It was a high temperature of 90 degrees on the day that we decided to drive to Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, NE. The three hours that we spent at the 2000 acre National Natural Landmark felt cool and pleasant, very much the opposite of the weather prediction. Once we entered the forest, it felt like we were in a different land.
Fontenelle Forest is about an hour door-to-door from Lincoln, NE. It has upland and lowland forests, prairies, wetlands, lakes and waterways and in that vast area there are 26 miles of trails for visitors to explore. We stayed on the Riverview Boardwalk, a one mile loop that is perfect for strollers and wagons. It has areas to stop and take in the gorgeous views, eat a meal and play and explore the forest.
We started our day at the Nature Center by exploring the lower level's interactive area. Once our group had all arrived, we headed out onto the River Boardwalk. The word beautiful doesn't begin to describe Fontenelle Forest. The old growth forest is peaceful, restorative and breathtaking. The one mile loop might sound like a quick walk and it would have been if it weren't for the views-they are gorgeous. We kept stopping to look at the river, to investigate a bird or to climb in a tree house.
After finishing our loop, we ended our trip to Fontenelle at the Raptor Recovery area, visiting predator birds like owls and raptors.
Whether you have young children, older children or grandchildren I'd recommend Fontenelle Forest. It is worth the drive just to walk on the River Boardwalk and be surrounded by the thousands of trees.
If you go, pack food and water, there are no restaurants or vending machines on the path. If you intend to stay on the River Boardwalk, don't worry about hiking gear but if you plan on going off wear proper shoes. There is parking right next to the entrance and it is stroller and wagon accessible. Fontenelle is open 8 AM-7 PM on weekdays and 8 AM-5 PM on weekends. They do not have reciprocity with any zoos or museums in the area; we paid $24.50 for one adult, two kids and one toddler (FREE).
