Homestead National Historical Park
The Homestead Act of 1862 transformed the world. Millions were invited to file claims including families, women, immigrants, and formerly enslaved people. Over 10 percent of the United States was homesteaded! The land, long inhabited by indigenous cultures, changed forever. Homesteaders created settlements and farms, drove industrial advancement, and built our nation chasing the American Dream.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Trails and Grounds | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
When to go
June draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Heritage Center ↗Passport stamp
This National Park site houses the National Homesteading Museum. State-of-the-art exhibits present homesteading in an interactive setting. Such topics as the Act's influence on immigration, agriculture, industrialization, native tribes, the tallgrass prairie ecosystem, and Federal land policies are…
- Education Center ↗Passport stamp
Homestead National Historical Park uses the Education Center to provide today's visitors the opportunity to meet their quest for further knowledge about homesteading through hands-on arts and crafts or living history demonstrations, real life science experiences, and distance learning.
Explore
Things to do
- Walk Nature Trails at Homestead
Homestead National Historical Park offers over three miles of trails through the sweeping tallgrass prairie and quiet bur oak woodland for hiking, cross-country skiing, and nature study. Trail maps are available from either visitor center.
Opens on the Park Service site - Earn your Junior Ranger Badge or Not-so Junior Ranger Pin
Any kid who visits has the chance to be a Homestead Junior Ranger. While visiting the park, stop at the Visitor Center to pick up a booklet filled with both creative and informative activities. As you explore the Park, complete your booklet!
Opens on the Park Service site - Research Family History
Research the digitized homestead and genealogical records at Homestead National Historical Park.
Opens on the Park Service site - Follow the Quilt Discovery Experience
Follow the trail to learn more about quilt making and the history of quilts and how they truly are documents of history, reflecting who we were as a nation and a people.
Opens on the Park Service site - Watch Land of Dreams Film22-24 Minutes
Watch the 23-minute film Land of Dreams: Homesteading America
Opens on the Park Service site - Discover More at the Homestead Education Center
The Homestead Education Center provides you the opportunity further your knowledge about homesteading through hands-on arts and crafts, living history demonstrations, real life science experiences, and exploring farm implements.
Opens on the Park Service site
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- View Wildlife at the Prairie Plaza
Homestead's prairie plaza is the perfect spot to picnic and view wildlife.
Opens on the Park Service site - Get Started at the Homestead Heritage Center30-120 Minutes
This multipurpose facility brings the epic homestead story to life for visitors of all ages and demonstrates the true scope and importance of the Homestead Act of 1862.
Opens on the Park Service site - Explore the Museum Exhibits15-90 Minutes
Learn about the Homestead Act of 1862 and the impacts it had around the world.
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Webcams
Camera images load live from the National Park Service and partner agencies
Events
- Drop-in Volunteering10/1603:00 PM · freeHomestead National Historical Park's Education Center: 8523 West State Highway 4 Beatrice, NE 68310
- Read with a Ranger10/1710:00 AM · runs through Dec 19 · freeHomestead National Historical Park's Education Center: 8523 West State Highway 4 Beatrice, NE 68310
- Howling Homestead at the Heritage Center10/2404:00 PM · freeHomestead National Historical Park's Heritage Center: 24405 SW 75th Rd, Beatrice, NE 68310
- Walk with a Ranger11/0403:00 PM · freeHomestead National Historical Park's Education Center: 8523 West State Highway 4 Beatrice, NE 68310
- Kids in Parks Program11/1410:00 AM · runs through Dec 12 · freeHomestead National Historical Park's Education Center: 8523 West State Highway 4 Beatrice, NE 68310
- Ranger Program11/1502:00 PM · freeHomestead National Historical Park's Education Center: 8523 West State Highway 4 Beatrice, NE 68310
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- 02:00 PM · runs through Dec 13 · freeHomestead National Historical Park's Education Center: 8523 West State Highway 4 Beatrice, NE 68310
News
- Homestead National Historical Park to Host a Living History Extravaganza ↗2026-08-27
Homestead National Historical Park will present a day of living history activities at the Homestead Heritage Center on Saturday, September 5, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. As the nation commemorates America's 250th…
- Walk with a ranger at Homestead National Historical Park ↗2026-08-24
Join staff at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center on September 2 at 3 p.m. for the monthly walk with a ranger. All ages and abilities are welcome.
- Volunteer at Homestead National Historical Park by contributing to community science initiatives ↗2026-08-11
Join staff at Homestead National Historical Park’s Education Center on August 21 at 3 p.m. to earn volunteer hours as you document the biodiversity of butterflies of the prairie and woodland.
