As Nebraska’s state parks prepare for another summer season, some are adjusting their activity hours because of a limited workforce. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission urges park-goers to call ahead before visiting a park to check on activity times and availability.
- Biking
- Cabins
- Camping
- Fishing
- Food Service
- Golf
- Hiking
- Lodging
- Marina
- Picnicking
- Playground
- Swimming
- Trail Rides
This modern state park is the perfect year round destination for a family escape. Families can visit the aquatic center and indoor playground, explore the park’s hiking and biking trails, adventure through the treetop ropes course, climb the observation tower and, when the weather turns cold, enjoy indoor rock climbing, sledding and ice skating. The jewel of the park is Peter Kiewit Lodge, which offers 40 guest rooms, most with balconies that offer a stunning view of the Platte River valley. The park also offers an arts and crafts center, an array of cabins, as well as camping opportunities. Mahoney State Park is located midway between Nebraska’s two largest cities, Lincoln and Omaha and is open year round.
Make a ReservationAttractions
Go Ape ropes course
Looking for the ultimate outdoor adventure? Get ready for a totally unique outdoor experience. Way more than just zip lines, Go Ape is a 2-3-hour journey through the forest canopy. Our high-ropes adventure course features suspended obstacles, breathtaking zip lines and incredible views.
Go Ape provides a portion of their proceeds and stewardship services back to the park. To see what the fun is all about, check out this video! For pricing and more information please visit Go Ape directly at their website or call 1-800-971-8271.
Swimming
The Family Aquatic Center includes a swimming pool with two water slides, diving area, zero-entry wave pool, sun deck and concession area.
Golf, miniature golf and disc golf
The John R. Lauritzen Driving Range is closed for the summer season. The Esther Marie Daniel Miniature Golf Course offers 18 holes of family fun. Club and ball rental are available from the Activity Center and the Peter Kiewit Lodge. The park also offers an 18-hole disc golf course and occasional tournaments and other events throughout the year.
Owen Marina
Paddleboating and fishing are popular activities at this charming marina. Owen Marina on Baright Lake offers a concession stand, rental of paddleboats and has fishing and camping supplies, basic groceries and sundry items for sale. The marina serves sandwiches, snacks and drinks daily from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Some concession items may be limited.
Owen marina also offers a soccer balls, footballs, basketballs, volleyballs, bocce balls, horseshoes, softballs, bats, bases, tennis balls and rackets and fishing rods and reels for loan free of charge during business hours.
Arts and Crafts Center
Located at the Owen Marina convenience store, the arts and craft center is a spot where kids can paint ceramics, learn the art of leather tooling and create wood crafts and other projects.
Restaurant
The restaurant is currently closed. The park is working to secure a new vendor. Check back for updates.
Activity Center and ice skating pavilion
Weather can dictate the outdoor fun at Mahoney, but there is year-round recreation at the Activity Center. The Activity Center hosts a large indoor playground with fun tubes, slides, net bridges and ball pit. Parents can either join in the fun or sit and relax while enjoying food and beverages from the on-site concession. The Activity Center also serves pizza, which can be delivered to cabins and lodge rooms. Birthday parties can also be booked at the Activity Center! Call the park to schedule a birthday celebration.
Connected to the Activity Center is the ice skating pavilion, which is open during the winter and provides great family fun. Ice skate rental is available during Activity Center business hours. The ice skating season generally begins in mid-November, weather permitting. Please call (402) 944-2523 ext. #7122 for more information regarding the Activity Center and ice rink conditions.
Current hours of operation:
Monday, Thursday & Friday: 4-8 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Venture Climb
Mahoney State Park’s Venture Climb, housed in a new, state-of-the-art addition to the Activity Center, features a 42-foot climbing wall with both auto- and top-rope belays, as well as a bouldering structure. Climbers are treated to scenic views of the park through the facility’s floor-to-ceiling windows.
Venture Climb is great for both novice and experienced climbers and is ADA-accessible. Admission is $11 for adults and $10 for children age 12 and under. Equipment rental is included with admission price. Personal equipment is permitted but must first be inspected and approved by a Venture Climb employee. There is no time limit for climbing.
Those who wish to use the facility must fit into a harness provided by the park. All climbers must sign a waiver in person prior to using the facility. A parent must sign the waiver for climbers 18 and younger.
Current hours of operation:
Monday, Thursday & Friday: 4-8 p.m.
Saturday: 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Theater
Live performances take place at the Denman and Mary Mallory Kountze Memorial Theater year round, and the building is also available for group functions. Information on upcoming performances is available on the theater’s website. For ticket information, call the park office.
Horse trail rides
Mahoney State Park offers horse trail rides May through Labor Day for adults and children age 6 and over. Trails begin at the John Wayne Stables. Tickets may be purchased at the Administration Office. Pony rides are available for children age 3 to 9.
Other activities
Mahoney State Park offers a wide range of activities for park visitors including a climbing wall, hiking/biking trails, pony rides, sand volleyball courts, tennis courts, a softball diamond and a conservancy where visitors can view native Nebraska plants. The park also has picnic shelters that may be reserved.
