Ponca State Park
| Ponca State Park | |
| Nebraska State Park | |
| Named for: The Ponca people | |
| Country |  United States |
|---|---|
| State |  Nebraska |
| County | Dixon |
| Location | Ponca |
| - elevation | 1,161 ft (354 m) |
| - coordinates | 42°36′09″N 96°42′53″W / 42.60250°N 96.71472°WCoordinates: 42°36′09″N 96°42′53″W / 42.60250°N 96.71472°W |
| Area | 2,400 acres (971 ha) |
| Established | 1934 |
| Management | Nebraska Game and Parks Commission |
  Location in Nebraska
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| Website: Ponca State Park | |
Ponca State Park is a public recreation area located on the banks of the Missouri River approximately 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Ponca, Nebraska, in the northeastern corner of the state. The state park's approximately 2,400 acres (970 ha) are situated among high bluffs and steep, forested hills adjacent to the Missouri National Recreational River. The park is managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
The park was created in 1934 when 160 acres (65 ha) of land were donated by Ponca Legion Post 117. The park and town bear the name of the Ponca tribe, who inhabited the area before European settlement, and whose chief, Standing Bear, won a celebrated court battle to have the Indian declared a "person" under U.S. law.
The park is noted for its biodiversity. Eastern woodland flowers such as bloodroot, Canada Violet, phlox and sweet cicely can be found growing among prairie plants, including yucca, clover, and larkspur. The wild plum and gooseberry thickets were also noted by the Lewis and Clark Expedition, who passed these bluffs with their Corps of Discovery in the summer of 1804. Forested ravines and hillsides contain bur oak, basswood, elm, black walnut and hackberry. White-tailed deer and wild turkey are commonly seen. Coyotes, red and gray foxes, raccoons and bobcats might also be spotted. This area is also known for the concentrations of waterfowl that congregate during the spring and fall migrations. The barred owl is a vocal resident, and wintering bald eagles are often sighted. Many miles of trails wind through the deep ravines and over the windswept hilltop ridges of the park.
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Wikipedia