Mahoney State Park
One of Nebraska's most-visited state parks, five minutes up the highway from the glampgrounds. Summer brings the aquatic center with its wave pool and slides; the Go Ape treetop course, horseback trail rides, paddleboats, and the observation tower run most of the season — and winter means sledding, ice skating, and the indoor activity center.
- Address
- 28500 W Park Hwy, Ashland, NE 68003 Open in Maps ↗
- Website
- outdoornebraska.gov/mahoney ↗
- Hours
- Open year-round
- Admission
- Park permit required
Known for
Wave-pool summers and the Platte-valley observation tower
Look it up
Activities
- Aquatic CenterSummer
Wave pool, water slides, and a lazy river — the summer magnet. Memorial Day through Labor Day; go early on hot weekends.
- Go Ape Treetop CourseMar–Nov
Zip lines and rope bridges through the forest canopy. Reservations recommended.
- Observation TowerYear-round
Free with park entry — the best view over the Platte valley anywhere in the area.
- Horseback Trail RidesSeasonal
Guided rides from the park stables through the wooded hills.
- Winter SportsWinter
Sledding hill, ice skating, and an indoor activity center when the snow flies.
Amenities
More beyond the gate
The Strategic Air Command's flagship museum — 40+ historic aircraft and spacecraft in two massive hangars with 300,000 sq ft of indoor exhibit space. The Cold War story told through icons like the SR-71 Blackbird, B-52 Stratofortress, and B-1B Lancer. Walk underneath them, stand in their shadows, peek into cockpits. Right off exit 426, minutes from the glampgrounds.
A drive-through safari run by Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo — bison, elk, pronghorn, and waterfowl from your own car windows along a 4-mile loop, then wolves, bears, and bald eagles along the walking trails at the end. Kids never have to leave their seats for the best parts.
The state-of-the-art Schramm Education Center — Nebraska-native fish in floor-to-ceiling aquariums — plus wooded bluff trails, a suspension bridge, and a fossil dig along the Platte River. The site of Nebraska's first fish hatchery, and one of the prettiest short hikes in the valley.
Wooded bluff hiking, an observation tower over the river valley, a shooting and archery range, and a great playground and summer sprayground — an easy family day out between Louisville and South Bend. Your Nebraska park vehicle permit covers Platte River, Mahoney, and Schramm the same day.