With more than 17 miles of trail, the park provides hikers and bikers with ample opportunities
to explore and view the diverse flora and fauna close up.
A 3 mile natural hiking and horseback trail winds through the State Recreation Area at
Willow Lake, 1.5 miles southwest of Pierce. The first phase (4.5 miles) of a 9 mile
trail is slated to be surfaced with crushed limestone in late summer or Fall 2001.
This 10 foot wide trail will link the city of Pierce to the Recreation Area.
When finished, this hiking, biking, and equestrian trail will stretch 321 miles across Nebraska,
making it the longest rail-to-trail conversion in the nation. The trail will pass over 221
bridges and through 29 communities. The 143-mile segment from Norfolk to Ainsworth is open to the public.
Currently, this area east of Norfolk has a walking trail about 3 miles long around Maskenthine
lake. In the future, there will be a 4 mile limestone trail around the lake and perhaps a trail
along the Maskenthine Creek connecting the lake with Stanton, Nebraska. There will also be an
unsurfaced horseback riding trail and a woodchip trail in the arboretum.
