Chalco Hills Recreational Area

Wehrspann Lake at Chalco Hills is another one of the lakes in the Omaha area that were built to control flooding, but doubles as a nice place to take a walk, run, or bike ride. Located just off 144th Street and Giles Road in Chalco, about a mile south of the Omaha city limit, it’s easily one of my favorite lakes I’ve visited in the area so far.

It’s also one of the bigger lakes in the area, as the route I took around the lake came in at just over four miles (6.4km), with a longer route that could take you over 5 miles (8km). That said, it’s a relatively easy path topographically with minimal hills on the route. There are also plenty of trees to keep you out of the sun during the summer, submerge you with color in the fall, and give you some wind breaks during the winter.

I was able to do the four-mile trek in a little over an hour. This place is so beautiful though that I found myself distracted from any fatigue I was dealing with. It’s also worth mentioning the wildlife here, as there are deer that roam the area, a family of which I had a close encounter with. There are also turkeys living out here, and I will say they’re stubborn little shits when they’re crossing the road, but otherwise not a problem elsewhere.

Lastly, the dam on the north end is a great place for anyone who wants to do some snow sledding during the winter, and there’s also another hill near the east side parking area that would also do. Chalco is definitely a place I’ll return to.