The Walter Scott Jr. Observation Tower provides a sweeping view of the Platte River and the park.
Check out free summer naturalist programs throughout the park in June and July. Ask at the administration building or the front desk of the Peter Kiewit Lodge for a detailed brochure with times and locations.
Winter activities
Sledding, cross country skiing, ice skating, ice fishing, special holiday activities and many other family events are all available during the winter months, depending on the weather. Please call the park office at (402) 944-2523 to check current weather conditions for these activities.
Public Park Programs
For information regarding free monthly park programs and special events at Nebraska’s Venture Parks, view the links below.
View February 2023 Educational Programs >
View March 2023 Educational Programs >
Group functions
Meeting rooms and other accommodations
Peter Kiewit Lodge offers several meeting rooms available for conferences, workshops, family events and other group functions. Crete Carrier Riverview Lodge, popular for weddings and other larger group functions, offers a spectacular view of the park. Both a kitchen and catering service are available. The Activity Center’s ice skating pavilion, during warmer months, can host large events such as weddings, company picnics, and special events. Catering is available. Additionally, the theater, picnic shelters and some of the larger cabins can also accommodate large groups. For more information on group functions, call 402-944-2523 ext. 7327.
Lodging Facilities
Peter Kiewit Lodge
Beautiful Kiewit Lodge offers 40 guest rooms, each with, mini-fridge, microwave, coffee pot, AC and heat, wireless Internet, telephone, TV and a private bath. Sixteen have sleeping lofts and 24 have walkout decks that overlook either the park or the Platte River.
Cabins
Secluded on wooded ridgetops, Mahoney State Park offers 57 cabins, 49 of which have two bedrooms, three of which have four bedrooms and five of which have six bedrooms. Each cabin has air conditioning/heat, fireplace, TV, refrigerator, range, cable TV, outdoor deck and grill and are open year round. The larger cabins are popular spots for extended families to get together.
Camping
Camping Information
Mahoney State Park offer Full Hookup, Electric Plus and Electric campsites. There are a total of 148 campsites. Lakeside Campground (100-148 campsites) are located close to Baright Lake and Owen Marina. Little Creek Campground (1-99 campsites) is close to a playground, basketball court and the coin operated laundry facility. Both campgrounds have drinking water, showers and modern restrooms. A dump and fill station is located conveniently near the park entrance.
Tent camping is available at Mahoney State Park in the two modern campgrounds. Tent campers will use the grassy area next to the pad site to set up their tent. Those tenting will pay the camping fee applicable to the site occupied. If making reservations, look for the site description of “tentable.” This means there is a level grassy space for a tent.
Reservations are accepted for half of the campsites in Lakeside and Little Creek campgrounds up to 180 days in advance of arrival date and paid in full at the time the reservation is made. All other camping at Mahoney State Park is first-come, first-served. Campers with advance reservations and those camping first-come, first-served must stop at the Lauritzen Administration building located at the park entrance to check-in or register to camp prior to setting up on a campsite. If arriving after hours, campers must go to the Peter Kiewit Lodge customer service desk and check in or register for a first-come, first-served site.
Reservations
Mahoney State Park offers reservations for cabins up to one year in advance and up to 180 days in advance for half of the campsites. The remaining campsites are available first-come, first-serve. Guests can plan vacations, check for availability and make their reservations online 24 hours a day, seven days a week or can call the Nebraska State Parks reservation call center at 402-471-1414, Monday through Friday between 9 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Maps
Fees
A park entry permit is required and may be purchased at the park, statewide Game and Parks offices and permit vendors or in advance of your arrival online. For a complete list of park and activity fees, click the button below.
Nearby attractions
Parks, golf and museums
- Platte River State Park: With its beautiful view, miles of tranquil trails and rustic cabins, Platte River State Park is a great complement to the more modern Mahoney State Park, and many visitors take advantage of both.
- Schramm Park State Recreation Area: Schramm Park State Recreation Area offers scenic trails and picnic day use facilities. Schramm Park Education Center, the former adjacent Aksarben Aquarium, has been expanded into a state-of-the-art nature, aquarium and interactive exploration center. It is now open to the public as of May 1, 2019.
- Louisville State Recreation Area: Louisville State Recreation Area is home to a brand new floating playground! It also offers excellent opportunities for RV camping, as well as five sandpit lakes that are popular with anglers.
- SAC Museum: Strategic Air Command Museum showcases an impressive array of aircraft that helped SAC preserve the peace during the Cold War, as well as other exhibits relating to air and space craft.
- Wildlife Safari Park: Wildlife Safari Park is a four mile, drive-through North American wildlife adventure that brings visitors face-to-face with North American plants and animals such as elk, white-tailed deer, bison and waterfowl.
- Quarry Oaks Golf Course: Quarry Oaks Championship Golf Course near the park offers a fabulous golfing experience set on the rolling wooded hills overlooking the Platte River. Contact Quarry Oaks to arrange your tee times up to 30 days in advance.
Contact Information
Address: Eugene T. Mahoney State Park | 28500 West Park Hwy | Ashland, NE 68003
Phone: (402) 944-2523
Email: Send email
