Ponca State Park
Park
1,263 acres15.7 mi of trail
Buffalo Run TrailPrarie Loop TrailBackwater TrailWhitetail Trail+1
Dog rules not recorded
Directionsto the parking lotWebsite ↗
–Not graded
Outdoors in Ponca Township
Few parks or trails are on the map in Ponca Township
The biggest trail networks: Ponca State Park (15.7 mi). 9% of Ponca Township’s land is conserved, about 2,663 acres. 2,002 acres are parks and preserves, 4,380 per 1,000 residents.
Conserved land
9%
2,663 acres · of 46.7 sq mi of land
Trails
20 mi
0.4 per sq mi of land
Park land
2,002 ac
4,380 acres per 1,000 residents
Near a park
35%
of residents within ½ mile
Bike routes
1.3 mi
1.3 mi paths
Highest peak
1,348 ft
Lookout Hill
Lakes & rivers
2
1 boat launch
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 Ponca State Park, with 15.7 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Danish Alp State Recreation Area
Park
719 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Elk Point Bend State Wildlife Management Area
Nature preserve
609 acres
Dog rules not recorded
No trailhead mapped yet
Who protects it
2,663 conserved acres
9% of Ponca Township’s land. Who manages Ponca Township’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
State fish & wildlife5,307 ac
State Park · 4,068 acState Conservation Area · 1,238 ac
The biggest protected parcels
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ponca State Park State Park | State fish & wildlife | 4,068 | Restricted |
| Elk Point Bend Wildlife Management Area State Conservation Area | State fish & wildlife | 1,238 | Open |
Things to do
11 places to go in Ponca Township
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Playgrounds in Ponca Township
3 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
Boat launches in Ponca Township
1 boat launch without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see it.
Peaks in Ponca Township
Lookout Hill1,348 ft elevation · In Ponca State Park
DirectionsCampgrounds in Ponca Township
6 campgrounds without a name on the map.
Trails & water
10 named trails and 2 lakes & rivers
Named trails
Unpaved · 2.6 mi
Buffalo Run Trail1.9 mi
Prarie Loop Trail1.5 mi
Backwater Trail1.2 mi
Whitetail Trail1.0 mi
Corps of Discovery Trail1.0 mi
Loess Hill Loop0.9 mi
Bloodroot Trail0.8 mi
Bigley's Ravine Trail0.4 mi
Overlook Trail0.4 mi
Old Oak Trail0.3 mi
Lakes & rivers tap for directions
Biking & sports
1.3 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
1.3 mi
off-road bike paths
When to get out
The best walking months in Ponca Township: April and September
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) | 9.4 | 10.5 | 11.8 | 13.3 | 14.6 | 15.3 | 15.0 | 13.9 | 12.4 | 11.0 | 9.7 | 9.1 |
| High (°F) | 29 | 34 | 47 | 60 | 72 | 81 | 85 | 83 | 76 | 62 | 46 | 33 |
| Rain (in) | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.6 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.5 | 3.3 | 3.4 | 2.9 | 2.4 | 1.3 | 0.9 |
January is the driest month (0.6 in) and July the warmest (highs of 85 °F). 4.5 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Ponca Township →
Next door
Ponca Township and its neighbors
Ponca Township has the most mapped trails of the 4 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ponca Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Newcastle Township | — 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 Ponca Township
Where can I hike in Ponca Township?
The longest trail networks: Ponca State Park, 15.7 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
Are dogs allowed on Ponca Township’s trails?
Ponca State Park and Danish Alp State Recreation Area don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Ponca Township?
1.3 miles of bike routes are on the map: 1.3 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Ponca Township?
7,545 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Ponca Township or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 2,002 of them inside the town line.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Ponca Township 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 →