GERING, Neb. – A virtual program from the Wildcat Hills Nature Center will explore the traditions and celebrations of the spring equinox. The program will be 10 a.m. MST on Saturday, March 13. The spring equinox, which is the astronomical first day of spring in the northern hemisphere, is March 20 this year. After the equinox, the northern half of the globe will begin tilting closer to the sun. Amanda Filipi, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission outdoor education specialist …

MINATARE, Neb. – When camping season hits its stride, visitors to Lake Minatare State Recreation Area will enjoy many improvements that were made in 2020. At Lake View, the area of the park that features the 55-foot lighthouse observation tower, workers have replaced the shower’s wastewater system and upgraded electrical service to campsites. Dan Thornton, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission superintendent who manages the park, said the projects may not be obvious to the naked eye, but that they …

VALENTINE, Neb. – Visitors to Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area have a new place to gather the shade. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission recently installed a new 988-square-foot shelter at the Cedar Bay area. The $100,000 cost of the project was equally divided between the Game and Parks Capital Maintenance Fund and a grant from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. Cedar Bay, which features 46 campsites, is one of eight campgrounds at the 2,900-acre reservoir. The new shelter is …

CRAWFORD, Neb. – In addition to a $1.27 million campground expansion, a long list of other improvements is in the works at Fort Robinson State Park. Many of the items are maintenance on the park’s buildings, most of which date back to the 1800s when the park was a base for the U.S. Cavalry and which now serve as lodging, but there is some new construction, too. “Providing the modern amenities that park goers want in a place that has …

CRAWFORD, Neb. – There will be more happy campers at Fort Robinson State Park. Or, at least there will be room for them. The park is adding 42 new pads to the Red Cloud Campground, which serves visitors seeking full hookups for their recreational vehicles and campers. Each pad will have connections for 50-amp electricity, water and sewage. The expansion will more than double the size of the campground, which has 32 pads. Mike Morava, Nebraska Game and Parks Commission …

CHADRON, Neb. — A big year calls for big improvements for Nebraska’s first state park. Chadron State Park, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2021, has been the subject of sizable upgrades and new construction at points throughout its 977 acres. “This is a special year for us, and I’m thankful for those who have worked to make sure the park is in tip-top shape come summer,” said Gregg Galbraith, park superintendent. Perhaps the most noticeable project is the …

ALLIANCE, Neb. – Many anglers have been enjoying the popular pastime of ice-fishing in recent weeks, even though mild temperatures have caused conditions to vary greatly throughout ponds and reservoirs in the Nebraska Panhandle. Locations that have drawn anglers include Box Butte State Recreation Area, Smith Lake Wildlife Management Area, Frye Lake WMA, Walgren SRA, Island Lake on the Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge and the Chadron City Reservoirs. Sean McKeehan, a Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conservation officer, said …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is offering additional incentives to landowners who sign-up for the Conservation Reserve Program, commonly known as CRP. Agricultural producers and private landowners can enroll in the CRP general sign-up through Feb. 12, or continuous CRP practices until Oct. 1. The program administered by the USDA’s Farm Service Agency provides annual rental payments for land devoted to conservation. Through CRP, farmers and ranchers establish a perennial cover, such as a stand of …

The Cheyenne Buttes provide one of the most scenic vantage points in the Pine Ridge. They also are forever tied to an event from Fort Robinson State Park’s history as a U.S. Cavalry post and got their name from a notorious event. Historians rate the happenings of Jan. 9, 1879, among the most significant events of the Indian Wars. While that day is certainly important, it is just one day among a period of more than three months. The previous …

CRAWFORD, Neb. – Nebraska’s bighorn sheep hunting season ended Friday afternoon, Dec. 4, as the state’s only permit holder found success at Fort Robinson State Park in the Pine Ridge. Matt Odgen of Grand Island, who won his permit by a drawing open to Nebraska residents, harvested a 10-year-old Rocky Mountain bighorn ram from the herd that roams the northwest Nebraska tourist attraction. Todd Nordeen, the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission big game and disease research manager who supervises the …