Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Brady, NE

Super clean bathrooms (no sinks but do have hand sanitizer) easy lake/reservoir access. Nice fire pits, well kept sites, swings for kids, pet friendly !

Quiet and not too crowded campground with spots right on the water. We visited on a Monday night so it might pick up on the weekends. The lake is awesome and it is pet friendly. You pay at a Dropbox we believe as there were not clear instructions and no park rangers. Clean and functional bathrooms, lots of grass, trees, and of course a beautiful lake with lots of swimming area!

My dog and I were the only ones there on a quiet Monday night.

Grounds were nice, spaces are kinda close but the park was mostly empty so no privacy issues. I didn’t use the bathroom facilities. AT&T service good. T mobile is fair, not enough to work from. My biggest complaint is that I found 2 ticks on myself here.. 35 years on this planet & never got a tick until now. None on the dog, but he’s on preventative medicine. I will not return for that reason alone.

We called ahead and were told there was plenty of space and that they did not take reservations so we headed over there. When we got there, there was plenty of rv spots and the camp host told us to go down the far left dirt road to find a private spot by the lake.. there were some open spots but there was a lot of garbage and obvious areas of human feces, toilet paper and paper towels. The fire pits were piled with all kinds of garbage that probably needed gloves and hazmat suit to clean up. We are camping across the country with our 2 dogs and a young toddler and we did not feel it was safe to have out dogs or kid at these spaces due to the amount of garbage and whatever else was piled in there. That being said there were large groups of people camping at some of the other spots along the lake and seemed ok. We are driving a SUV with a cargo carrier on the hitch and found some of the road to be too uneven to drive with the rack on the back without scrapping.

Pros- they have a variety of very beautiful birds.

Definitely do not forget your bug spray as the flies bite hard and the ticks are thick.

Traveling in Nebraska around North Platte this is an easy access for quite night rest. Only one vehicle in the night drove by. Super quiet.

Nice to have a site that has plenty of shade. Nebraska SRAs are great and this is in my top 10.

The sites are packed in there if it had been full it probably would not have been as pleasant but out of 250 sites 10 were occupied. It was a great night stop on the way thru Nebraska

Dare I say this park was scenic?! Nebraska is not the most exciting state to pass through on a road trip to CO, but this campsite exceeded our low expectations. The sites were nicely secluded and the campground was quiet. We didn’t plan on doing much exploring in the area, but ended up spending the better part of our day here.

**Campground Review:  **

Traveling through Nebraska there are several areas you might be interested in exploring, amongst those Jeffrey Canyon State Wildlife Area, a primitive site with a rich history and a unique location.

As you travel down the road to Jeffrey Canyon the corn fields abound and thrive, the terrain begins to climb then you sharply turn to access the area.    The area is clearly marked, but the areas which you are allowed to camp are not.   As a part of the hydroelectric power area there are many unique features including a large lake with plenty of land around it.   The problem lays in that there are no maps delegating areas which are able to be camped on.    One area beyond the park is privately owned and marked for no entry, but the historic looking outbuildings, while interesting are not marked by any specific markers.

It was not until I left the property that I knew what exactly I had been looking at while there.  The historic buildings are gems to say the least but without marking or description they are mere photographable relics.    It was a bit sad to visit and have little to no knowledge of what was abounding.

The reservoir itself is a fishermen's haven with many coming to the area to fish and enjoy sport.  While visiting I noticed many navigating the lake on various sized boats.

As for camping this is where there was more than a little confusion.    The steep uneven terrain just beyond the road/dam was open for primitive camping, however it would be a bit awkward to access for many vehicles.    With road wash and loose gravel it was not  ideal and I could honestly say I was a little worried about driving down toward the camping area which was not much more than a slurry pit area.

It was very sad to see that such an area with great promise was not better equipped for those coming to the area to appreciate it.   There were no services, which was somewhat expected but the potential of the site and how well manicured the outbuildings were and the vast difference in the actual camping area allocated was very disconnected.   

When approaching town I asked someone and they said many use the woods, however this is hike in only and very limited parking along the major roadway are used for this.   I personally would not recommend this.

