Fun fact: Nebraska is the 15th largest state in the United States (by area). It's an impressive 76,824 square miles of so much more than just corn fields and "flyover" country; in fact, there are a few destinations (okay, more than a few) in the Cornhusker State that are so incredibly lovely that I would absolutely recommend driving from wherever you might be to come to experience them. One such destination is Zorinsky Lake.

Hidden away in west Omaha, Zorinsky Lake Park is an amazing little respite from the real world that I personally cannot get enough of. Walking the numerous trails in the morning is probably my favorite thing to do here, though you can't go wrong with a sunset wander (or 10) either. The entire place is intensely beautiful - so much so that I swear it's worth the trip!

There's one trail in particular here—the Zorinsky Lake East Loop—that caught my attention for its otherworldly wonders, including an absolutely jaw-dropping view of a pristine lake you won't believe is in Nebraska. It looks and feels more like something out of a painting than real life in the Midwest, but here we are. I love it.

The Zorinsky Lake East Loop—or the Loop, as I'll call it from here on out for brevity's sake—is just under four and a half miles long and takes about an hour and a half to complete (if you choose to do the whole thing without stopping). I definitely recommend that you make many stops along the way, though—this place is pristinely beautiful. It is Nebraska at its most breathtaking.

And, my goodness, just look at that lake view. I suspect it doesn't get a lot more amazing than this (but if you think it does, let me know, and you might just see your happy place featured someday). The Loop leads you right to it: pure perfection.

When it comes to hiking trails in Nebraska, this one's pretty popular - especially on the weekends during the day. If you want to try and get it to yourself as much as possible, I recommend showing up early in the morning during the week - that's when you're least likely to encounter other folks along the trail. It's open all year, which is awesome - I like to come back in the spring and summer for wildflowers and the fall for foliage. It's a win-win! Amazingly, this park is home to one of the few native tallgrass prairies left in this region of Nebraska. Explore it on foot for the best experience.

The lake is just over 255 acres in size, making it a much-beloved destination for folks passionate about fishing. They love the universally accessible fishing dock, and if you're a fisher of any skill level, I suspect you'll love it, too.

If you're planning to hike The Loop (any part of it) or any of the trails at Zorinsky Lake Park and you want to bump your hiking game up to 11, be sure to check out AllTrails Plus. I don't know how I managed to hike without it, and I highly recommend it.

Have you ever hiked the Zorinsky Lake East Loop? What was it like? Tell me about it in the comments!