Whether you're an RVer or tent camper, Elwood, NE is a great place to post up for the weekend—or longer. Enjoy the scenic camping, fun activities, and sights and sounds of Elwood. Find the best campgrounds near Elwood, plus reviews and photos from other campers like you.
"There are three campgrounds, one near the entrance off the state road and two on either side of the inlet of the reservoir. Again, the Dyrt coordinates were incorrect."
"The dogs loved laying in the grass and frankly so did we."
$25 / night
"Nebraska SRAs are great and this is in my top 10."
"I stayed at the Main camp ground with a great lake view on site 76. Sites 77-86 are pull through and the rest are back in for RV. There are also tent sites near the water."
"This friendly campground sits on The reservoir, and is about a 5 minute drive to Johnson Lake. We payed for a full access site, and had no leveling issues at all."
$20 - $25 / night
"Great bank fishing very nice boat ramp right next to one of the most productive fishing spots on the lake!"
"Had trees to climb, swing set, and tether ball for kids while we sat and watched the lake. Giant trees for great shade. Totally surpassed my expectations."
"Broke down outside and Cozad and didn’t mind staying here. This place has electric, water, and a dump station for $15 a night. INSANE! It’s in a clean/well kept area."
"Train tracks are close by however."
"Convenient stopover driving through Nebraska. It's on the other side of town in a Park, away from the interstate. Traveling with a Labrador Retriever, the huge park was wonderful."
"This is a lovely campground under the shade of huge old cottonwood trees on the edge of town. Downtown Gothenburg is an easy, very enjoyable bike ride away."
"Great smaller campground with lots of good fishing walking distance from all campsites and lots of hiking trails to multiple ponds"
"The other spots on highway 80 had bad reviews and we are traveling as a family with a toddler so we chose safety over cost."
"There are about 10 spots around the pond. We took one of the3 pull through right next to I-80. Plenty of space, level, shade and if you just look at the lake: quit a nice view."
$29 - $55 / night
"Perfect for walking your dog. Well shaded. Everything is dirt but not it’s really nice here."
"Off of I-80 at Exit 211 is Blue Heron Campground. The new owners took possession in 2021 and it is no longer a KOA. There are 40 RV/Trailer sites that vary from pull thru to back in."
RangerVery nice campground. Plenty of room between sites. Nice little beach areas. Plenty of room to walk the dog. And the dog park is big enough for the dog to run & play in. Wi-Fi is excellent. Cell service too. Now you wonder why not a 5. Being right next to the  highway very bad road noise. Had to turn the fan on high to drown it out. Other than that, this is a great campground.
LegendStopped here for one night headed east. Friendly staff, nice laundry and bathroom facilities that are handicapped accessible. Big dog park area for the pups. No fires here. Level concrete pads and you can move the picnic tables if needed. There are storm shelters available in the bathhouse.
ScoutThis friendly campground sits on The reservoir, and is about a 5 minute drive to Johnson Lake. We payed for a full access site, and had no leveling issues at all. Most sites have fire pits, and tables. We see other campers with pets, so we assume they are allowed. They sell bait for local fishing that is a 2 minute walk on a well mowed trail away. Our kids enjoyed the quiet and loved being turned loose to enjoy the surroundings.
GuideSuper clean bathrooms (no sinks but do have hand sanitizer) easy lake/reservoir access. Nice fire pits, well kept sites, swings for kids, pet friendly !
LegendHarlan County Lake Near Alma, Nebraska Methodist Cove Park is located on the west side of Harlan County Lake by Alma, Nebraska. The 13,000-acre Harlan County Lake is the second largest lake in the state. The lake and surrounding land hold great appeal for sportsmen, birders, naturalists or anyone wanting to just get away.
• 48 Electric sites
• 50 amp available
• 81 non electric sites
• Dump station
• Picnic area
• Playground
• Full hookups
• Sewer hookup
• Electric
• Water
• Fire ring/grill
• Toilets/showers
• Boat launch
Methodist Cove Park offers variety campsites of individual, group, electric and non-electric sites. There is also one reservable group picnic shelter for day use. One large heated shower house with flush toilets is centrally located within the campground and several vault toilets are located throughout the rest of the park. The main road is hard surfaced, while others are gravel. A fish cleaning station with grinder and running water is located near the entrance. There two full service marinas on the east end of the lake. Located in South Central Nebraska, lands surrounding Harlan County Lake are primarily mixed grass prairie land. The campground is mostly forested, offering ample shade during the warmth of summer.
This is a beautiful campground. The site is flat and open. Trees are scattered among the many campsites. The sites are small but well maintained. A bonus was a washer and dryer located in both the men's and women's bath/toilet facility. That facility was very clean.
