Holmes Lake Park
Managed by City of Lincoln
580 acres5.4 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Photo: Hanyou23 · CC BY-SA 4.0A−Outdoors
Outdoors in Lincoln
7% of Lincoln’s land is conserved, and virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park
Virtually every resident lives within a half mile of a park. The biggest trail networks: Holmes Lake Park (5.4 mi), Antelope Park South (1.3 mi), Lincoln Regional Center Arboretum (0.9 mi). 7% of Lincoln’s land is conserved, about 4,393 acres.
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns · #7 of 57 in Nebraska. What drives it
Conserved land
7%
4,393 acres · of 102.5 sq mi of land
Trails
40 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
6,735 ac
23 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
99%+
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
120 mi
8.1 mi lanes · 112 mi paths
Lakes & rivers
22
3 beaches · 5 boat launches
What kind of outdoors town is Lincoln?
Read from the map. The page puts what stands out first.
Outdoors grade
How much outdoors does Lincoln have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Lincoln is ahead of 82% of U.S. towns, #7 of 57 in Nebraska. All four inputs are above most U.S. towns; the share of residents near a park ranks highest, trail miles lowest.
A−
OutdoorsA character grade: shown, never part of Lincoln’s overall grade.
Conserved land7% of the land · typical NE town 4% · U.S. 4%B+Trails0.4 miles of mapped trail per square mile of land (40 mi) · NE 0.3 · U.S. 0.4BPark land23 acres of park per 1,000 residents (6,735 acres) · NE 15 · U.S. 13B+Parks close to homeVirtually all residents within a half mile of a park · NE 90% · U.S. 72%A
All U.S. towns we grade (21,298)Ahead of 82%
LessMore
Nebraska towns of 2,500+ (57)Ahead of 89%
Among the 400 U.S. cities of 100,000 or more, Lincoln ranks #179 on Outdoors.
How sure. Graded on any three of the four inputs instead, the letter would range from B+ to A. Trails and many small parks come from OpenStreetMap, mapped by volunteers, so coverage varies from town to town; the half mile is a straight line from each census block, so a river or highway in the way isn’t counted against it.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
The map
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Easements protect land from building but are usually private.© OpenStreetMap contributors · USGS PAD-US
Places to walk
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Holmes Lake Park, with 5.4 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Antelope Park South
Managed by City of Lincoln
107 acres1.3 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lincoln Regional Center Arboretum
Managed by State of Nebraska
90 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Lincoln Saline Wetland Nature Center
Managed by Lower Platte South NRD
90 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Densmore Park
Managed by City of Lincoln
65 acres0.9 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Tierra Park
Managed by City of Lincoln
105 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Antelope Park Triangle
Managed by City of Lincoln
26 acres0.8 mi of trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
Zoetis Saline Wetland
Managed by Latoya Edwards
56 acres0.7 mi of trail
Zoetis Saline Wetlands Trail
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lot
All 134 parks & preserves
Holmes Lake Park580 acres · 5.4 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsAntelope Park South107 acres · 1.3 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsLincoln Regional Center Arboretum90 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · State of Nebraska
DirectionsLincoln Saline Wetland Nature Center90 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · Lower Platte South NRD
Densmore Park65 acres · 0.9 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsTierra Park105 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsAntelope Park Triangle26 acres · 0.8 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsZoetis Saline Wetland56 acres · 0.7 mi of trail · Latoya Edwards
DirectionsMax E Roper Park111 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWoods Park44 acres · 0.5 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsAntelope Park North33 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsSeng Park at University Place17 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · Lincoln Parks and Recreation
DirectionsOlympic Heights Park12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Maxwell Arboretum12 acres · 0.4 mi of trail
DirectionsWilderness Park Conservation Area279 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · Lancaster County
DirectionsMahoney Park115 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsBowling Lake Park65 acres · 0.3 mi of trail
DirectionsKeech Park12 acres · 0.3 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsSeacrest Range57 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsAir Park West52 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWoodside Park29 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsVan Dorn Park26 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsArnold Heights Park16 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Tyrrell Park11 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsBelmont Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsHenry Park10 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Coddington Park8 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsHerbert Park6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsUnion Plaza6 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsEasterday Park5 acres · 0.2 mi of trail
DirectionsPrairie Village North Park4 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Havelock Park3 acres · 0.2 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsOak Lake Park151 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsSampson Park34 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsTrago Park17 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsRoberts Park14 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsCooper Park12 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsPeter Pan Park10 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsBallard Park8 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsUPCO Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsEdenton South Park6 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Centennial Mall5 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsHuskerville Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsPentzer Park4 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsTimber Valley Park3 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Lakeview Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsVillage Meadows Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
