Parks

It bothers me to no end that people have such cavalier excuses regarding why they don’t want to wear life jackets on the water in a boat. For instance, this year, with higher water conditions, faster currents and more debris in the water, why would you even think of not wearing a life jacket if you’re planning on boating (where there are not flood watches or warnings)? I just don’t understand it! What excuses are you going to give us? …

Nebraskaland regional editor Justin Haag pays tribute to Carter P. Johnson Lake at Fort Robinson State Park. By Justin Haag I always look forward to June, but this one is a little bittersweet because it’s the first without an old friend, “Carter P.” Carter P. Johnson Lake, that is. The once beautiful 20-acre lake at Fort Robinson State Park is now gone after the dam along Soldier Creek was purposely breached last fall. The Nebraska Department of Natural Resources had …

It’s hot. It’s humid. Whew! Yeah, it’s summer alright. Hey, has your fishing success slowed with the conditions? I though so. Well, one fish leads the way with lots of action for anglers in the good, old summertime — bluegill. A male bluegill stands guard on its nest in a southern Nebraska pond. Underwater photo courtesy of NEBRASKAland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Maybe it’s the kid in me, I don’t know. But, at 61 years of age (approaching 62), …

At 2,845 acres and a little more than 4 miles long, Sherman Reservoir is far from Nebraska’s largest. Story and photos by Eric Fowler At 2,845 acres and a little more than 4 miles long, Sherman Reservoir is far from Nebraska’s largest. Yet between five large bays that branch off the main lake, and the many coves found in each of those, the lake boasts a maze of 77 miles of shoreline when full. That ranks second among the state’s …

Campground is second home for Gering woman By Justin Haag If you’re looking for Eleanor Shimek in the summer, your best bet is to check the campground. The Gering resident has served as a campground host at Nebraska state recreation areas in the Panhandle and central Nebraska since the late 1990s and continues to make the most of her time doing it. Dan Thornton, superintendent at Lake Minatare State Recreation Area, considers Shimek to be one of the park’s outstanding …

The warmer weather is here and it’s time to fire up that grill, if you haven’t done so already! Some of us grill meat and other foods year-round, while the rest of us are probably just beginning. Regardless, as the weather improves and becomes more summer-like, it means more home-cooked, barbecued meals for the folks in your household, cabin or campsite. Grilled Nebraska beef steaks. Photo by Greg Wagner/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Though I may not cook much (my …

More than 230 waterfalls adorn the Niobrara Valley, but one state park attraction still stands above them all Story and photos by Justin Haag It’s reassuring to return to places that don’t change much over time. While such can be said of other Nebraska rivers and streams, there’s something exceptional, and especially enduring, about this spot tucked away in a canyon 250 yards from the Niobrara River. A place where one can rely on the water flowing from more than …

Many summer fun activities in Nebraska involve being in or around water. Remember these tips to make sure everyone comes home safe at the end of the day. By Julie Geiser For Swimmers • Only swim in designated swimming areas, especially in large reservoirs where there are boaters and personal watercraft users. • Don’t dive into water less than 12 feet deep. Enter the water feet-first to check for depth and to avoid head or neck injuries or drownings. Never …

It’s camping season and friends of mine told me the other day they were thinking of heading out on a Friday night to camp at a popular state recreation area in order to “get away from it all” on a nice weekend. Hmmm … I wanted to tell them that most likely, they were heading to an area to where it all will be happening with quite a few people there. Admittedly, I don’t want to be around big crowds …

Recent projects to improve fisheries and access are coming into their own and producing keeper-sized fish. By Eric Fowler Three years after Glenn Cunningham Lake in Omaha was drained to kill invasive zebra mussels, the reservoir is expected to provide excellent fishing this year. Drawing down the 390-acre reservoir in 2019 also allowed the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to replace vegetation barriers and gravel on spawning beds and repair a breakwater and fishing deck installed during a major Aquatic …