Apr 23, 2025
Celebrate Bird Month in Nebraska
Nebraska Game and Parks and partner organizations celebrate May with a variety of bird activities.
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Visitors to state park areas in northeastern Nebraska will find enhanced day-use and camping amenities. Projects in the works or completed will appeal to an array of park users. The following is a roundup of those improvements and projects:
Ponca State Park – Electrical pedestals were installed at Ponca State Park’s Eric Wiebe Shooting Complex for use by vendors during the annual Missouri River Outdoor Expo. This $20,000 project was paid for with Land and Water Conservation Funds.
Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area – Peak camping season will kick off at Fremont LakesState Recreation Areawith major upgrades at the Pathfinder and Victory Lake campgrounds, which are nearly completed.
The improvements at Pathfinder are a new restroom/shower house, electrical upgrade to 50 amps and ADA-compliant concrete pads. At Victory Lake, there will be an electrical upgrade to 50 amps and ADA-compliant concrete pads. The dump station also has been replaced.
In total, 156 campsites received electrical upgrades and nine additional camping pads now are ADA-compliant.
The $2,364,710 project was funded by the American Rescue Plan Act and Land and Water Conservation Funds.
Camping will be available at Fremont Lakes SRA for the 2025 peak season, with the reservation portal opening May 1 for select campsites and date ranges.
Niobrara SP – Sediment was removed from the Niobrara River boat ramp at Niobrara SP to make the river accessible to kayakers. The $10,000 project was paid for with Capital Maintenance Funds. Also, a new playground will be built later this year in the electrical campground at a cost of $150,000 using Land and Water Conservation Funds.
Lewis and Clark SRA – The Burbach Campground expansion at Lewis and Clark SRA included the addition of eight rock pad sites with 50-amp electrical hookups. This $50,000 project used a Knox County Economic Development Grant and Capital Maintenance Funds.
Dead Timber SRA – New amenities in the design phase for Dead Timber SRA are a covered shelter, eight gravel camping pads, two concrete Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant campsites with 50-amp hookups, and a vault toilet. The project at this Dodge County park will cost approximately $800,000 and be funded by the Fremont and Dodge County Convention and Visitors Bureau, Community Development Block Grant for Disaster Recovery and the Capital Maintenance Fund.
Willow Creek SRA – The construction of a covered, ADA-compliant fishing pier is nearly complete at Willow Creek SRA in Pierce County. This 15-foot by 20-foot pier is located near the boat ramp west of the campground. The pier, which will have benches installed, is designed for anglers to fish in deeper water while providing accessibility to all anglers.
Funding for the $311,000 project is provided by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission’s Aquatic Habitat Fund, Capital Maintenance Fund and Federal Aid in Sportfish Restoration.
Cowboy Trail – Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail sections near Neligh and just west of Norfolk have reopened to the public after repairs were made from damages caused by the historic 2019 flood.
Repairs 2 miles west of Neligh included bank stabilization and new trail surfacing. Trail users now can enjoy a closer view of the Elkhorn River in this area. At Norfolk, the damage occurred near the trail bridge over the Elkhorn about 3.75 miles west of the Ta-Ha-Zouka Park trailhead.
Beginning in Norfolk and spanning 317 miles west to Chadron, the Cowboy Trail, celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, is one of the largest Rails-to-Trails projects in the United States. The trail is developed 187 miles between Norfolk and Valentine, and 15 miles between Gordon and Rushville. The Cowboy Trail is free to access and open to hiking, biking, and equestrian use.
The projects funded by Capital Maintenance and Land and Water Conservation Funds improve safety and accessibility, protect natural habitats, boost local economies, and ensure long-term sustainability. These investments create more welcoming parks for everyone to enjoy now and in the future.
Capital Maintenance Funds were established by the Nebraska Legislature to help preserve Nebraska’s public outdoor recreation facilities and parklands. These, as well as state and federal funding sources, and Nebraska Game and Parks’ funds generated from user fees of the state park system, funded these park improvement projects.
