Parks

LINCOLN, Neb. – Escape the hustle and bustle this year and spend Valentine’s Day in a relaxed setting at a Nebraska state park or recreation area. Several parks will be offering discounted lodging, gift packages, special dinners and birding tours. Reserve a cabin or lodge room at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park (SP) between Feb. 10-14 (Friday through Tuesday) and add a Valentine package to your reservation. Reservations on Monday and Tuesday are at a 30 percent discounted rate. Gift …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Mormon Island State Recreation Area near Doniphan has reopened to the public. Late last week, an ice jam on the Platte River led to flooding in parts of the recreation area, and the campground lost power. Nebraska Game and Parks Commission officials on Feb. 3 closed the area until further notice. On Feb. 7, officials decided to reopen the park after flood waters receded and power to the campground was restored. Just off Interstate 80, Mormon Island …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Mormon Island State Recreation Area near Doniphan is temporarily closed. An ice jam on the Platte River led to flooding in parts of the recreation area. Nebraska Game and Parks officials on Friday made the decision to close the area until further notice. Officials expect that the flooding will subside as the ice jam breaks up. -30-

LINCOLN, Neb. – The Owen Crossing Bridge at Platte River State Park will be temporarily closed for maintenance Feb. 13 – March 31. The hike-bike trail bridge in the northeast portion of the park spans Decker Creek. The closure will temporarily cut off access to the trails in the Sjogren wildlife track. The park has several other trails that will not be affected. A park entry permit is required of each vehicle entering the park.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Treat yourself and your valentine to birding counts and hikes, breakfast and a scavenger hunt during Ponca State Park’s Birds and Breakfast event Saturday, Feb. 11. Cabin guests and birders can enjoy a breakfast of biscuits and gravy, scrambled eggs and sausage links, which is free to cabin guests. Call the park at 402-755-2284 to register. The day’s activities also include Great Backyard Bird Count tours with an expert birder from the Loess Hills Audubon Society, a …

GERING — The Wildcat Hills Shooting Sports Complex at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area is seeking enrollees for its first series of classes which consist of six sessions about muzzleloaders and archery. Both topics have a course set for each of the coming months – February, March and April. The courses are offered in three two-hour sessions over consecutive weeks. Cat Vinton, the facility’s superintendent, expects the courses to be popular. With advancements in equipment, long seasons and distinctive challenges, …

GERING – The New Year brings a move to new offices for staff of the Wildcat Hills Nature Center at Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area. Staff members began operating from their newly renovated offices after returning from the New Year’s holiday, bringing business operations such as selling hunting, fishing and park entry permits back to that location. Gary Shoemaker, park superintendent, said the building’s exhibits and the other public spaces of the facility won’t be ready for a few months, …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Stretch your legs and explore Ponca State Park’s beautiful landscapes by participating in the Hiking Marathon Challenge. Now through March 11, the public is invited to hike each of the park’s nine trails – about 22 miles in total – for the chance to win a door prize. All ages are welcome to participate. The Hiking Marathon Challenge can be completed individually or with family and friends. Guided hikes will be held on the following dates: Jan. …

It’s that time of year again. The time when we look back and reflect on all that we managed to accomplish in 2016. The time of year when we are already dreaming of warmer days ahead and what 2017 will bring. It’s the time of resolutions. If you are the outdoorsy type like me, you may share in some of my new years’ resolutions. 1) Improve my orienteering skills I know that the sun rises early in the East and …

Before the accident, he loved to hunt, fish, hike, watch wildlife, target shoot and camp. But in the last six months, he has questioned whether it would even be possible to do any of those outdoor activities ever again without being able to use his legs to walk. You see, my son-in-law, Tyler Nichols, of Omaha, NE, while serving with the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, NC, was involved in a horrific motor vehicle accident on Father’s …