- "Found" on Founders Day: Explore the Tallgrass Prairie at Homestead National Historical Park ↗2026-08-07
Join Homestead National Historical Park for a National Park Service Founders Day program called Found, taking place Sunday, August 23, at 2:00 p.m. at the park's Education Center.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
Historic landmarks nearby
Nebraska guidebooks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBald Eagle 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 81 birds, 41 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAMERICAN KESTREL · GREAT HORNED OWL · NORTHERN HARRIER · RED-TAILED HAWK · ROUGH-LEGGED HAWK · TURKEY VULTURE
Waterfowl & wadersCANADA GOOSE · GREAT BLUE HERON · Lesser Scaup · SNOW GOOSE
Shorebirds & seabirdsFRANKLIN'S GULL · KILLDEER · Lesser Yellowlegs
Gamebirds & dovesMOURNING DOVE · NORTHERN BOBWHITE · ROCK DOVE · Ring-necked Pheasant
WoodpeckersNORTHERN FLICKER · RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER · RED-HEADED WOODPECKER
Hummingbirds & swiftsCHIMNEY SWIFT
Also on the checklistAMERICAN CROW · AMERICAN GOLDFINCH · AMERICAN ROBIN · BARN SWALLOW · BELTED KINGFISHER · BLUE JAY · BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER · BROWN CREEPER · BROWN THRASHER · BROWN-HEADED COWBIRD · Black-capped Chickadee · CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER · COMMON GRACKLE · COMMON Yellowthroat · Carolina Wren · DARK-EYED JUNCO · DICKCISSEL · DOWNY WOOD PECKER · EASTERN BLUEBIRD · EASTERN KINGBIRD · EASTERN PHOEBE · EASTERN WOOD-PEWEE · FIELD SPARROW · GRAY CATBIRD · GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH · GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER · HARRIS' SPARROW · HOUSE SPARROW · HOUSE WREN · House Finch · INDIGO BUNTING · LARK SPARROW · LINCOLN'S SPARROW · NORTHERN CARDINAL · NORTHERN ORIOLE · NORTHERN SHOVELER · ORANGE-CROWNED WARBLER · RED-EYED VIREO · ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK · ROUGH-WINGED SWALLOW · RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET · RUFOUS-SIDED TOWHEE · Red-Winged Blackbird · SONG SPARROW · STARLING · SWAINSON'S THRUSH · Sand Martin · TREE SPARROW · Tufted Titmouse · WARBLING VIREO · WESTERN MEADOWLARK · WHITE-BREASTED NUTHATCH · WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW · WHITE-THROATED SPARROW · Western Kingbird · YELLOW WARBLER · YELLOW-BREASTED CHAT · YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER · Yellow-Billed Cuckoo · Yellow-throated Vireo
Small mammalsBEAVER · Deer Mouse · EASTERN COTTONTAIL · EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL · EASTERN MOLE · Franklin's Ground Squirrel · House Mouse · MASKED SHREW · MUSKRAT · Meadow Jumping Mouse · Meadow Vole · NORWAY RAT · PLAINS POCKET GOPHER · Prairie Vole · Southern Flying Squirrel · Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel · Western Harvest Mouse · White-footed Deermouse · bee shrew · mole shrew
PredatorsAmerican Badger · Bobcat · COYOTE · Common Gray Fox · Cross Fox · Least Weasel · Long-tailed Weasel · MINK · RACCOON · STRIPED SKUNK
Hoofed mammalsWHITE-TAILED DEER
BatsBig Brown Bat · Black Bat · Eastern Pipistrelle · Eastern Red Bat · Evening Bat · Hoary Bat · Northern Bat
Also on the checklistVirginia Opossum · WOODCHUCK · long-nosed armadillo
Activities
Activity guides for this park Birdwatching in the national parks · Hiking in the national parks · Wildlife watching in the national parks
All 15 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Homestead NHP's weather can vary quite a bit, even in a single day. In the summer, average daytime highs can exceed 80°F (27°C), only to drop 20 or more degrees when a thunderstorm rolls through. Winter lows fluctuate day to day and year to year, but average lows were measured at about 16°F (-9°C) for January and February over a 20-year period. Wind is common throughout the year.
Questions people ask
Does Homestead charge an entrance fee?
No. Homestead is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Homestead?
Standard hours are Sunrise to Sunset, every day.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Homestead?
43,099 recreation visits in 2025, number 276 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Homestead?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 4G LTE and T-Mobile 4G LTE. No reported coverage for AT&T. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Homestead?
Homestead NHP's weather can vary quite a bit, even in a single day. In the summer, average daytime highs can exceed 80°F (27°C), only to drop 20 or more degrees when a thunderstorm rolls through.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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