Fontenelle Forest- Bellevue, Nebraska

In our family, we have certain places that we just can’t resist seeing in every season. Those locations that you instantly can imagine the beauty with the falling leaves, the snow, the fresh blossoms, and the never-ending flowers and green. Being that not every state has all four seasons, we always consider it a privilege that we can experience a spot in nature that is uniquely different each time we visit. The beauty of the location just keeps bringing you back for more.

Last week, we had the opportunity to visit Fontenelle Forest in Bellevue, Nebraska. Immediately, we realized Fontenelle is one of these spots that you have to keep coming back to because every season must be equally as stunning as the last. Tucked into a neighborhood in the outskirts of Omaha, you will be completely astonished at the oasis of beauty that awaits you in Fontenelle. Greeted by staff members, we were immediately showered with kindness. They made us even more excited to explore all the Forest has to offer. We decided to start off our explorations in the Baright Gallery. This gallery changes and offers history and education of Fontenelle. The current exhibit showed us history of the trading post that was on the site of Fontenelle’s grounds. Not only was there a lot of written history for us to read and enjoy, but the kids liked seeing what a trading post would actually look like in the 1800’s. Actual artifacts from the trading post were also, included in the display, making it kid-friendly.

After looking through the Baright gallery, we decided to walk outside and check out some of the trails. We started with the Riverview Boardwalk and it did not disappoint! One thing I loved about this trail was that it was completely wheelchair and stroller accessible, while including a variety of stunning backdrops. It was a perfect one mile trail, which had three connected loops. With the loops, it was easy to make the trail as short or as long as you wanted. Despite some complaining from two of our youngest family members about hiking, they quickly turned their attitudes around when the beginning of the boardwalk bordered TreeRush Adventure Park (which we were doing later as well). TreeRush Adventure Park is a high-ropes course and the kids loved watching the staff members do safety checks on all of the equipment as we walked by. As we continued past TreeRush, we were greeted by beautiful fall foliage. Our family was completely spoiled with stunning weather the day we visited and the most perfect fall colors peeping through the forest. While walking, we talked and daydreamed about what the boardwalk must look like in all seasons!

As we continued walking along the boardwalk, the kids were excited to find wooden benches throughout where they could stop and rest as needed. We were pleasantly surprised to find a stunning view of the Missouri river, railroad tracks, and city about halfway through the boardwalk. It was an engaging enough walk that even our one year old walked the entire boardwalk by herself. Being that my kids love outdoor playscapes, we were thrilled to see Fontenelle has Acorn Acres. This is an outdoor one-acre natural playscape that is currently being re-modeled and will open up next year. My kids are ecstatic to see what that looks like the next time we visit!

After finishing our walk, we headed back inside to check out the downstairs. This was another hit with our kids! Habitat Hollow contains an assortment of live animals, a play area, a make n’ take art area, and a bird watching room. Our son was enamored by the snakes and amphibians during our time. The make n’ take art area was filled with a wide assortment of craft materials. It contained egg cartons, bags, coloring utensils, tape, pipe cleaners, and more. Two art projects later, our oldest daughter could have probably spent hours in this section alone. A small tree house and blocks occupied our youngest daughter’s time. All three kids enjoyed putting nature pieces under the microscopes, feeling nature in the sensory bins, and coloring nature pictures. Watching the birds and bird feeders through the windows with binoculars was a hit for the entire family. While we were there, a small class was going on for preschoolers with their parents. If we were local, I think this would be such an amazing opportunity for kids to learn in a natural setting. Exploring this area could easily have taken a couple hours for our kids to fully experience all that it has to offer.

In this spot, there were also clean bathrooms, drinking fountains, and a water filling station. At this point, we filled our waters and got ready for TreeRush Adventures. My son (7 years old) and I did the Haunted TreeRush Adventure Park, while my oldest daughter (4 years old) did the KidsRush Adventure Park with my husband assisting her. I have a full blog about this adventure as well because you won’t want to miss this spot either! Our youngest (1 year old) hung out with my father-in-law during this time and they continued exploring Habitat Hollow more and walked along the paths.

After the high ropes course, we walked back to the Raptor Woodland Refuge. What a beautiful space for the raptors! Complete with wooden homes for each animal, education about each bird, and rope bridges, it was clear these animals were very well cared for. My son loves raptors, so he definitely enjoyed visiting this area and learning more about each animal.

Once we finished all of this, we brought out our picnic lunch and ate beneath the trees in one of their areas with picnic tables. Feeling the breeze, watching the stunning fall foliage drop to the ground, and listening to the birds was another highlight of our day. There is something so wonderful about just being still in nature. Realizing that there will never be a moment that is exactly the same in this spot again with each part of nature perfectly aligning to design your experience at that time. While my father-in-law and daughters finished eating, my husband, son, and I took a walk down one of the paths close to the picnic tables. At Fontenelle, there are 1,500 acres and 17 miles of trails, so there is no shortage of places to explore!

This was yet another stunning hike with leaves magically falling around us as we walked through the sea of yellow, orange, and red trees. One thing I loved about this part was that there were several school groups walking when we were there. As we walked, they were walking up from a hike. Each kid had a smile on their face and were staring around the forest in amazement. As adults, I feel that we sometimes take for granted the beautiful changes in nature that occur constantly around us. Watching each kid’s head look back and forth as they walked was a perfect reminder to stop and revel in the beauty of our world. Fontenelle Forest gives you this opportunity and experience!

As we finished our walk, we checked out the gift shop. One of our family traditions is to get an ornament for each trip we take. I decided this was the perfect spot to get an ornament to remember this trip to Omaha. Talking to staff here, we were met with even more kindness and big smiles. It is evident that people love working there, which makes it an even more enjoyable experience for everyone visiting.

Overall, Fontenelle Forest was breath-taking and a fun experience for all family members. We will definitely be back to see the forest in each season and appreciate the beauty of all times of the year. If you are planning a visit to Omaha or live in the area, this is a definite place to add to your bucket list!

Here are some additional details about Fontenelle for when you are planning your visit:

Hours: Open daily 8am – 5pm

Summer hours Memorial Day to Labor Day:

Monday-Friday: 8am-7pm

Saturday-Sunday 8am-5 pm

Trails open sunrise to sunset

Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas, and New Year’s Day

Raptor Woodland Refuge is open daily from 10 am-5pm

Admission Prices:

$11 per adult | $10 per senior (62+)

$8 per child (2-17) | Children under 2 free

Free for members

Location:

1111 Bellevue Blvd. N. Bellevue, NE 68005

Contact Information: 402-731-3140