Tag Archives: Ponca State Park

LINCOLN – Families and outdoor enthusiasts of all ages can enjoy a series of educational workshops at Ponca State Park Aug. 3-7. During nature-related workshops, participants can make crafts and learn about topics such as wildlife identification, catfish and birds. Participants can also try activities such as kayaking and archery or learn about various types of firearms. Hayrack tours will be offered on Aug. 6. A park permit is required of each vehicle entering the park. Fees apply to some …

LINCOLN – A variety of fun workshops based around nature and outdoor activities is scheduled for July 26-31 at Ponca State Park (SP). Outdoor recreation enthusiasts can enjoy introductory sessions on archery, kayaking, wilderness survival skills and various types of firearms. Wildlife and nature sessions will highlight species such as owls, butterflies and nighttime creatures. Visitors will also have the opportunity to learn about different habitats at Ponca SP and to compete in outdoor games. A park permit is required …

LINCOLN – A full weekend of fun and educational activities for all ages is scheduled July 9-10 at Ponca State Park. On July 9, park visitors may participate in an introduction to shooting archery, shotguns and .22 rifles, learn about wildlife species found along the Missouri River, discover the difference between native and invasive species, and learn how to identify wildlife by tracks and scat. In addition, backwater kayaking and hayrack park tours are scheduled throughout the day. July 10’s …

There are a couple, three, water-related, fishing, boating news items I want to mention, spread the word about, before this holiday weekend. Goose Lake WMA Open in Time for Memorial Day Weekend LINCOLN – Goose Lake Wildlife Management Area (WMA), located southeast of Chambers in Holt County, will reopen to public access beginning May 28. The area had been closed earlier this spring while the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission treated the lake to suppress the growth and spread of …

LINCOLN – Learn more about the wildlife of Ponca State Park during Saturday Fun Day on April 23. The event, which is suited for all ages, focuses on education about the various animal and bird species that live in the park and along the Missouri River. “Ponca has a diverse range of wildlife,” says event coordinator Lynn Mellick. “We have an abundance of songbirds, as well as beavers, turkeys, and raccoons, to name a few. This event is an exciting …

LINCOLN – Gwen McGhee of Newcastle won Ponca State Park’s Hiking Marathon. She was one of 16 people from Nebraska and Iowa who competed in the event Jan. 1-March 5. Participants were given the opportunity to hike the park’s 22 miles of trails individually or with a naturalist. At the conclusion of the marathon, names of the hikers who had completed the challenge were put in a drawing. McGhee won a Missouri River Outdoor Expo sweatshirt, rechargeable hand and foot …

LINCOLN – Enjoy the wonders of the spring bird migration from scenic Ponca State Park (SP) during Marsh Madness. Marsh Madness is a migratory celebration held each weekend in March at Ponca. The park’s location adjacent to the Missouri River presents a significant flyway that serves as the feeding, breeding and staging ground for migratory birds. Ponca SP is listed as an “Important Bird Area” by the National Audubon Society, with nearly 300 bird species sighted and more than 70 …

LINCOLN – Enjoy Valentine’s Day at a Nebraska state park this winter. Valentine’s dining specials are offered at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP) on Feb. 12 – 14 and at Platte River SP on Feb. 13 – 14. In addition, Mahoney SP has a lodging discount on Feb. 11 and special Valentine’s packages available for those who reserve a cabin or lodge room between Feb. 11 and Feb. 14. Birds and Breakfast is the theme of the Valentine’s weekend …

The best of fall is upon us!  The fish are biting, pheasants and quail to hunt, deer are moving and the weather has been gorgeous.  I plan to spend as little time as possible sitting in front of my computer in the coming weeks.  But, I want to get a quick blog post up today, an update on some angler access improvement projects being done this fall: Two Missouri River Boat Ramps Will Be Built in Northeast Nebraska LINCOLN – …

LINCOLN – Missouri River boaters in northeast Nebraska will have two new ramps to launch from by next spring, one at Ponca State Park (SP) and another at Mulberry Bend Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission will begin work soon at both sites in Dixon County. A new concrete boat ramp and parking area will be built on Elk Point Bend on the northwest edge of Ponca SP. The work site will be closed to public …