The trail and the adjacent Ak-Sar-Ben Aquarium and Nature Center are located in the 331-acre Schramm Park State Recreation Area on Nebraska Highway 31, 9 miles south of Gretna. Nearby population centers within a 2-hour driving distance include Lincoln and Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs and Sioux City, Iowa.
The Schramm Park Trail consists of two loop trails making a continuous 3-mile hiking-nature trail with observation points along the high bluffs overlooking _ the Platte River. Unusual rock outcroppings, extensive hardwood forest, rest areas, and interpretive signs are attractions along the trail. The Aquarium planned Fish Hatchery Museum, and the Education Center offers complementary recreation features. Motorized vehicles are prohibited on the trail.
The trail is free to the public. An entry fee is charged for motorized vehicles entering the park. Maintenance and management are carried out by Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Increase in use of this trail is expected to parallel the use at the Aquarium and Nature Center. Designation of the Schramm Park Trail would be a significant step to encourage _development of additional trails in Nebraska as well as emphasizing the educational values of outdoor recreation.
This candidate trail complies with the established criteria for National Recreation Trails.
