoises and the Missouri River. Bring your camera to learn about nature photography, and then make a scrapbook to share all your memories. Meet at the Resource and Education Center for all programs. All ages are welcome. At 10 a.m., meet the park’s resident turtles and tortoises and learn the differences between the two species. Bring your own camera to learn how to properly take …

People have come from all over the world to drink coffee with Elsie Eiler in Monowi, Nebraska. Not only does she own and operate the only business in the village —working six days a week as a cook and bartender at the local tavern — the great-grandmother also serves as mayor, village board president, librarian and local historian. Why does she do it? As the lone resident in the nation’s smallest incorporated village, she is the only one who can. …