Hidden Lake Trail and Great Marsh (Fontenelle Forest) Hiking Guide
This is Fontenelle Forest's long, flat walk. From the Wetlands lot on Camp Gifford Road, the Gifford Memorial Boardwalk crosses Missouri River floodplain to a two-story blind over the Great Marsh, and the Hidden Lake Trail continues past the marsh's east end to Hidden Lake. There is almost no climbing, but the out-and-back adds up to a half-day hike.
Permit: The Wetlands trailhead (103 Camp Gifford Road) is part of Fontenelle Forest and needs a day pass: $15 adults, $13 for 62 and up, $9 for children 2-17, plus sales tax, with members and kids under 2 free. Buy it online or by phone (402-731-3140), or pay cash at the Iron Ranger in the lot.
Distance
Fontenelle's recommended-hikes page calls this route 2.8 miles each way, about 5.6 miles round trip, starting from the Wetlands parking lot. The trail table breaks it into pieces: the Gifford Memorial Boardwalk at 0.34 miles and Hidden Lake Trail at 2.30 miles, with the table's gain and loss for both, counted in both directions, adding to about 265 feet. The same page describes the boardwalk as a half-mile journey, so treat the parts as approximate and plan on the 5.6-mile total.
Boardwalk and Blind
The Gifford Memorial Boardwalk is flat, wooden and open to wheelchairs and strollers. It runs through cottonwoods and wetland to a two-story observation blind looking over the Great Marsh. The Forest explains that the marsh is a river scar, a former channel of the Missouri, and that the Fontenelle Trading Post, around 1823, stood just west of today's marsh when that ground was on the riverbank. The 0.42-mile Marsh Trail follows the shoreline and is the Forest's pick for waterfowl in spring and fall.
On to Hidden Lake
Past the blind you rejoin the Hidden Lake Trail, a level path that skirts the east end of the Great Marsh and then skirts Hidden Lake itself. The Forest warns that the southern portion and the ground around the lake are prone to flooding, so after heavy rain or high water on the Missouri, expect standing water or a turnaround before the lake. Neighboring Gifford Farm and Gifford Point Wildlife Management Area are not part of Fontenelle, so stay on marked Forest trails.
Getting There and Rules
The Wetlands lot is at 103 Camp Gifford Road. From the Nature Center, go south on Bellevue Boulevard North, turn left on Childs Road East and follow it onto Camp Gifford Road. Watch for the railroad crossing, which is active; the Forest asks visitors never to walk on the tracks. Dogs, bikes, jogging and drones are not allowed, and trails close at sunset.
When to Go
Spring and fall are the best seasons here, both for migrating waterfowl on the marsh and for comfortable temperatures on a long, flat walk. All Fontenelle trails close for several days in December during the managed deer hunt. Prescribed burns can also close trails with little warning in burn season, and the Forest posts closures and reroutes on its homepage.
Hiking tips for Hidden Lake Trail and Great Marsh (Fontenelle Forest)
- Bring binoculars; the observation blind over the Great Marsh is the highlight in migration season.
- Plan on about 5.6 miles round trip, more than the trail table's segment lengths suggest.
- Skip the Hidden Lake leg after heavy rain, when the southern section floods.
- Carry cash for the Iron Ranger or buy your pass online before you arrive.
- Cross the railroad tracks only at the marked crossing; trains still use them.
Nearby trails to explore
- Riverview Boardwalk (Fontenelle Forest)
- History Trail (Fontenelle Forest)
- Oak Trail (Fontenelle Forest)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Bird-watchers and steady walkers get the most from the Hidden Lake out-and-back. Start a Great Marsh outing in TrailMates, pick the date and who brings the binoculars in the event's group chat, and gather at the Wetlands lot. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.