PONCA, Neb. — Forget what you think you know about the rolling, windswept plains of Nebraska.
There is plenty of that. But folded into the northeastern curve of the Cornhusker State, where the horizon reaches into Iowa and South Dakota, the glacier-carved bluffs of the Missouri River cradle a rugged jewel: Ponca State Park.
The park (and the neighboring community) are named for one of the Native American tribes who once lived, hunted, fished and thrived here.
Ponca State Park was established in 1934 with a 160-acre donation from the local American Legion post. Today the park encompasses 2,273 acres and hugs about 3 miles of the Missouri River near the eastern edge of the lower Missouri National Recreational River, a 59-mile-long free-flowing stretch that was set aside in 1978 through an amendment to the Wild & Scenic Rivers Act of 1968. It makes Ponca a popular take-out point for canoeists and kayakers.
The Missouri River overlook, which is located about a mile north of the park entrance between some nicely appointed cabins and a web of hiking trails, is possibly one of the most photographed spots in the state. It’s a stunning view. Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and the Corps of Discovery camped near here in Aug. 22, 1804. The exact spot is unknown, although the following day one of the party’s hunters reported killing the first buffalo of the expedition.
The buffalo are gone, but Lewis and Clark and the Ponca Nation remain in name, monument and legacy. The park also offers amenities to suit nearly any taste, including 15 mini-lodges that border on luxurious, a couple of green cabins whose core construction is from straw bales and 14 1950s-era log cabins. There are also nearly 100 campsites ranging from pull-in, full facility to hike-in/primitive.
The river is easily accessible via two boat ramps. Hikers and mountain bikers are welcome on 22 miles of trails, one of which skirts the river.
A labyrinth of park-accessible side channels and backwater slough areas offer ample paddling options for paddlers who don’t wish to run the free-flowing Missouri.
The varying amenities, which also include a nicely appointed visitor’s center and multi-use education center along with a fishing pond, meld into the park’s rustic look and feel. It’s a rarely obtained balance. The landscape and location help. Both feel remote without being isolated.
Ponca is one of Nebraska’s most popular state parks. It’s easy to understand why.
If you go
Ponca State Park is located off Highway 12 at 88090 Spur 26E, about 2 miles from Ponca, Neb. (population 937). The park is open year-round. Some facilities are seasonal. Campground and cabin reservations can be made up one year in advance. For more information: outdoornebraska.gov/ponca; 402-755-2284; ngpc.Ponca@nebraska.com.
Gary Garth writes a monthly outdoors column for USA TODAY.