Apr 9, 2025
Commission will consider big game hunting recommendations
Commissioners will consider staff proposals for 2025 deer, antelope and elk hunting seasons.
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Visitors to state park areas in southwestern 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:
Visitors will find upgraded lights in the interpretive center built over the entrance of Ash Hollow Cave to protect it while allowing visitors to experience its unique features. The museum in the visitor center also received upgraded lighting where park guests can view displays of pioneer history, Native American history, as well as geologic and palaeontologic history. The lighting project was completed in March 2025 with park cash funds of $1,000.
Concrete voids were repaired at the Martin Bay boat ramp and boat ramp repairs were made at Cedar View in October 2024 at Lake McConaughy SRA. The $30,900 in repairs was funded by the boating access program.
Martin Bay is slated to build a new, full-service, 37-pad campground with 50-amp electric soon.
Upgrades to the Martin Bay dump station will give the existing basic campground and the proposed new campground ample room for use.
At the public archery range, the archery shelter was reroofed and painted last October. The $2,500 project was funded by Park Cash and Big Mac Sports Club.
Three new waterfront basic camping sites were built at Buffalo Bill Ranch SRA in 2024 using Park Cash funds of $3,500.
The project at Lake Maloney SRA‘s Kansas Point has increased access along the shoreline at the inlet for anglers to be able to fish closer to the water’s edge.
An approximately 340-foot walking trail was constructed from the fish-cleaning station and parking area and leads to a new wooden fishing pier overlooking the spillway at the inlet. An Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant paved angler access walkway was included in the project and provides about 450-feet of accessible fishing along the shoreline. The walkway contains block walls with built-in lighting, benches, along with ADA parking and ramp. Additional lighting was added to help make the area more user friendly for night anglers. Tree removal along the inlet also was completed, which opened access to the shoreline, providing room for bank fishing or wading.
Five rock shoals were installed perpendicularly along the paved walkway to create habitat diversity for fish. The shoals contain four cubic yards of concrete rip rap and are marked with fish stamps along the walkway. Three gravel spawning beds were placed on the sandy bottom of the canal to enhance fish habitat and increase angler success.
This $1.1 million project was completed with Nebraska Game and Parks Aquatic Habitat Funds in partnership with the Nebraska Public Power District who provided the engineering design and rip rap for erosion control and rock shoal construction.
At the outlet, shoreline cleanup of trees, filling in holes, and waterfront restoration is almost complete. This project is funded by park cash funds.
Adding electrical camping sites on the outlet side is in the planning phase.
Park guests at Swanson SRA will enjoy 24 new, basic camping sites along the waterfront that have direct access to the beach. A new 1.5-mile hiking trail across from the day-use shelter on Trail 4 was built. These projects were completed in March 2025.
Beach and shoreline cleanup to remove overgrowth of a mile of Russian Olive and cottonwood trees along with thick buckbrush on Trails 3 and 7 are almost complete; more cleanup will continue throughout the year. The projects at Swanson SRA are funded by park cash funds.
Red Willow SRA has an electric campsite upgrade in the planning stage. This project will boost all electric sites to 50 amps for all types of campers and RV use.
Medicine Creek SRA has three rental cabins that received floor upgrades in April 2025. A shower house restoration included sealing and painting of walls and floors. Shower walls were made taller, providing more room for guests. New shower heads and curtains were installed.
The day-use and beach areas were expanded by removing Russian Olive trees and thick areas of buckbrush, which opened the beach area, giving park visitors more space to recreate on the water’s edge. These projects were funded by park cash.
To provide fish habitat, spawning habitat and shoreline protection, 42 rock shoals are slated to be built this fall if water levels are low enough. The project will be funded by a Bureau of Reclamation grant along with Aquatic Habitat Funds.
People visiting Rock Creek SRA have a new vault toilet with ADA-compliant parking and a walkway to use. The upgrade was added in April 2025 with a cost of $24,000 with Land and Water Conservation Funds and Capital Maintenance Funding to complete.
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.
