Ponca State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)
- Entrance fee
- Not posted
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Not stated — check with park
- Camping
- YesAlso cabins
- Official site
- outdoornebraska.gov(402) 755-2284
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Overview
Ponca State Park is a 4,085-acre park in Dixon County, about 15 miles southeast of Vermillion.
Things to do include cross-country skiing, horseback riding, winter sports, canoeing and kayaking, and hunting in season. On the water side, there is a swimming pool, a boat ramp, and a fishing pier. Overnight options include campsites, with tent sites and showers. Roofed lodging includes cabins.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camping Park-level flags from NGPC GIS; individual campgrounds and site counts not published in this source. | — | ElectricShowers | — |
Camping details from the park
Camping: Yes. Site types: pads with electric, non-pad sites without electric. Facilities in park: showers, dump station, drinking water, modern restrooms.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Cabins and lodging
- Cabins
- Lodging
Cabins, Lodging available (NGPC GIS flag).
Things to do
CampingBoatingCanoeing and kayakingFishingPicnickingSwimmingWinter sportsCross-country skiingHikingHorseback ridingBikingHuntingWildlife viewing and birdingRanger and interpretive programs
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Oak Spur 1 Trail | 0.14 mi | Moderate | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Buffalo Run Trail | 2.05 mi | Difficult / hard | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Ponca Trail | 0.57 mi | Moderate | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeRoad BikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiHard Surface surface |
| West Shelter Trail | 0.69 mi | Medium / easy | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Backwater Trail | 1.05 mi | Easy | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiImported Material surface |
| Prairie Loop Trail | 1.15 mi | Easy | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Bigley's Ravine Trail | 1.72 mi | Medium | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Oak Bluff Trail | 0.06 mi | Moderate | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| WhiteTail Trail | — | Medium | — |
| Hike/Bike Trail | 1.68 mi | Moderate | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain Bike |
| Tri State Overlook Trail | — | Medium | — |
| Education Center Trail | 0.17 mi | Easy | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)Hike |
| Ponca Horse Trail | — | Moderate | — |
| Corps of Discovery Trail | 0.98 mi | Hard | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Bloodroot Trail | 0.85 mi | Medium | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Old Oak Trail | 0.83 mi | Medium | Status: Open Restricted (lengths summed from GIS segments)HikeMountain BikeDog SledSnowshoeCross Country SkiNative Material surface |
| Prairie Loop Access Trail | 259.47 mi | Easy | — |
Trail descriptions from the park
Old Oak Spur 1 Trail (0.14 mi) Buffalo Run Trail (2.05 mi) Ponca Trail (0.57 mi) West Shelter Trail (0.69 mi) Backwater Trail (1.05 mi) Prairie Loop Trail (1.15 mi) Bigley's Ravine Trail (1.72 mi) Oak Bluff Trail (0.06 mi) WhiteTail Trail Hike/Bike Trail (1.68 mi) Tri State Overlook Trail Education Center Trail (0.17 mi) Ponca Horse Trail Corps of Discovery Trail (0.98 mi) Bloodroot Trail (0.85 mi) Old Oak Trail (0.83 mi) Prairie Loop Access Trail (259.47 mi)
Swimming
Swimming: Yes; Swimming pool: Yes
Boating and paddling
Boating, Boat ramp, Boat dock, Canoeing/kayaking
Fishing
Fishing, Accessible fishing piers
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Vault or pit toilets
- Showers
- Drinking water
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Playground
- Visitor center
- Nature center or museum
- Park or camp store
- Restaurant or food service
- Parking
- Group facilities
Water
- Swimming pool
- Boat ramp
- Marina or boat slips
- Fishing pier
Camping
- RV dump station
- Tent camping
Lodging
- Cabins
Recreation
- Golf course
- Horse trails
Accessibility
- Accessible fishing
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
- Accessible fishing
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 88090 Spur 26E
Ponca, NE 68770-0688 - Nearest town
- Vermillion — about 15 mi southeast (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 42.6204, -96.7257
- Phone
- (402) 755-2284
- ngpc.Ponca@nebraska.gov
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Nebraska State Parks — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Sep 30, 2016
- NGPC ArcGIS feature service Parks_Locations (owner NGPC.GISAdmin) + TrailsNewmap layer 8
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology