Running over the Jamaica North Trail is an abandoned train trestle which marks the site of the 9…read moreAug 1894 Rock Island train derailment. The crash and massive fire resulted in the deaths of eleven passengers and crew. Running across this historic site during a run up the trail was an unexpected surprise. The area, although close to suburbs is nonetheless filled with deer, sampling corn from adjacent fields and dashing across the trail back into the wilderness when disturbed. I recommend the Jamaica North Trail and a visit to the Rock Island Wreck Site if you're hiking, biking, or jogging.

Pioneer Park is one of the best attractions in Nebraska…read more This park has it all (puts on SNL Stefon voice): -History (the pillars that were part of the original treasury building) -Culture (the statue and story of Red Cloud) -Nature (the beautiful scenery and ponds) -Wildlife (the buffalo/deer/etc) And it is just a few minutes from Lincoln and a short drive from Omaha! I would definitely recommend this place to anyone who is looking for a relaxing, but still adventurous, activity!

I was looking for another fun park to do some exploring. I found this and decided to check it out -…read morethere is so much here to see. I really wish I had known and found the older exploratory part of the park earlier in the day - I spent too much time on the picnic-y parts of the park, but I enjoyed it. The signs were a little bit misleading - there are parts of the exploritory area that are closed to the public but there was no warning of that when you were heading that way. I actually really enjoyed the bird observatory and the bridge. It was such a hot day but I thoroughly enjoyed myself.

Nice little gem to enjoy peace and quiet and good scenery. Good place to get away from people and…read moreenjoy a hike. Good, clear trails and a great view of the lake as you approach.

A wonderful State Park along the valley of the Platte River that provides amazing views in the…read moredrive there. The bottom area provides a place to stop and have a picnic, feed some fish and check out a "archaeological" area. It also provides some great hiking trails. They provide 2 trails that can be combined to give you a nice 2 mile hike. The trail follows down to a cool suspension bridge and you can get down into the creek area and explore the rocks. The trip back takes you through the forest to a high area of pine trees. They also have a nice playground and picnic pavilion up the hill as well. Take a moment on your road trip and stop and visit this amazing place.

I have driven by this place and never really knew it was there - I love that a part of the place…read morethat I can easily visit is right on the river. I am so glad that some friends have recommended it and have been back several times to watch the geese and the sunset. I highly recommend taking the time to enjoy this state park

Jamaica North Trail is located on the abandoned Union Pacific Corridor train track and connects…read moredowntown Lincoln Haymarket and Pinnacle Bank Arena area with rural Nebraska south of Lincoln. The rails have been removed and converted into a trail with the addition of ground limestone. The limestone is soft underfoot for running but firm under the tire for biking. The trail proceeds south through Wilderness Park and then south across Saltillo Road where it becomes the Homestead trail which extends to Beatrice. If you're in the south, I recommend picking up the trail at Saltillo Road, where there is trailhead parking, allowing one to run either north through miles of forested wilderness area or south through the fields.

I'm not sure how the scenery is, I started to pull in the driveway and saw the no pets allowed sign…read moreand turned around. Seems like it's a good area though.

PRAIRIE PINES NATURE PRESERVE IS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC EVERY SATURDAY(EXCEPT MAJOR HOLIDAYS) 9:00 AM -…read more5:00 PM (FREE. DONATIONS WELCOME.) This has become one of our favorite things to do on Saturday morning. In most seasons, this park is open and ready for exploring and the kids can't get enough. Each time we go we discover something different. The highlight is always the Nature Ninja obstacle course - we do several rounds. We also like to take a little hike out to the windmill to see frogs and play in the water. We usually end our morning hike with a picnic lunch on-site. The Prairie Pines Nature Preserve is a protected area of natural interest and habitat for diverse species. It is sustained for conservation, nature experience and understanding. Created by nature and endowed by the life's work and pleasure of Walt and Virginia Bagley, it exists on 145 acres of woodland, grassland, wetland and remnant prairie. Accompanied by the efforts of the University of Nebraska Institute of Natural Resources, Nebraska Forest Service and Prairie Pines Partners nonprofit it forever shall be, "a refuge for all living things". Learn more at www.prairiepines.org.

Absolutely beautiful, well maintained. It was a very windy day though, no tree coverage so if it's…read morewindy maybe pick another spot.

