Best Campgrounds near Elwood, NE
Johnson Lake State Recreation Area anchors the camping landscape around Elwood, Nebraska, with multiple campgrounds offering lakeside sites for both RVs and tent campers. The Main Campground operates year-round while the Inlet Campground provides additional options with similar amenities, both featuring electric hookups, showers, and sanitary dump stations. Elwood Resort and Campground sits on the reservoir about 5 minutes from Johnson Lake, offering full-service sites with fire pits and picnic tables. Within a 30-mile radius, campers can find additional options at Phillips Lake State Recreation Area for more primitive experiences, or Sandy Channel State Recreation Area near Elm Creek for those seeking multiple fishing ponds and hiking trails.
Nebraska summers bring high temperatures that make electric hookups particularly valuable. As one camper noted, "Electric hookups are very nice in Nebraska summer." Most campgrounds in the area feature gravel or grass pads that become hard-packed during dry periods. Strong winds are common in this region, with one visitor reporting "wind in the 30 to 40 mph range" that prevented setting up awnings. Cell service varies throughout the area, with better coverage near highways and towns. Campers should be aware that Nebraska State Recreation Areas require entrance permits in addition to camping fees, with higher rates for out-of-state visitors. Many campgrounds are situated near water bodies that require special precautions for watercraft to prevent aquatic invasive species.
Shade trees represent a prized feature at many campgrounds in the region. "Nice to have a site that has plenty of shade. Nebraska SRAs are great and this is in my top 10," wrote one visitor to Johnson Lake. Fishing opportunities abound throughout the area, with multiple stocked ponds and lakes accessible from campsites. "Lots of fishing!" noted a camper at Main Area Campground. Families appreciate the quiet atmosphere at Elwood Resort, where one visitor mentioned their "kids enjoyed the quiet and loved being turned loose to enjoy the surroundings." Highway noise affects some campgrounds, particularly those closer to I-80, though many RV campers report the sound isn't noticeable once inside their vehicles.