48th & Adams Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsLintel Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Highlands Aquatic Center2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Hazel Abel Park2 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
Directions34th & Madison Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail
DirectionsSue Krueger Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Sunrise Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWillard and Schroeder Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · City of Lincoln
Thompson Creek Park1 acres · 0.1 mi of trail · Thompson Creek Homeowner's Association
Jensen Park128 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWhitehead Saline Wetland98 acres · Lower Platte South Natural Resources District
DirectionsBoosalis Park68 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsBeal Slough Greenway50 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsSeacrest Park47 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsArnold Heights Public Area41 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWilderness Park40 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsPeterson (Erwin) Park39 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsHighlands South Park39 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsSawyer Snell Park27 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsStanding Bear Grounds (Sawyer Snell Park)22 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsTrendwood Park20 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsHighway 2 Greenway20 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsIrvingdale Park19 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsTaylor Park18 acres
DirectionsColonial Hills Park18 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsHayward Park17 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsSheridan Green14 acres · City of Lincoln
Larson Park13 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsNeighbors Park13 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsJonathan Gapp Park13 acres · City of Lincoln
Northern Lights Greenway13 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWilliamsburg Park13 acres · City of Lincoln
Porter (Clare) Park12 acres · City of Lincoln
Highlands Park10 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsPiedmont Park9 acres · Piedmont Park
DirectionsHartland Garden Valley Conservation Area9 acres · City of Lincoln
Bethany Park9 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsHamann Meadows Conservation Area9 acres · City of Lincoln
Canopy Yard9 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsDakota Springs Conservation Area8 acres · City of Lincoln
Antelope Creek Greenway8 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsPansing Park8 acres · City of Lincoln
Eden Park8 acres
DirectionsRudge Memorial Park8 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsCripple Creek Park7 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsCountry View Park7 acres · City of Lincoln
Bishop Heights Park7 acres
Phares Park7 acres · City of Lincoln
Grandale Park6 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsKahoa-Jaycee Park6 acres
DirectionsFilbert Park5 acres · City of Lincoln
Folsom Park5 acres · City of Lincoln
Roose Park5 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsRolling Hills Park4 acres · Rolling Hills Park Association
DirectionsWest Lincoln Park4 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsTractor Testing Track3 acres
Steven C Schleich Park3 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWoodsdale Green3 acres · City of Lincoln
Southwest Village Heights South Park3 acres · City of Lincoln
Wilderness Hills Park3 acres · City of Lincoln
Fallbrook Park3 acres · Lincoln Public Schools
DirectionsStuhr Park2 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsAshley Heights Park2 acres · City of Lincoln
Phil E Mendoza Park2 acres · City of Lincoln
McAdams Park2 acres
American Legion Park2 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWaterford Park2 acres · City of Lincoln
MoPac Trailhead2 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsDonald and Lorena Meier Commons2 acres
DirectionsBelmont Community Center2 acres · Belmont Community Center
DirectionsBison Park1 acres · City of Lincoln
Ecco Park1 acres
DirectionsF Street Community Center1 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsPocras Park1 acres · Sheridan Park
Grand Terrace Park1 acres · City of Lincoln
Kontras Park1 acres · City of Lincoln
Directions45th & Gladstone Park1 acres
Crossroads Park and Playground1 acres · Crossroads
DirectionsStransky Park1 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsEastridge Pool1 acres · Eastridge Recreational Association
DirectionsJamaica North Trailhead1 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsAmerican Historical Society of Germans From Russia Museum1 acres · American Historical Society of Germans From Russia
Willard Community Center1 acres · Willard Community Center
Sunburst Park1 acres · City of Lincoln
Tierra Williamsburg Playground1 acres · Briarhurst West Neighborhood
Hidden Hills Park1 acres · City of Lincoln
Witherbee Park1 acres · City of Lincoln
DirectionsWho protects it
4,393 conserved acres
7% of Lincoln’s land. Who manages Lincoln’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
Town or city3,069 ac
Other or Unknown Local Government516 ac
Army Corps of Engineers478 ac
Regional agency292 ac
Land trusts & nonprofits63 ac
Private owners13 ac
Local Park · 2,367 acLocal Recreation Area · 944 acRecreation Management Area · 478 acLocal Conservation Area · 357 acPrivate Conservation · 145 ac
Good to know
Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors. 25 acres are conservation easements, usually private land. The walks above are places people visit.
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holmes Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 478 | Open |
| Wilderness Park Local Park | Town or city | 293 | Open |
| Highlands Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 232 | Open |
| Jensen Park Local Conservation Area | Town or city | 168 | Open |
| Mahoney Golf Course Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 141 | Open |
| Oak Lake Local Park | Town or city | 124 | Open |
| Roper (Max E) Local Park | Town or city | 110 | Open |
| Mahoney Local Park | Town or city | 108 | Open |
| Tierra/Briarhurst Local Park | Town or city | 107 | Open |
| Salt Creek Levee Trail Corridor Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 100 | Open |
5 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
Things to do
408 places to go in Lincoln
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Beaches in Lincoln
3 beaches without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Public pools in Lincoln
Belmont PoolIn Belmont Park
DirectionsEden PoolIn Eden Park
DirectionsHavelock PoolIn Ballard Park
DirectionsIrvingdale PoolIn Irvingdale Park
DirectionsStar City Shores
DirectionsWoods Park PoolIn Woods Park
DirectionsPlus 3 public pools without a name on the map.
