Start the new year by getting outdoors and participating in First Day Hikes at Nebraska’s state parks Jan. 1.

These annual guided hikes give you the chance to explore trails, snap photos, watch wildlife and participate in any planned activities. Or choose any state park and create your own hiking adventure.

Activities include a potluck soup luncheon at Ash Hollow State Historical Park, a guided tour at Fort Hartsuff SHP, winter art activities at Schramm Park State Recreation Area, and tours of the James Family Conservatory and Nature Center at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park. Bring your dog but be sure to keep him or her on a leash.

Branched Oak SRA will host a 5- to 6-mile First Day Trail Ride for equestrian riders, rather than a hike.

Hikes are planned at:

Ash Hollow SHP
Chadron SP
Eugene T. Mahoney SP
Fort Hartsuff SHP
Fort Kearny SRA
Indian Cave SP
Johnson Lake SRA
Lake Ogallala SRA
Mormon Island SRA
Platte River SP
Ponca SP
Red Willow SRA
Rock Creek Station SHP
Schramm Park SRA
Wagon Train SRA
Wildcat Hills SRA
Windmill SRA
Parks will have different activities. Check the details at each park, including start times for all First Day Hikes, at OutdoorNebraska.gov and search “First Day Hike.”

Prepare for your winter hike by dressing in layers, wearing a hat, bringing a water bottle and checking the forecast. Start a new tradition by inviting some friends along to the parks.

A Nebraska state park permit is required for all vehicles entering park areas; 2026 permits are available at park offices or at OutdoorNebraska.gov.

Those participating in the hikes are encouraged to tag @NEGameandParks in their Facebook, X or Instagram posts for a chance to be featured in the agency’s social streams.

Tree removal to begin at Merritt Reservoir

A tree removal project beginning at Merritt Reservoir aims to restore prairie habitat in areas choked by undesirable trees.

Revitalizing the grassland will benefit plant and animals and open spaces for hunting, fishing, birdwatching and hiking.

Starting in mid-December, contractors hired by Nebraska Game and Parks will remove eastern red cedar and Rocky Mountain juniper from the prairie and shelterbelts at the wildlife management area and state recreation area near Valentine.

Shelterbelts of pine and deciduous trees on the WMA and SRA will be maintained to provide shade and cover for campers, picnickers and wildlife, such as deer. Trees along the Snake River and Merritt Reservoir will only be removed if necessary to allow for access to juniper encroachment.

The removals are part of a larger effort to protect the Sandhills prairies, which are a unique set of grasses, forbs, sedges and woody plants. Together, they provide essential habitat for both game species — such as sharp-tailed grouse, greater prairie-chicken and mule deer — and at-risk or endangered species, such as Blanding’s turtles, American burying beetles and regal fritillary butterflies.

The U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and private landowners already have removed cedar trees on their properties, and this effort will continue on public and private lands in the area to preserve or restore grasslands. These properties will then be managed to prevent regeneration of trees.

Benefits of tree removal include:

  • preserved prairies; the Sandhills is one of the last intact grasslands in the world;
  • improved grass and forb production for livestock; and
  • reduced wildfire danger to homes, park facilities and campgrounds.

Trees that are removed will be mulched or used in the reservoir to create aquatic habitat for fish. Trees too big to mulch will be piled to burn later.

Merritt Reservoir was completed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation for irrigation purposes in 1964. Game and Parks manages the reservoir and surrounding prairies for wildlife and recreation.

Game and Parks is coordinating this regional project along with the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

Catch these Game and Parks education events in January

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission educators have scheduled interesting and engaging events for the curious in January.

Activities take place at the Schramm Education Center south of Gretna, the Wildcat Hills Nature Center south of Gering and virtually.

A park entry permit is required at Wildcat Hills and other state parks but not for the Schramm Education Center parking lot. Buy a permit at OutdoorNebraska.gov or at state park entrances.

Little Saplings at Schramm

Adults looking to explore the outdoors with their young children are invited to Little Saplings, a monthly early childhood nature discovery program at the Schramm Education Center.

The 2026 series, which occurs on the first Wednesday of the month, begins Jan. 7 at 9 and 10 a.m. The topic will be hibernation. The program is designed for children ages 2-5 and their adult caregivers. The cost is $5 per child and $5 per adult.

See the calendar event entry at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov for more information.

