The Great Outdoors

A few years ago, we met an 85-year-old man who drove 900 miles from his home in an Eastern state – never mind which one – to go pheasant hunting in Hartington, Neb. He’d been making the trip for years, lured by local hospitality and good hunting. He loved his home, he said, but “a pheasant there would have to pack a lunch!”

Other outdoor enthusiasts have discovered what the old-timer has known for years. Northeast Nebraska is unspoiled and full of friendly people. Whether you are camping, boating, bicycling, birdwatching, or hunting and fishing, you’ll find that to be true.

Among many other outdoor destinations, Northeast Nebraska is home to Lewis and Clark Lake, Nebraska’s second-largest body of water, Ponca State Park, set in the wooded bluffs along the untamed Missouri National Recreational River, DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, home to a spectacular fall migration of half a million snow geese, and the Cowboy Trail, a hiking/biking trail already more than 130 miles long and soon to become the nation’s longest recreational trail.

Recreation Attractions: