Wehrspann Lake Trail (Chalco Hills) Hiking Guide
The concrete path around Wehrspann Lake is southwest Omaha's go-to loop for a long, easy walk. It circles a flood-control reservoir inside Chalco Hills Recreation Area, a 940-acre day-use park run by the Papio-Missouri River Natural Resources District, with benches, picnic spots and deer in the fields along the way.
How Long Is the Loop?
Sources disagree. Hiking Project maps the full loop around the lake at 5.9 miles with about 176 feet of gain and calls it roughly six miles, plus or minus. Sarpy County's recreation page lists a North Loop of 4.5 miles and a Full Loop of 7.2 miles, and Recreation.gov counts about 7 miles of trails in the park. The differences likely come from which spurs and connectors are counted; plan on six to seven miles for the whole lake.
Shorter Options
You do not have to go all the way around. Sarpy County's 4.5-mile North Loop is the common shorter circuit, and Hiking Project describes a smaller 2.8-mile version that starts from the entrance off Highway 370. The main entrance is at 154th Street and Giles Road, and there is also trailhead parking off South 154th at the north end of the trail.
Along the Way
The path is concrete the whole way, with benches, picnic areas, a couple of vault toilets and water spigots, according to Hiking Project. Its contributor reports plenty of deer, rabbits and birds, and small signs identifying many of the trees and plants. Recreation.gov adds an arboretum, native prairie grasses, a bird-watching and waterfowl observation platform and a universally accessible fishing pier. Wehrspann is one of eight Papio Creek watershed flood-control reservoirs around Omaha, stocked by Game and Parks.
Fees and Dogs
Chalco Hills is not a state park, so the Nebraska park entry permit does not apply, and no county or federal listing mentions an entry fee. Hiking Project lists the trail as open to leashed dogs; check the NRD's posted rules at the entrance for current pet and hours rules before you go. Bikes and runners use the loop too, so keep to one side.
Year-Round Walking
Because the trail is paved and mostly gentle, it works in every season, including winter days when dirt trails at Fontenelle or Neale Woods are muddy or icy. The park is day use only, with no camping.
Hiking tips for Wehrspann Lake Trail (Chalco Hills)
- Do the 4.5-mile North Loop if you do not have time for the full lake.
- Park at 154th and Giles, the main entrance, or at the north-end lot off South 154th.
- Bring a leash; Hiking Project lists the trail as leashed-dog.
- Look for the small signs naming trees and plants along the path.
- Watch for bikes and runners sharing the concrete path.
Nearby trails to explore
- Gifford Trail Loop (Neale Woods)
- Riverview Boardwalk (Fontenelle Forest)
- Indian Cave Trails 2, 3 and 3A Loop
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Wehrspann's paved loop is an easy weeknight walk to start a group of new hikers on. Post a lap of the lake in TrailMates, choose the full loop or the north loop in the event's group chat, and meet at the 154th and Giles entrance. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.