Parks

The July issue of NEBRASKAland magazine is out and in it you will find a little story about one of the Panhandle’s quiet out-of-the-way places to fish and camp – Walgren Lake State Recreation Area. My family and I often bank on Walgren, located just southeast of Hay Springs, for a quick fishing trip or an overnighter. The article highlights much of the lake’s colorful history, dating back to the 1920s when the state fish and game agency obtained ownership …

Dakota County’s Budding State Recreation Area Tucked away among the rolling hills of Dakota County, Danish Alps State Recreation Area (SRA) derives its name from the early Danish pioneers who first settled in the area. Its creation was part of a two-fold plan by the Papio-Missouri Natural Resource District (NRD): to stabilize the Pigeon/Jones Creek Watershed and to build the most thoughtfully planned recreation area possible. Plans for the SRA were drawn up in the fall of 2009, and the …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska Game and Parks Commission conservation officers will conduct special enforcement patrols focusing on state recreation areas (SRA) and other Commission-managed property in Lancaster and Gage counties. The efforts will focus primarily on weekends from June 30 through September 3, with conservation officers conducting high-visibility patrols on and off the water. These special patrols will focus on reducing the potential for alcohol-related vehicle and boat accidents around Branched Oak SRA, Pawnee SRA, Bluestem SRA, Wagon Train SRA, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Oglala Lakota storyteller Jerome Kills Small will be featured in a program July 7 at Ponca State Park. Kills Small will entertain with iktomi (trickster tales) and ohunkanka (old legends) that were passed down for generations as part of the Lakota and Dakota Sioux traditions. The event is at 4 p.m. at the Resource and Education Center. A potluck dinner will follow. The event is made possible by Friends of the Ponca Carnegie Library, Humanities Nebraska and …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is reminding park visitors and area residents of the mandatory permitting process for tractors operating on the beaches of Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area (SRA). Game and Parks has created a simple, required permitting process that follows state park regulations and allows for more towing operations on McConaughy’s beaches. All tractors are required to obtain an annual permit, regardless of whether they are for commercial or private use. There is currently …

As soon as we arrived at the Chadron City Ponds for a short family fishing excursion, our dog Benny’s attention turned to the shoreline. His eyes were fixed on a bird dangling upside down from the rushes. Sadly, just as I suspected, the American robin had become tangled in fishing line. That bird flew off with a dangling leg for an undetermined fate as soon as I clipped the braided line free – a better fate than many of the …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Riverview Marina State Recreation Area (SRA) in Otoe County is temporarily closed to the public. Rising water levels in the Missouri River led Nebraska Game and Parks Commission staff to close the area Tuesday. Riverview Marina SRA is adjacent to the Missouri River and offers river access. The closure includes campgrounds and the boat dock. Precautions are being taken in northeastern Nebraska as river levels rise. No park areas have been closed, but parks staff have moved …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP) on June 6 and has been confirmed by a state entomologist. Nebraska Department of Agriculture (NDA) staff found EAB in a baited trap at the park’s Lakeside Campground. EAB is an invasive beetle native to Asia. It kills ash trees when its larvae feed on the inner bark, disrupting the tree’s ability to transport water and nutrients. Since first discovered in the United States …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Ease into July with a series of fun summer activities for all ages at Ponca State Park. June 27 – Take an introductory course to archery and muzzleloading, and learn how to make a bird feeder from everyday items in the home. June 28 – Learn how to shoot a pellet rifle, discover the types of wildflowers growing in the park, and find out about a giant creature that swam through the park 90 million years ago. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – The following is a listing of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission events and important dates in July. Get more event details at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov. Visit OutdoorNebraska.org for a list of hunter education classes and boating safety classes. June 30-July 1 – Living History, Fort Atkinson State Historical Park (SHP), Fort Calhoun July 1 – Archery fishing of game fish is allowed statewide through Dec. 31 July 1 – Underwater spearfishing of game fish allowed in certain waters through …