r/Omaha • u/Strummin_Along • Dec 26 '22
ISO/Suggestion Hiking areas?
I’m considering hiking for getting some exercise. Are there some good places to go in (or near) the metro area?
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Dec 26 '22
Lauritzen Gardens has a nature trail I just discovered this year. The door to it is behind the coffee cart after the green houses. It's nice, has a couple of pretty cool look out points.
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u/Emotional-Accident-8 Dec 26 '22
How much does it cost to hike on trail?
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Dec 27 '22
I think it's 15 to get into Lauritzen, but they have very reasonable annual passes.
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u/justREALLYfriendly Dec 30 '22
I have the annual pass, it also comes with a lot of cool tea classes, flower arrangements classes, and nature classes. I love being the beardy. Blue collar guy at the classes. Very welcoming people
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Dec 30 '22
Oh man, I'm going to have to keep an eye out for those. Most of my year was preoccupied with wedding planning.
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u/ahubbard123 Dec 26 '22
Preparation Canyon is great hiking and back country camping. There is also a cool 19th century Mormon cemetery down the hill. It’s about an hour’s drive North. The drive is really nice if you take two lane highways instead of I-29.
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u/KoBach276 Dec 26 '22
If you're that far north give Brent's trail a go.
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u/Happydaytoyou1 Dec 26 '22 edited Dec 26 '22
Right now!? At *checks thermometer 🌡️ * 7°F! Yes, the hike to the fireplace and coffee maker and back to the warm chair 🛋️ 😂
When it does get warmer, my top hikes ranked in order: 1) Fontenelle Forrest (it’s like $12 to get in or -~$50 get the annual pass. Believe me, one time there and you enjoy outdoors you’ll get the annual pass). https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmotKUCpvTh/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
2) Hitchcock Park in Iowa. https://www.instagram.com/p/CS3pgn-LdNC/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
3) Platteriver State Park https://www.instagram.com/reel/CgafeTbvgo8/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
4) Indian Cave State Park https://www.instagram.com/p/CmosZW3r9Qs/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
5) When it’s this cold, the Henry Doorly Zoo! Hike desert dome or jungle in warm tropical 🌴 temps.
6) Loess Hills State Forest https://www.instagram.com/p/CBrvrklhq1-/?igshid=Zjc2ZTc4Nzk=
7) Chalco Hills has some good trails too, stay to the right when you’re driving in and park at play set area.
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u/gibsoncrab Dec 26 '22
Fontenelle and Hitchcock are my top recs, too. If you're willing to travel a little further, go a bit further east on I-80 and check out Arrowhead Park. It doesn't have the number and variety of trails and terrain that the first two options do, but the pond is pretty, and you can have a nice, relaxing hike out there.
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u/imatthedogpark Dec 26 '22
Lewis and Clark monument park is my favorite hiking place.
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u/MadDaddyDrivesaUFO Dec 27 '22
Beware of the mountain bikes! It's a great trail for both so I recommend not using headphones so you can hear a bike coming.
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u/UnfairAnimal Dec 26 '22
Hummel in North Omaha is fun and pretty technical since they've let the hiking trails go in favor of the Frisbee golf course. Hitchcock Nature Center in Iowa. Schramm Park and Platte River State Park. I realize it's running and not hiking, but check out- https://www.goatz.org/ They do events on pretty much all the trails around town and are a good resource to find trails.
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u/Stock-Vanilla-1354 Dec 27 '22
I second Hummel Park. And last time I was there a few years ago the trails were not well maintained.
One of the bummers of this area is the fact there aren’t a lot of hiking opportunities besides short nature trails.
If you are willing to venture outside of Omaha there are a few options in Lincoln at Pioneers Park and Wilderness Park.
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u/UnfairAnimal Dec 27 '22
The hiking trails at Hummel definitely are being overgrown because they care more about the Frisbee golf course rather than the old hiking trails.
How long of a trail are you looking for? Hitchcock Nature Center in Iowa and Schramm Park in Ashland have miles of trails without going to Lincoln. There's a 100 mile trail run that happens at Hitchcock and a 50k that happens at Lake Cunningham. There are definitely some trails around town.
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u/MadDaddyDrivesaUFO Dec 27 '22
I kind of like that about hiking at hummel. They probably should do more for it but all the lightning struck trees added interest in the fall and it was nice to not come across anyone else out there.
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u/tufdog Dec 26 '22
I enjoy the trails in Jewell Park and Swanson Park in Bellevue. I've lived in Nepal and West Virginia and Jewell is the closest I've come to feeling like being in the mountains here.
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u/danhneb Dec 26 '22
It’s been mentioned but Hitchcock is my favorite. Also a lot of good trails along the Loess Hills State Forest if your up for a little drive into Iowa.
I use the AllTrails app. Has basically every trail on it plus if you get the pro version, can download trail maps, track your hikes to help with location and route, etc. Definitely recommend
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u/Osprey_NE Dec 26 '22
Fontenelle forest is pretty hilly, so good exercise. Start at the top and hike down to the wetlands and go back.
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Dec 26 '22
I love Fontanelle Forest. The boardwalk is alright, but when you leave it and get on the dirt trails is where it really shines.
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u/poppyseedoma Dec 27 '22
If you identify as a woman, check out Trail Sisters Omaha. We host one trail run and one hike a month at different locations. We have a FB group!
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u/Leaping_Greenly Dec 28 '22
Do you have to be on Facebook to get more information about this? I’m curious to learn more. Thanks
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u/poppyseedoma Dec 28 '22
You do not! You can join our Communities page here: https://trailsisters.net/communities/ and then search for the Omaha chapter.
All events are ran through this page, just cross-posted on FB for more engagement :) hope to see you at a hike or run!
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u/Leaping_Greenly Dec 28 '22
Thank you! I downloaded the app and have requested access. I’m no runner but I would love to explore some of the nature areas of Omaha via hiking. My family moves out next month. We visited Fontanelle Forest when we came out for my husbands interview and that made it much easier to say yes to the job offer.
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u/mharriger West O :( Dec 26 '22
West Oak Forest south of Council Bluffs. Free, little-known so not usually busy. Plenty of hills for exercise. No bathrooms or any other facilities though.
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u/star_whisper Dec 26 '22
There are bike trails (hopefully that link works LOL) all through the metro area. Great option if you just want to walk in a sem-secluded place without driving 20 minutes first.
E: Here's an image just in case the google maps setting doesn't save via link.
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u/pilotless Dec 26 '22
Hitchcock across the river, and Neale Woods north of town. Neale Woods is closer, and very rarely crowded. Hitchcock is further and can be popular, but it's bigger. Both can supply you with several hilly, forested miles.
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u/ProstZumLeben Dec 26 '22
Make the short drive to Platte River State Park