I recently saw the most incredible meme. It compared hiking with a naturalist to hiking with someone who was there for physical activity.
The naturalist finished the 1-mile hike in about 3 hours, while the person motivated by exercise finished in about 11 minutes.
You may wonder why the naturalist took so long to finish the hike. If you have hiked with a naturalist, or someone who appreciates nature, you know every little thing is worth exploring. The person hiking for physical activity missed those things because he had his headphones on and was trying to outcompete himself for the best time on his smart watch.
No matter your hiking objective, remember you’re out in nature.
Maybe you have a favorite hiking spot in Nebraska or maybe you’re looking to get started. Read on about five places that surely will become new favorites.
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Windlass Hill Trail — Ash Hollow State Historical Park
Ash Hollow State Historical Park near Lewellen offers nearly 9 miles of trails. If you’re looking for a place to hike where there’s little chance of running into people, then Windlass Hill Trail might be for you.
Although Windlass is only a half-mile loop, it can be moderately challenging. Here, you can run, hike, walk or take the pups with you. Take it slow and admire the wildflowers, see the yucca blooming, listen for grassland birds and look for a variety of animals — mammals, rodents, reptiles and tons of insects.
Lake Ogallala Trail — Lake Ogallala State Recreation Area
Lake Ogallala Trail offers 9 miles around the “little lake†on the east side of Kingsley Dam and next to Lake McConaughy. This little jaunt will take you around the campgrounds and water. The best time to go is March through October — the flowers will be in bloom, wildlife will be abundant and the weather will be most favorable. For the birders, this trail is a fantastic place to see waterfowl, grassland birds and even owls and eagles.
Toadstool Trail — Ogallala National Grassland
This trail is a little under 1 mile, but it is one of the best hiking trails in the Midwest. There are many other shorter loop trails and side trails to explore. I think it is the best hike in Nebraska because of the scenery and the epic geological formations that will keep you there longer than you planned. I hike this trail almost every year, and it is still my favorite place in Nebraska.
Rock Bluff Run Trail — Indian Cave State Park
Indian Cave in Southeast Nebraska is a rare beauty. Day hikers will find a variety of trails, with the most scenic views along the Missouri River. The Rock Bluff Run Trail’s 5.9-mile loop is somewhat challenging due to the steep elevation gain and often-washed out sections.
Accept the challenge, and you will be rewarded by this park’s diversity in flora and fauna. Deer, turkey, coyotes, foxes, raccoons and many other species can be viewed along the trails. The trails are open year-round, making Indian Cave a popular destination for cross-country skiers in the winter as well as hikers looking for spectacular views of changing foliage during the fall.
Niobrara Loop Trail — Niobrara State Park
If you’re looking for a beautiful walk rather than a strenuous hike, visit Niobrara State Park in northeastern Nebraska. For me, it’s not always about hiking, but rather enjoying being in nature and taking photos of neat little things I find.
This 1.6-mile loop is great for camping, hiking and trail running. Niobrara has more than 14 miles of hiking trails total, and this loop is one of my favorite trails in the state. Here, prairie grass covers the hills for half of the hike and the other half is closed in by forested areas. Overall, the Niobrara Loop Trail offers great views and abundant wildlife.
So, wherever you decide to hike this summer, think about whether you will be the naturalist or the exerciser. Either way, you’re doing it right. Just remember to stop and enjoy the magnificent beauty that outdoor Nebraska has to offer.
The best places to catch fish in the Lincoln area in 2024
Walleye
Crankbaits are a popular lure when fishing for walleye at Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area in Keith County. While the state's biggest lakes are the best habitats for walleye, area anglers can find keeper-sized (15-inch or larger) walleye at Czechland and Yankee Hill lakes. Branched Oak, Wanahoo, Stagecoach, Wildwood and Conestoga are other lakes where you can expect to catch walleye.
White bass
A doll fly jig tricked this white bass at Swanson Reservoir in Hitchcock County. While the commission's guide had nothing to say about Lincoln area lakes, Yankee Hill Lake WMA had the best gill net rate in the region, with about half of those fish in the 12- to 15-inch range.
Wiper
Daryl Bauer, fisheries outreach program manager with the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, holds a Master Angler wiper he caught at Swanson Reservoir in August 2011. Branched Oak Lake is the place to catch the white bass-striped base hybrid near Lincoln, with some larger than 25 inches. But remember that all wipers caught there must be released immediately.
Bluegill
Any body of water in Nebraska that is too big to jump across probably has some bluegill in it. Homestead Lake had the highest 2023 catch rate for bluegills in the survey's trap nets, followed by Meadowlark, Stagecoach and Redtail. If you want fish 8 inches or larger, try Conestoga, Czechland Hedgefield and Redtail.
Crappie
An angler releases a crappie caught on a fly in a Sarpy County private pond. In the 2023 survey, Memphis Lake had the highest catch rate. For larger fish, try Oxbow Trails, Yankee Hill and Branched Oak.
Largemouth bass
Eli Kurrus of Gretna holds a largemouth bass caught at a pond in Cass County in June 2019. Hedgefield had the highest catch rate, with many of the fish larger than 15 inches. Bowling, Meadowlark, Stagecoach and Holmes lakes should also be good for targeting bigger fish.
Channel catfish
Channel catfish are the most widespread and common of the large catfish in Nebraska. East Twin had the greatest number of sampled fish. For eating-sized catfish, the commission says to try Stagecoach, Pawnee and Branched Oak. For larger catfish, try Meadowlark or Wildwood (a catch-and-release lake for channel cats).
Blue catfish
Branched Oak and Pawnee lakes continue to be the places to go near Lincoln for blue catfish. Anglers can find fish from 20 to 35 inches from the 2015 stocking at Pawnee.
Flathead catfish
Richard Hagen caught this 89-pound flathead catfish — the state record — in the Missouri River in June 2020. Branched Oak Lake has trophy-sized flatheads in excess of 40 inches, but remember you must immediately release any that you catch there.
Saugeye
The commission's report says saugeye, a sauger-walleye hybrid, are doing well in Southeast Nebraska. If you are after legal, 15-inch or larger saugeyes, head for Olive Creek Lake. But if you're after a master angler saugeye, try Pawnee Lake.
Northern pike
A northern pike is guided into a landing net at Elwood Reservoir in Gosper County. Some of the pike in Lake Wanahoo are now over 40 inches, and the commission says additional stockings have added recruitment. All pike you catch there must be released immediately. If you catch a tagged fish, please report it to ngpc.fishtags@nebraska.gov.
Rainbow trout
Rainbow trout are stocked across Nebraska in city ponds and state park lakes, including Lincoln's Holmes Lake in the spring, fall and winter; and at Bowling Lake's south pond in the fall and winter.
