Park for Pioneers: Lincoln’s Wildlife Refuge

Does being around people too long make you claustrophobic? Would you love to see prairie instead of buildings? Would 668 acres of land only sparsely filled with buildings do? Long to go for hike? How about 8 miles of hiking trails? You will find all of this and more at Lincoln’s Pioneer’s Park.

The word “pathfinder” is a synonym for “pioneer,” and this Lincoln treasure allows you to do just that. If you have time to explore, you never know what you will discover. So, grab your walking shoes and go!

A place we stumbled upon that my kids like to call “The Hobbit Hole.”

Both of the two interpretive nature buildings are full of many items and animals to touch. They have nature books to browse through, puzzles to do, animal skins to feel and even various live reptiles and birds to interact with. We have been many times and still have never managed to see everything. (Or even half of what they have available at this park.) If you live close by, you could make many quick trips to explore. But if you are driving from a distance, I would allow several hours to even begin to appreciate all that is available.

This island area near one of the center buildings is full of wildlife. My kids love to cross the bridge and see the deer as well as many other animals that call this park home.

I first really explored Pioneer’s Park when I was in high school. As a former cross country runner, this location was our main race course. Having traversed the race path many times, this park provides an unexpected glimpse of the beauty of God’s creation despite its close proximity to such an urban setting. (Too bad I had to keep moving and was not allowed to stop and appreciate the wonders!)

This “Smoke Signals” statue is another favorite destination of my kids.

Want to know more about how Pioneer’s Park came to be? Visit: Pioneer Park’s History. This post explain just a bit of what is available – I didn’t even mention the pillars area or the amphitheater or the ponds or the buffalo or … Guess you will have to head there yourself to find out more!