This place was much harder than it needed to be to find. Google maps took me a really odd way and…read moreeven then I believe I actually drove around it twice before I ignored the directions being given to kind of throw it off (mostly due to the construction that was also going on around it). I then accidentally found it. However, when I did find it, I was pretty happy. I do wish there was more of a resource for finding out about the trails. There was one trail that went kind of through a bunch of trees right to the left of the parking area and I could almost hear a waterfall? river but I could not figure out how to get to it and it was getting late and starting to rain, so I did not feel safe doing a lot of exploring. I absolutely loved walking along some of the trails and over the bridge (although with as strong as the smell was, I feared that I barely missed an encounter with a skunk). I did not do near the amount of walking I could have done due to the time of day and the rain storm coming, but man, I can't wait until I have a day to go back and do some more exploring - this place is fascinating.

From the Great Plains Trails Network:…read more "Lincoln's longest trail traveling through almost the entire city, connecting the University with local businesses, community neighborhoods and the Lincoln countryside. The concrete city portion presently extends from Peter Pan Park (33rd & Y St.) to the Novartis Trailhead near 84th and Hazelwood. The limestone trail continues east 25 miles through Walton, Eagle, Elmwood and ends near Wabash. Planned extensions include a route to the Platte River Bridge near South Bend and the Huskerlink west to the UNL City Campus." I used this trail very often last summer. You can park in the lot at the trailhead, but be sure to lock your valuables in your trunk - there have been a rash of car thefts there recently. You can also use the restrooms, change clothes, fill up your waterbottle, or rest in the shade there. They also have candy & pop vending machines there, which is kind of ironic... The trail cuts through lots of wooded areas, so even on a hot day, you'll get breaks of shade. But since it's gravel, your bike will get pretty dusty. Nice, scenic prairie route, once you cross the highway. You'll pass horses, cattle, & an Audubon prairie along the way. There are a couple bridges you'll cross over creeks. TIPS: - Wear sunscreen & bug spray. - Wear sunglasses if you bike - I hate a bug in the eye. Blech! - Bring lots of water - Be really careful crossing the country roads, especially if you have headphones on. Drivers aren't expecting you. - Check http://www.gptn.org/mopac.htm for maps & tips from more experienced cyclists.

I'm not even gonna try and write a better review than the first one, so I'll just put in my $0.02…read more It's a pretty decent trail. I've been on different sections of it countless times. I typically walk or bike the part around the UNL City Campus and then follow it down near Vine Street and that general area. It's mostly concrete all the way down, with plenty of ups and downs that will give you both a workout and a nice relaxing coast. I've also biked down to Wilderness Park, which is pretty nice. Just be sure to wear bug spray if you're heading out that way. In the UNL area, there's plenty of benches and ponds and stuff to sit down at and take a break. The cool thing about this section of the trail is that it also branches out into a number of smaller trails and sidewalks leading all over the city, so you can bike from one area to another pretty quickly.

Beautiful park. I am not sure how I had never heard about this one. It's nicely spread out with a…read morevarity of places to get into it. I saw a lot of different birds. Beatiful.

Nice little stop off of I80 if you're road tripping. Picnic benches, beach, and a good lake…read more Unfortunately, when I went, it was overrun by flies, probably because the garages nearby were near full. Also, bathrooms had no hands sanitizer. If you go, make sure to buy your $5 daily permit.

What a cool spot! There's something for everyone here -- one of the biggest indoor play structures…read moreI've ever seen. Plus multiple rock climbing walls, fresh food and snacks, drinks, an ice skating rink and more. It was my first time coming here and it did not disappoint. We love how cheap entry is and all the activities you can do. It's a great place to go to, especially during winter time. I'm looking forward to coming back here during spring and summer months when the water park is open. The pizza wasn't bad either! I'd totally order it again. No outside food or drinks are allowed here. There's plenty of parking outside.

Rented a cabin for a family reunion and we had a lovely time! The park is beautiful with plenty of…read moretrails and activities. My family enjoyed the disc golf, driving range, and nature center. The park was fully booked as it was Father's Day weekend, but it never felt crowded. I really enjoyed painting ceramics by the lake when it started raining and hiking the various trails. The cabin was clean and simple. I am rating four stars instead of five because there were a few things that could be easily improved. It was very hard to figure out what amenities were available in the cabin theough the web site, which made it kind of difficult to know what to bring with regards to cooking supplies and linens. I appreciated the cooking utensils, but I would have liked some form of skillet or griddle. We made do, but it was kind of oddfeying eggs in a pot. I was able to navigate the park without much trouble, but some of my family had a hard time finding the cabin, so maybe the signage could be more clear.