Playgrounds in Lincoln
Herbert Park PlaygroundIn Herbert Park
DirectionsHighlands Academy Playground
DirectionsHighlands Pool PlaygroundIn Highlands Aquatic Center
DirectionsSunridge Apartments Playground
DirectionsTot Lot
DirectionsUrban Air Adventure Park
Directions297 playgrounds are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Dog parks in Lincoln
Mahoney Dog Run (Over 15")
DirectionsMahoney Dog Run (Under 15")In Mahoney Park
DirectionsOff Leash Dog Bar
DirectionsPaws 4 Fun
DirectionsRoper East Dog RunIn Max E Roper Park
DirectionsTanglewood Dog Park
DirectionsUrban Hound
DirectionsPlus 9 dog parks without a name on the map.
Boat launches in Lincoln
5 boat launches without a name on the map.
Fishing spots in Lincoln
Pine Lake Pond
DirectionsPlus 1 fishing spot without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Scenic views in Lincoln
4 scenic views without a name on the map.
Picnic areas in Lincoln
59 picnic areas are on OpenStreetMap in all; the list shows named ones from the first 30.
Campgrounds in Lincoln
Camp A Way Campground & RV ParkFee · City of Lincoln
DirectionsDisc golf in Lincoln
1 disc golf course without a name on the map.
Community gardens in Lincoln
Autumn Wood Memorial GardensTabitha New Community Homewoners
DirectionsHighland Grove
DirectionsRotary Strolling Garden & Hamann Rose GardenIn Antelope Park Triangle · City of Lincoln
DirectionsVeterans Memorial GardenIn Antelope Park South · City of Lincoln
DirectionsPlus 7 community gardens without a name on the map.
Trails & water
3 named trails and 22 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Open to bikes · 4.0 miUnpaved · 7.9 mi
Zoetis Saline Wetlands Trail0.7 mi
Wilderness Park Hiker Trail0.2 mi
Wilderness Park Cutover0.1 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Appian Way LakeBowling LakelakeBroyhill FountainCapitol Beach LakelakeForest LakepondHolmes LakereservoirLinks LakelakeNorth Hills LagoonpondOak LakereservoirPenguin PoolPine LakereservoirPine Lake PondreservoirRetention PondreservoirSky Ranch LakelakeTrendwood Park Retention PondpondWaterford LakereservoirWedgewood LakereservoirAntelope CreekBeal SloughDeadmans RunOak CreekSalt Creek
Biking & sports
120 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
8.1 mi
painted or protected bike lanes
112 mi
off-road bike paths
Courts & fields
160Tennis
152Basketball
96Baseball
85Soccer
31Pickleball
26Football
22Golf
21Beach volleyball
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
History along the way
History →104 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 22 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
Thomas P. Kennard HouseBuilding · listed 1969
About itCity HallBuilding · listed 1969
About itLewis-Syford HouseBuilding · listed 1971
About itRock Island DepotBuilding · listed 1971
About itWilliam H. Ferguson HouseBuilding · listed 1972
About itOld Main, Nebraska Wesleyan UniversityBuilding · listed 1975
About itOld University LibraryBuilding · listed 1975
About itArthur C. Ziemer HouseBuilding · listed 1977
About itWilliam H. Tyler HouseBuilding · listed 1978
About itNebraska Telephone Company BuildingBuilding · listed 1978
About it92 more on the History page.
When to get out
April is the best month for walking in Lincoln
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 9.5 | 10.6 | 11.8 | 13.2 | 14.4 | 15.1 | 14.8 | 13.8 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.8 | 9.3 |
| High (°F) | 35 | 40 | 52 | 64 | 74 | 84 | 88 | 86 | 79 | 66 | 51 | 39 |
| Rain (in) | 0.8 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 5.3 | 4.6 | 3.8 | 3.6 | 3.0 | 2.3 | 1.3 | 1.2 |
January is the driest month (0.8 in) and July the warmest (highs of 88 °F). 5.3 inches fall in May, the wettest month. Summer highs reach 88 °F, too hot for the outline. The climate in Lincoln →
Next door
Lincoln and its neighbors
Lincoln has the most mapped trails of the 3 towns around it. Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lincoln | 7% | 0.4 | 23 | 99%+ | A− |
| Yankee Hill | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Walton | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Lincoln
Where can I hike in Lincoln?
The longest trail networks: Holmes Lake Park, 5.4 miles; Antelope Park South, 1.3 miles; Lincoln Regional Center Arboretum, 0.9 miles; Lincoln Saline Wetland Nature Center, 0.9 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Lincoln is conserved land?
7% of its land, against a typical 4% for a Nebraska town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Lincoln’s trails?
Holmes Lake Park and Antelope Park South don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Lincoln?
120 miles of bike routes are on the map: 8.1 of painted or protected lanes and 112 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Lincoln?
19,833 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Lincoln or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 6,749 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Lincoln have?
Ahead of 82% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #7 of 57 in Nebraska. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Lincoln neighbors.
Share a tip
Sources
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →