Tag Archives: Ponca State Park

LINCOLN – Rekindle winter family traditions or create new ones during the Winterfest at Ponca State Park. Scheduled for Saturdays Nov. 30 through Feb. 28, activities are free and open to the public. Each Saturday from Nov. 30 through Dec. 28 at the Resource and Education Center there will be crafts and activities from 10 a.m.-noon, cookie decorating from 1-2 p.m., classic holiday movies shown from 2-4 p.m., and hayrack rides from 5-6 p.m. Special events scheduled in December include …

The massive Missouri River Outdoor Expo at Ponca State Park (www.missouririverexpo.com) is in the crosshairs for my Weekly TV Outdoor Report on Omaha’s WOWT Channel 6 (www.wowt.com) live this Thursday at 6 p.m CST during the sportscast. Greg Ortiz of the Channel 6 Sports Machine and I are gonna show you why you and your family should attend this grand-scale expo which is one of the largest in the nation! There will be more than 80 hands-on outdoor activities for you and the kids to …

LINCOLN, Neb. – An inaugural Kid’s Cook-off is scheduled for the Missouri River Outdoor Expo, which will be held Sept. 21-22 at Ponca State Park. The cook-off, to be held Sept. 21, will feature two divisions. Children ages 5-10 will prepare gourmet s’mores at 10 a.m. and children ages 11-15 will make pie iron Hot Pockets at 2 p.m. All the food, equipment and supplies will be provided. Children will be given a variety of ingredients and then encouraged to …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Explore the journey of the Corps of Discovery during Lewis and Clark Heritage Day on Aug. 24 at Ponca State Park. The expedition passed through the Ponca area in late August more than 200 years ago. Activities include canoeing the Missouri National Recreational River with the National Park Service, educational programs presented by park staff, period games and crafts. Historical performer Darrel Draper will present a program at the park’s West Shelter at 1 and 4 p.m. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Ponca State Park invites the public to explore the arthropods and archeology of that part of northeast Nebraska during Bugs and Bones Weekend, June 15-16. The annual event features hands-on activities for all ages, including fossil digs, educational hikes, crafts and hayrack rides. On June 15, a Dino Hunt Archery Shoot for ages 8 and older will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. The cost is $1 for six arrows. Observe a retired paleontologist chip …

LINCOLN, Neb. – All ages are welcome to participate in the Fourth Annual Scheels Sixty 3-D Archery Shoot at Ponca State Park on June 1-2. The event will be held from 8 a.m.-3 p.m. both days and features 60 challenging 3-D targets. Demonstrations of the newest bows and crossbows will also be available. The registration fee is $15 for adults. Youth age 14 and under are free. Lunch is included with registration and the first 100 registrants receive a T-shirt. …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Birders of all experience levels are invited to attend Northeast District Birding Day with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission on May 15 at Ponca State Park. Several birding opportunities are scheduled throughout the day, beginning at 6 a.m. at the park office. Birders should bring binoculars and field guides, if they have them, as well as sunscreen, insect repellant and the appropriate clothing and footwear. Contact the park for more information at ngpc.ponca@nebraska.gov or 402-755-2284.

LINCOLN, Neb. – Ponca State Park and the Missouri National Recreational River are seeking volunteers for the inaugural Mighty Mo Annual Cleanup on April 20. This is an effort to remove trash and debris from the banks and sandbars left by the 2011 flood and exposed by the drought of 2012. Volunteers will meet at the park’s boat ramp at 8 a.m. Boats will transport volunteers to cleanup sites, where work will conclude at 11:30 a.m. A lunch will be …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Ponca State Park will host its second Outdoor Cooking Camp May 3-5. The interactive camp includes a variety of specialty courses with hands-on instruction. Courses include campfire cooking, wild game sausage making, smoking meat and backyard barbecue, grilling techniques, fish preparation, canning venison, jerky making and dehydration, making strawberry preserves and Dutch oven cooking. Special nature-inspired programs for youth run concurrent with adult courses and include campfire cooking and safety, food art and wild edibles hike. The …

LINCOLN, Neb. – Ponca State Park offers a variety of family activities for Easter on March 30. These activities include an Easter egg hunt, wild bird egg/nest craft, wildlife viewing from a blind that may be reserved on a first-come, first-served basis, and 30-percent discount on lodging. Call the park for reservations at 402-755-2284, and visit the park’s Facebook page for activity updates. A park entry permit is required for each vehicle entering the park.