Parks, the Zoo and Nature Centers in Lincoln: An Outdoor Guide

Lincoln is greener than many visitors expect. Beyond neighborhood parks, the city has a few large outdoor destinations, from a children's zoo to a prairie nature center, and a trail network that connects many of them. Each makes a good half-day outing.

This guide covers the major outdoor spots, what each is best for and a few practical rules. Hours and seasonal features change, so check the official pages before you go.

Lincoln Children's Zoo

The Lincoln Children's Zoo, at 1222 South 27th Street near Antelope Park, is built for close-up encounters. Its stated mission is "to enrich lives through firsthand interaction with living things." The zoo says it cares for more than 400 animals, including more than 40 endangered species, and invites visitors to feed a giraffe, watch a cheetah run and meet penguins, red pandas and meerkats. A train ride runs through the grounds.

The zoo posts daily hours and runs events into the winter, but some features are seasonal; it notes, for example, when its Playstream water play area and goat feeding close for the season. A few things to know:

• Strollers, wagons, wheelchairs and scooters can be rented on a first-come basis and cannot be reserved in advance.
• The zoo partners with KultureCity on sensory accommodations, including sensory bags with noise-canceling headphones and quiet areas.
• Food options include a year-round cafe and coffee shop, with more stands open in season.
• Hours change around special events, so check the plan-your-visit page before going.

Pioneers Park

Pioneers Park, on Lincoln's southwest edge at 3201 South Coddington Avenue, is one of the city's signature parks. According to the City of Lincoln, it was dedicated on July 24, 1930, after a 1928 gift from John F. Harris, who asked that it honor the region's early settlers. Landscape architect Ernst Herminghaus created its master plan, and the park was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1993.

The park covers 668 acres of rolling plains edged by timber. Landmarks include:

• The Bison, a life-size bronze sculpture from 1930
• Smoke Signal, a 15-foot cast stone statue from 1935
• Pinewood Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater dedicated in 1947 that holds up to 5,500 people
• A golf course, picnic areas, playgrounds, multi-use trails and an equestrian trail

Pioneers Park Nature Center

Pioneers Park Nature Center, inside the park, is a highlight for families and hikers. The city describes tallgrass prairie, woodlands, wetlands and a tributary of Salt Creek, with more than ten miles of hiking trails. Trails take visitors past non-releasable raptor exhibits and a small bison herd, and the center's history notes exhibits of native animals such as elk, white-tailed deer and wild turkey.

The city says admission is free. The Chet Ager Building has wetland and woodland exhibits with windows overlooking Heron Wetland, and the Prairie Building has exhibits on Great Plains ecosystems and a gift shop. Historic structures moved to the site include the Cunningham School and the Hudson Cabin. The center also offers nature preschool, day camps, guided hikes, classes and school programs. Trail gates and building hours differ, so check the center's page before an early or late hike.

Wilderness Park

Wilderness Park is the city's largest park, at about 1,472 acres. The city describes it as a natural area that straddles the Salt Creek floodplain from Van Dorn Street south to Saltillo Road, with more than 30 miles of multi-use trail.

Trails are marked red, green or yellow. Red and green trails are open to all non-motorized users, including cyclists, walkers, horseback riders and cross-country skiers. Yellow trails are closed to horses but open to other non-motorized users. The city asks users to:

• Stay off muddy trails to avoid damaging the surface.
• Follow the right-of-way rule: cyclists yield to people on foot, and everyone yields to horses.
• Leave plants and wildlife undisturbed.

The Jamaica North Trail, on a former Union Pacific railbed, runs through the area and links to trails that continue south all the way to Marysville, Kansas.

Holmes Lake Park and Hyde Observatory

Holmes Lake Park, near South 70th Street and Normal Boulevard in southeast Lincoln, covers about 270 acres around a 110-acre reservoir that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built in 1962 for flood control and recreation. The city lists non-motorized boating, fishing, a hiker-biker trail, playgrounds, shelters, picnic areas and a golf course.

The park is also home to Hyde Observatory, which the city credits with making Holmes Lake a destination for diverse entertainment. The city's page points to the observatory's own website for public program information.

Antelope Park and the trail network

Antelope Park stretches from 23rd and N streets to 33rd Street and Sheridan Boulevard. Besides the zoo next door, the city notes that it holds Sunken Gardens, the Hamann Rose Garden, the Rotary Strolling Garden, a Veterans Memorial Garden, the largest playground in the city, the Ager Golf Course and the historic Auld Pavilion. The city traces the park to 1905, when Lincoln bought its first 31 acres.

Antelope Park is also a hub for the trail system. The Billy Wolff Trail follows Antelope Creek for about 8.5 miles, and the Rock Island Trail connects the zoo area to Wilderness Park. Other major routes include the MoPac Trail, which heads east from the university toward Wabash, and the John Dietrich and Murdock trails in northeast Lincoln. The city's trail rules include yielding to slower users and using a front white light when biking after dark, and the trails page links to an interactive map.

Key takeaways

• The Lincoln Children's Zoo has seasonal features and special events that change hours.
• Pioneers Park is a historic 668-acre park, and its Nature Center offers free admission, bison and more than ten miles of trails.
• Wilderness Park is the city's largest park, with color-coded trails and right-of-way rules for bikes, walkers and horses.
• Holmes Lake pairs a reservoir and trail with Hyde Observatory.
• Antelope Park links the zoo, gardens and major trails; check the city's trail map before heading out.

Sources - Lincoln Children's Zoo, official site — https://www.lincolnzoo.org/ - Lincoln Children's Zoo, Plan Your Visit — https://www.lincolnzoo.org/visit/plan-your-visit.html - City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Pioneers Park — https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Facilities/Parks-A-to-Z/Pioneers-Park - City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Pioneers Park Nature Center — https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Facilities/Pioneers-Park-Nature-Center - City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Wilderness Park — https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Facilities/Parks-A-to-Z/Wilderness-Park - City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Holmes Lake Park — https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Facilities/Parks-A-to-Z/Holmes-Lake-Park - City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Antelope Park — https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Facilities/Parks-A-to-Z/Antelope-Park - City of Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Trails — https://www.lincoln.ne.gov/City/Departments/Parks-and-Recreation/Parks-Facilities/Trails