Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area

About this park

Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area covers 1,094 acres on a rocky escarpment with views of the North Platte River Valley, reaching 4,600 feet. It is next to the 230-acre Wildcat Hills Wildlife Management Area and was the site of Nebraska's first documented northern saw-whet owl nest. Evening grosbeaks and red crossbills frequent the area, and wildlife includes bighorn sheep, mule deer, wild turkey, bobcat, and coyote. The Nature Center has interactive displays and a 27-foot artificial ponderosa pine tree, and the Shooting Sports Complex has archery, rifle, shotgun, and pellet ranges. More than three miles of multi-use trails run through canyons and bluffs for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. Three historic stone shelters built during the Great Depression era are available for picnicking. There are 12 basic campsites, half reservable and half first-come, first-served.