The grounds were beautiful and deserving of a much higher rating but the camping itself was limited and deemed the lower rating.   Perhaps visit for fishing or just a good stop in Nebraska but steer toward one of the other locations within 30 miles of this location for actual camping.

Product Review:

I was very excited when I was asked to review some of the items from Banner & Oak on this trip and found that the variety and styles of hats offered was so vast.    I selected the "Freedom To Explore" hat which was very fitting for the adventures I take on while traveling.   I consider myself to be a nomad at heart and go wherever the wind blows me so the theme of this hat was a mirror of myself.

The hat is a snapback with a unique feel to the material used.   The black and grey fabric is a great suit for most looks as it is muted and can appeal to many.   The customizable size is perfect for someone like myself because my head is a bit smaller so this allows me to really fit the hat and keep it secure even in a windy day like the one I visited this location.

The quality of the Banner & Oak brand is very high and I love that the hat is not only versatile but durable.    

I personally prefer hats during summer for sun protection wince I have such short hair and this hat did not disappoint at all in this regard!   I would easily give this hat by Banner & Oak a 5 star rating.   It was just ashamed that the hat completely outshined the location!

Campsite Review

I was looking for a place to stay close to I-80 as I made a drive from Chicago back home to Boulder. This place seemed close enough to the highway to give a look, and I was not disappointed. I rolled in to the campgrounds around sunset and saw some people using the nearby lake to do some fishing.

I woke up, and there was a horse grazing across the road, and I discovered this really large, open space park next to the grounds also had a disc golf course. My campsite had a fire pit and a picnic table, there were others with electrical hookups, and sites that could easily accommodate RVs. There was a dump station and dumpsters for waste.

There were some playground areas, a place for firewood purchase, and a horse shoe play area adjacent to a rec building.

Product Review (update)

A few weeks ago I was awarded the Saris Freedom Superclamp 2-Bike bike rack from a contest run through TheDyrt's Facebook page. I have been able to use the bike rack for about 2 months, and taken it through a lot of different road conditions. You can read about the initial review here.

My overall impressions now that I've had the rack for a while longer is that it's a winner. You can watch a video of my overall impressions. While I still wish the rack offered some kind of way to get into my trunk without having to take the bike(s) off, it's just hard to argue it's a nuisance since it doesn't take that long to take the bike(s) on and off the rack. I've also changed my mind about the built-in bike locks. While I initially thought longer bike cable locks could be useful to lock up your bikes frame and front wheel (since most bikes have a front wheel quick-release option), I realized I had my own bike lock for my bike already that I just used, and I imagine most - if not all - people who will buy a bike rack for their bikes have locks for them too. A longer cable lock would require a larger place for it to be stored when not in use, which adds to the weight of the rack, which in the end isn't necessary.

In the city of Chicago, when I took the bike off during city commuting, I noticed it would have been nice to have the ability to fold the rack up closer to the end of my car, since there's so much city parking that's parallel parking, and the space added to the end of the car no longer made me a candidate for some spots.

Overall, this Saris bike rack is so easy to use, is super secure for my bikes, and was very durable - holding up to all kinds of 4WD-only roads. Definitely recommend.

The Sun Sets on Another Road Trip

Well, this 2,900 mile round trip Colorado-Toronto road trip has finally come to a close, and it's been a lot of fun. It certainly couldn't compete with my Rocky Mountain trip in late June up to Jasper National Park in Alberta on a scenery scale, but it had it's moments of solitude and a lot more lake time. To have been able to use TheDyrt to help plan out a few days on the road like my time in Land Between the Lakes, using info to figure out things like which campgrounds would be good for biking and canoeing, was a real plus.

I tried to avoid the corn fields of Iowa and Nebraska both directions, and don't regret doing the eastbound portion along I-70 and through Kansas and Missouri, but it was more of the same when it came to fields and fields of crops and prairies. My bigger regret is not giving myself enough time to explore more parts of Tennesse and Kentucky like the fun city of Nashville or the distilleries. Then again, I loved every minute of my time spent in Toronto up north in cottage country with my family, and would've regretted skimming days off that experience. With only so many days off, it's pretty easy to prioritize family. It just means I'll be back to Kentucky, derby time or camping season.

