Must-Do Outdoor Activities in Kearney, NE
Residents can enjoy Kearney’s variety of outdoor recreation options.
Outdoor activities abound in Kearney, NE, from numerous parks and miles of trails to lakes, pools and athletic fields.
“We are also home to Nebraska’s first whitewater park, with Kearney Whitewater Park open to kayakers, canoeists and rafters,” says Eric Hellriegel, director of parks for the City of Kearney. “The whitewater goes for more than 2 miles and features two elevation drops. Paddlers will have a great time, especially during the primary season of May through October.”
Hellriegel adds that another signature attraction in Kearney is Yanney Heritage Park, which spans 80 acres and is a great place to enjoy a sunset. Attractions include a lake, trails, playgrounds, splash pads, botanical gardens, sculptures, an observation tower and a senior citizen activity center.
“Yanney Park also has the Cope Amphitheater, where a local acting group called Crane River Theater Co. hosts outdoor productions each summer,” he says. “The 2023 show was SpongeBob SquarePants: The [Broadway] Musical, and thousands of people from as far away as Kansas and Colorado always attend that annual event.”
Another popular outdoor venue is Harmon Park, which hosts gatherings like a Sunday evening concert series along with an Art in the Park festival in the summer.
“The great outdoors are easy to enjoy in Kearney,” Hellriegel says. “There are fun, fresh-air activities for people of all ages.”
Camping in Kearney, NE
Another recreation destination is Fort Kearny State Recreation Area, a 186-acre outdoor refuge with plenty of opportunities for hiking, biking, fishing, non-power boating and swimming. Fort Kearny is about 8 miles southeast of the city limits.
“One of the most popular things to do here is go camping at our east and west campgrounds, with excellent accommodations for RVs,” says Gene Hunt, superintendent of Fort Kearny State Recreation Area as well as Fort Kearny Historical Park, which is located about 2 miles away. “The two campgrounds have 120 electrical campsites along with showers, a dump-and-fill station, modern restrooms, drinking water, picnic tables and grills.”
Hunt says Fort Kearny is an especially popular place for visitors in the spring when the world’s largest concentration of sandhill cranes gathers in the region.
“The sandhill cranes during the month of March are amazing to see,” he says. “We also host a Fort Kearny Expo every year with 40 stations that inform people about archery, snakes, bird-watching, BB guns, nature trails, fishing off our pier and much more about the outdoors.”
Golfing in Kearney, NE
While local parks are a top draw for residents, so are the area’s golf courses. Meadowlark Hills Golf Course is an 18-hole layout operated by the City of Kearney. This par 71 public venue is celebrating its 30th anniversary in 2023.
Meadowlark Hills is scenic, providing great views of Platte River Valley. Plus, the course features several sand bunkers and water on multiple holes. Other amenities include a large driving range, a practice chipping green, a practice putting green and a junior golf program.
Golfers can also practice their game at Kearney Country Club and nearby Awarii Dunes Golf Course. Kearney Country Club is a private membership venue with 18 holes, including an unusual island green hole on No. 17. Opened in 1915, the club includes two practice greens, a full driving range, tennis courts, a top-rated restaurant, a resort-style pool, a heated wading pool and multiple club events.
If you are seeking a convenient and leisurely round of golf, look no further than Buffalo Ridge Golf Course. It caters perfectly to the average golfer and is easily walkable, allowing you to incorporate exercise into your game. This course has come under new ownership, leading to remarkable enhancements to both the fairways and greens, complemented by a beautiful clubhouse that adds to the overall golfing experience.
As for Awarii, its design was inspired by the great links courses of Ireland, with few trees, many bunkers and plenty of flat fairways so the golf ball can roll and roll. At 7,000 yards, this challenging course was built on sand hills created by nature, not man. Amenities include a driving range, chipping area, putting greens, a pro shop and a café grill.
One of the best kept golf secrets in the Kearney area is Elks Country Golf, an executive par 3 golf course that’s open to the public. Plus, it offers the only foot golf course in Kearney.
Get to Know Kearney, NE
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