Discover ‘Science of’ owls

Explore the hidden lives of Nebraska’s owls, investigating their biology, behavior and unique adaptations in Nebraska as Nebraska Game and Parks’ popular “Science of” virtual webinar series returns.

On Jan. 15, learn how owls hunt so silently, what they eat, where they live, and the important roles they play in local ecosystems.

In this series, on select Thursdays at 3 p.m. Central time, Game and Parks educators discuss some of the science behind common things regarding nature and animals.

The hourlong webinars are free, but separate registration is required for each. See the calendar event entries at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov for registration links.

Wildcat Hills preschool program

The free, monthly Wildcat Tales preschool program is on Jan. 20, with the theme of animal tracks and snowy survival.

The program will meet at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center at 10 a.m. It will include a lesson plan, story and hands-on activity specifically targeted for children ages 2-6 years.

For more information, contact the Nature Center. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Homeschool Hikes at Schramm

Homeschool families are invited to join an outdoor educator on a guided hike during the Homeschool Hikes program at 9 a.m. Jan. 21 and 1 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Schramm Education Center. This month's theme is eagles.

During the program, participants may ask questions, draw, observe, and make discoveries in nature. They will have the opportunity to observe local phenomena, plants, and animals while exploring concepts such as patterns, cause and effect, and structure and function.

Homeschool Hikes is a monthly nature exploration program hosted by the Schramm Education Center geared toward homeschool families and ages 5 and up.

Participants are encouraged to RSVP in advance through the event listing at Calendar.OutdoorNebraska.gov.

Wildcat Hills homeschool program

Investigate the clues animals leave behind and how they stay active in the cold during the homeschool program Jan. 22.

The free program meets once a month at 10 a.m. at the Wildcat Hills Nature Center. Certified staff will lead various programs each month that showcase a different theme, focusing on ecosystems, animals, adaptations and habitats found only in western Nebraska.

For more information contact the Nature Center. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Fly-Tying for Beginners at Schramm

Watch the Cornhusker Fly-Fishers tie flies at the Schramm Education Center classroom from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Jan. 24 and learn to tie your own.

Fly tying is the art of attaching various materials, such as feathers, thread, metal, beads to a hook, with the goal of imitating an insect or other small pretty items of fish. The fly is cast with a rod and is meant to mimic the activity of the prey. Admission to the center is not required.

 

Indian Cave State Park boat ramp being renovated

Missouri River boating access will improve for recreationalists now that renovations to the boat ramp at Indian Cave State Park in Richardson County began Dec. 17.

The existing concrete ramp was severely damaged during historic 2019 flooding.

Planned improvements include removal and replacement of the existing two-lane ramp, installation of a new dock system, minor parking lot modifications, and new area lighting.

The ramp will be realigned with the river to allow natural currents to remove sediment from the driving lanes. Riprap will be installed as shoreline protection in areas adjacent to the new ramp.

Construction was strategically scheduled during the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ winter river drawdown, allowing for maximum ramp length during construction and increased cost efficiency.

The boating access project is expected to reach substantial completion in spring 2026, weather permitting. Funding is provided through the U.S. Coast Guard’s Recreational Boating Safety State Grant Program, with matching funds from the Nebraska Game and Parks Capital Maintenance Fund.

Direct any questions to ngpc.boataccess@nebraska.gov.

To view a map of other public boat ramps, visit OutdoorNebraska.gov/guides-maps/maps/and scroll to “Public Boating Areas.”

Be aware of fishing regulation changes for 2026

Nebraska anglers should be aware of the following fishing regulation changes that take effect Jan. 1, 2026. They are:

Black Bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted) – Wolbach City Pond, Greeley County; Forest City Recreation Area, Sarpy County, and Mad Bear Recreation Area, Sarpy County, are added to the list of lakes that have a 21-inch minimum length. 

A smallmouth bass daily bag limit of two fish and 12-inch maximum length limit is established at Marlin Petermann Recreation Area, Douglas County.

Yellow Perch – A daily bag limit of five fish is established at Marlin Petermann Recreation Area.

Muskellunge and Tiger Muskellunge – The exceptions (one over 34 inches or longer, no minimum length, three fish bag limit, three fish possession limit) to the statewide length, bag and possession limits at Pelican Lake in Cherry County are rescinded.

More fishing information can be found in the 2026 Fishing Guide, which will be available in January at OutdoorNebraska.gov and where 2026 fishing permits are sold.