This Underrated State Recreation Area Just Might Be The Most Beautiful Place In Nebraska
By Delana Lefevers|Published May 11, 2016
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
Out in the hills of western Nebraska, Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area is a haven for all things nature. It was recently named by Thrillist as the most underrated place in Nebraska, and it’s easy to see why. It’s not one of the flashier places in the state, but it is full of opportunities for hiking, biking, picnicking, birdwatching, wildlife spotting, and camping. Oh – and natural beauty like you won’t see anywhere else in Nebraska.
This is the most biodiverse landscape in the entire state. Plant species from several ecosystems coexist here in a way that you can't find anywhere else in Nebraska.
Wildlife also abounds here; coyotes, bighorn sheep, wild turkeys, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bobcats, and prairie rattlesnakes are all found in the region. Once in a while, a moose will even wander over to visit.
Among the park's features are three stone picnic shelters built in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps. They feature picnic tables and fireplaces, and they offer the perfect place to rest and take in the incredible scenery.
The hiking and biking trails here aren't extensive; you'll find just around four miles of trails. However, the ground is rugged, and the area's high elevation can prove challenging for adventurers who aren't used to it. Watch your step for rattlesnakes!
The view from the top of the ridges is unbeatable; you can see all the way to the surrounding well-known rock formations: Scotts Bluff, Courthouse and Jail Rocks, and Chimney Rock.
The recreation area is, not surprisingly, part of the Wildcat Hills escarpment. The area's other well-known rock formations are part of the same escarpment.
The Wildcat Hills Nature Center offers fantastic educational programs and informative displays as well as a half-mile boardwalk trail. It is currently closed while a large addition is being constructed. When it opens again in late summer or fall of 2016, the complex will include a shooting range.
The recreation area is joined up with several surrounding properties like the Buffalo Creek Wildlife Management Area, The Nature Conservancy’s Murphy Ranch, Cedar Canyon WMA, and others to make up the extended Wildcat Hills Wildlands. The large system offers more than 30,000 acres of stunning wildlife and nature, all open to the public.
While camping is available, the area is more geared toward day-use. You will need a Nebraska parks pass to enjoy everything that Wildcat Hills has to offer.
Have you visited the Wildcat Hills area? Do you agree that it’s the most underrated spot in Nebraska?
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