Campground Review

Also known as Sutherland Reservoir North Shore Recreation Area, I found this place in Nebraska not long after a terrible thunderstorm came rolling in along I-80. The golf gods we're with me on this one, because I didn't even know until I got there that there was even a golf course. The storm was bad, but not bad enough from keeping me playing 9 holes the next day!

This place is surprisingly popular given how basic the amenities are. As a golfer, sure, it's a plus there's a course but this place is also on a huge reservoir lake and has a launch point nearby. Lots of people staying here had some sort of boat or jetski for fishing or recreation. As a tent camper my toilet options were two port-o poties on one end of the grounds (it's not a big campground) or a toilet with a sink attached to the golf course clubhouse. No showers. The staff at the place were very nice and even though they were full, they gave me a spot just on the grass somewhere so I could spend the night. It was cheap - only $10 all-in. You can also buy snacks and refreshments from the clubhouse.

The camp spots were tightly packed in and not a lot of space to roam around that wouldn't be on someone's campsite. Best enjoyed it seemed by big groups.

Ranger Review

As a Dyrt Ranger I am given products to test from time to time. I photograph a lot on my adventures with a DLSR and noticed the Matador Base Layer, and a lightweight, protective case for my camera would be GREAT. I was a big fan of the built-in rain fly as well. Matador makes a few products friendly for wet weather and conditions, and this is no exception.

• Video Test of the Matador base layer in a rainstorm below

The bag is easy to take on and off your camera, and its 'base layer' fabric is very reminiscent of a base layer jacket. It's well stitched so the insulated padding doesn't clump up in one area and keeps it well placed for protection.

Speaking of protection - yes it is a great bag for weather protection (rain,dust). No, it is not the best for high impact situations. It is a light case, and by default of that, it's protection is going to be limited. I wouldn't use this to wrap my DSLR + lens in if I was going to then put the camera in a larger bag and carrying/transport that around, but I would use it in situations where my camera would be out a lot and the impact risk is low.

Proc/Cons

When you need to use the camera, simply unclip the buckle and pull from the bottom. Very easy, very fast. One issue then is now you have a bag in your hand and you want to use your hands to take a photo. It's a little awkward trying to find a pocket big enough to stuff it. if you clip it back to the camera strap, it is awkward to then try and use your camera. You can clip it to a bag, sure, but what if you're not carrying a bag? I don't always and just hike with my camera and a water bottle.

I have enjoyed using this on day hikes in Colorado in Rocky Mountain National Park on easy trails, but would be worried about this as it swung from my neck/shoulder and then slipped on some trail and as I regain my balance (hopefully), it's swinging from my neck and knocks into some side wall or rock/tree. When you hold it in your hands you can tell it is super well made immediately, but I do wish the material was a bit thicker.

Version 2.0?

In a future iteration, I would love to see a camera sling bag made out of the same materials and buckle + rain fly system. Just a little thicker for more padded protection for higher impacts. Also, an integrated shoulder sling strap. On that strap there could even be a hidden pocket or inlet to clip camera lens covers to or something multi-purpose, like a stash cloth to wipe off lenses. Your NanoDry fabrics are pretty cool, perhaps some integration there would lead people to want to test out other products if they liked the base layer, like the towels or teardrop bags. That all-in one bag would still be lightweight and still have water/dust protection, but could then stay slung over my shoulder, leaving me hands- free for taking shots.

This campground was hard to find, even with GPS. Finally a local came by to show us where it was. When we drove in there was a boat ramp, 1 tent site with a picnic table and fire ring, and 1 spot for an RV to park with no hookups. I was told there were other spots for tents on the other side of the lake that you could get to by hiking. The area needed to be mowed but wow the views from the tent site were gourgous. There were other trails, hunting, and fishing. Up the road were beautiful views of the dam and area. If we would have had our generator, we would have stayed the night.