No matter where you live in Nebraska, from the biggest city to the most remote Sandhills ranch, you are never far from a public outdoor recreation area. Many of these recreational opportunities; trails, lakes, parks, and wildlife areas are built and maintained by NRDs. Many NRD projects are developed for multiple purposes. Recreational trails are built atop of flood-control levees or along abandoned railroad lines. Dams built for flood-control often develop into recreational areas. Habitat areas and wetlands may be available to hunters and are often preserved for interpretive nature study.
The online reservation camping portal has re-opened for the 2024 camping season! Online reservations are now open. See campsite pages below for more details.
Have questions about our recreation areas? Email our Recreation Area Superintendent, Tyler Warren, here.
Campground Host
Are you interested in becoming a Campground Host? Campground hosts are volunteers who are willing to share their camping knowledge and love of the outdoors with others. They welcome visitors, acquaint them with park facilities, and answer any questions they may have. It’s an opportunity to develop some lasting friendships, while contributing to the betterment of our Recreation Areas. We have openings for the Maskenthine Lake Recreation Area north of Stanton, and the Maple Creek Recreation Area northwest of Leigh. Call 402-371-7313 for more information.
NRD Recreation Exploration
Feeling the need to get away from it all? You’re in luck! Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) offer numerous opportunities to enjoy and appreciate our natural world. Many of the NRDs build and operate public recreation areas available to all who wish to view wildlife, fish and hunt, take nature walks, use bike trails or participate in other outdoor activities. NRD recreation facilities are built and operated to meet multipurpose needs - combining recreation with flood control, wildlife habitat enhancement, soil erosion and sediment control, or wetland renovation along our rivers and streams to protect lives, property and the future. So, whether you are a visitor to Nebraska or a resident of our beautiful state, get out and enjoy one of the numerous NRD recreation areas.
NRD Recreation Exploration
The NRD Recreation Exploration challenges participants to visit as many Natural Resources District (NRD) recreation areas as they can between March 1, 2024, and September 16, 2024. Visit an NRD recreation area and submit a photo for a chance to win prizes! Click here to go to the NRD Recreation Exploration webpage.
Stars, Strolls, & S'mores!
Do you like s’mores? What about moonlit walks? How about heading out for an adventure as the sun goes down? The Norfolk area is full of opportunities to explore the nature of Nebraska. The Nebraska Game & Parks Commission, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District, and the Norfolk Area Visitors Bureau want to help you discover your area trails, lakes, and wild places while highlighting the unique opportunities nighttime offers with our FREE Moon Walk event, “Stars, Strolls & S’mores.”
Moon Walks are held on Wednesday evenings, close to the official full moon, and begin at 7:30 p.m. Most Moon Walks last from 1-2 hours. We usually walk an average of one-mile round trip. Each Moon Walk starts with a short introduction to the night’s program, then we hike to a designated area where there will be presentations. Presenters are experts in their field and are from our local community. The evening wraps up with FREE smores!
Wednesday, June 19, 2024 @ Ta-Ha-Zouka Park, Norfolk
The Elkhorn River with Julie Wragge, LENRD Education Coordinator
The Sound of Summer: The Cicada Song with T.J. Prochaska, Ph.D., UNL Associate Extension Educator
Wednesday, July 17, 2024 @ Maskenthine Lake Recreation Area, Stanton
Worthy Weeds with Rachel Lynn Liester, Red Road Herbs Retreat & Learning Center
Telescope 101 - Stargazing App with Todd Young, WSC Professor of Physics & Astronomy
Wednesday, August 14, 2024 @ Willow Creek State Recreation Area, Pierce
History of Owls and Primitive Skills with Dan Vanderveen, Willow Creek State Rec. Area Park Superintendent
Trolley rides available throughout the evening!
A park permit or day pass is required
Cowboy Trail
Work continues on the longest rails-to-trails conversion in the nation. When complete, the Cowboy Trail will span 321 miles. Portions are open to the public now. The trail starts in Norfolk, and is planned to continue across the state to Chadron.
Maskenthine Lake Recreation Area
Maskenthine Lake Recreation Area is located ten miles east of Norfolk, Nebraska in the rolling hills of north-central Stanton County. Many activities are available here, including boating, fishing, camping, and hunting.
Willow Creek State Recreation Area
Located 1 ½ miles southwest of Pierce, scenic Willow Creek State Recreation Area draws its name from the meandering stream that feeds the Elkhorn River in Northeast Nebraska. The 1,633-acre area includes a 700-acre flood control reservoir with excellent fishing opportunities. The area also boasts picnicking, camping, boating and an 8-mile limestone hike/bike trail.
Pilger Recreation Area
This area offers excellent hiking, hunting and fishing opportunities.
Maple Creek Recreation Area
This area opened to the public on May 21, 2011 and also offers excellent hiking, camping and fishing opportunities.
Nebraska's NRDs - Outdoor Recreation Areas
Nebraska’s Natural Resources Districts (NRDs) offer dozens of outdoor recreation areas perfect for camping, fishing, a family picnic, hiking/biking, wildlife viewing, and much more. Explore the website to find an outdoor recreation area near you!
LENRD Geocaching Regulations
Geocaching, also known as GPS Stash Hunt or GeoStash, involves "hiding" items, usually containers holding various "treasures" and then providing specific Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) coordinates for each "cache" on a web site. Visitors to these web sites can choose which "cache" they would like to locate using their own personal GPS. Cache searchers typically bring along their own "treasures" and make an exchange once the cache has been located.
Toxic Algae - General Information
The weekly beach Bacteria and Harmful Algal Bloom results are posted on the Nebraska Department of Environment & Energy (NDEE) web page: https://deq-iis.ne.gov/zs/bw/
Did you know that not all HABs are alike?
The EPA has provided a nice quick fact sheet regarding HABs at https://www.epa.gov/cyanohabs/learn-about-cyanobacteria-and-cyanotoxins#what3 below is a little info from that site
"Cyanotoxins can be produced by a wide variety of planktonic cyanobacteria. Some of the most commonly occurring genera are Microcystis, Dolichospermum (previously Anabaena), and Planktothrix.
Microcystis is the most common bloom-forming genus, and is almost always toxic. Microcystis blooms resemble a greenish, thick, paint-like (sometimes granular) material that accumulates along shores. Scums that dry on the shores of lakes may contain high concentrations of microcystin for several months, allowing toxins to dissolve in the water even when the cells are no longer alive or after a recently collapsed bloom.
Species of the filamentous genus Dolichospermum form slimy summer blooms on the surface of eutrophic lakes and reservoirs. Dolichospermum blooms may develop quickly and resemble green paint. In less eutrophic waters, some species also form colonies, which are large dark dots in water samples and on filters after filtration.
Planktothrix agardhii forms long, slender, straight filaments that usually remain separate but form dense surface scums. Its presence may be revealed by a strong earthy odor and the filaments are easily detected visually in a water sample."
For further information about the BeachWatch Program, E.coli, HABs and the microcystin toxin please visit the links on the BeachWatch website: https://deq-iis.ne.gov/zs/bw/ This information is updated weekly throughout the season.