The Republican River Valley was once occupied by one of the greatest concentrations of buffalo on the Great Plains and was a favored hunting ground for the Pawnee, Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho Indian tribes. Harlan County Lake is popular for fishing, hiking, hunting and boating. Walleye, wipers, white bass, northern pike and channel catfish are the most sought after fish species. Game animals include pheasant, quail, prairie chicken, white-tailed and mule deer, turkey, waterfowl, rabbit and squirrel. The lake offers a variety of hiking trails of varying length and style, as well as one equestrian trail a short drive away. An off-road vehicle trail is located in nearby Republican City. Harlan County and an additional almost 18,000 acres of land that surround the lake is managed by the COE. There are six parks which provides the area with a plethor of recreation campsites.
When you turn off the main highway there is a liquor store and just down from that is a bait shop where I would guess you could pick up some supplies. There is a market in Alma, Nebraska. Make sure you purchase your supplies before arriving.
Notice to all that bring watercraft. All watercraft pose a threat of AIS Aquatic Invasive Species to the waterways in Nebraska and waterways in other states. Watercraft is the primary source of AIS they must be prepared with an accepted means of ensuring no AIS will enter local waterways. CLEAN DRY Non residents must obtain the AIS decal and apply to watercraft. If a boat is launched from a Nebraska boat facility a AIS decal must be obtained.
Latitude 40° 5' 12.9998" N Longitude 99° 18' 56.0002" W
From U.S. Highway 80, take Highway 183 south to Alma, Nebraska. Turn left on South Street and travel 2.5 miles. The park entrance is on south side of the road.
Need to Know• Only one camping unit allowed per site• All campers must check in when arriving at park• Maximum of six people allowed per site• An attendant is on duty during the peak season of May through September• Secure coolers and boating equipment each night to prevent thefts• Off-road vehicles are not permitted
• Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
Contact Information Mailing Address 70788 Corps Road A REPUBLICAN CITY, NE 68971-9742 Phone Number For campground inquiries, please call: 308-799-2105
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Stay safe - Happy Travels
GuideNicely kept roadside campground with grass and trees. Electric hookups (very nice in Nebraska summer). Lots of dragonflies to eat the mosquitoes. Airport across the street and railroad behind to mix with road noise. A little far to walk back to town for dinner. But local stopped by an said we should go to Fuller’s for breakfast (5 egg omelette).
LegendThis is our second visit to this location and I have an update on our stay. Major thing for us is that we have not encountered the dreaded blood thirty skeeters. We did have a major storm last night but campground held up rather well. Hunter Cove is a large, well kept park and all facilities are clean with no flies or at least very few. The park is blessed with a lot of mature tress giving most sites a nice shade. There are several water sites and even the sites that are not on the water you will still have a view of the water. Pad are gravel or grass but hard packed. Hunter Cove is set in a very rural area. Roads are what I would consider secondary. Rather narrow, especially if you meet a vehicle pulling a boat and you are in an RV so be prepared.
When you turn off the main highway there is a liquor store and just down from that is a bait shop where I would guess you could pick up some supplies. There is a market in Alma, Nebraska. Make sure you purchase your supplies before arriving.
If you have a reservation and the camp host is not on duty you will find your spot and they have place a tag with your name and dates of arrival. Sites are well marked and well maintained. There are sections for tent campers and many are water sites. Enjoy bird watching, fishing, hiking, fishing and other water activities.
Notice to all that bring watercraft. All watercraft pose a threat of AIS Aquatic Invasive Species to the waterways in Nebraska and waterways in other states. Watercraft is the primary source of AIS they must be prepared with an accepted means of ensuring no AIS will enter local waterways. CLEAN DRY Non residents must obtain the AIS decal and apply to watercraft. If a boat is launched from a Nebraska boat facility a AIS decal must be obtained.
LegendThis camp is located below the dam on a gravel road. Road is wash board and I am sure that on weekends ATV will abound. There is an ATV staging area just down the road. This will be a great location for hunting camps during the fall.
The campground is located just off Corp Road A next to the dam.
This area offers any fisherman a great opportunity to catch a great selection of walleye, wipers, white bass, northern pike and channel catfish fish species. The hunter will also gather an abundance of game animals to include pheasant, quail, prairie chicken, white-tailed and mule deer, turkey, waterfowl, rabbit and squirrel. The lake offers a variety of hiking trails of varying length and style, as well as one equestrian trail a short drive away. An off-road vehicle trail is located in nearby Republican City. Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. Mature tress giving most areas nice shade. There are several water sites and even the sites that are not on the water you will still have a view of the water. Harlan County Lake is set in a very rural area. Roads are what I would consider secondary. Rather narrow, especially if you meet a vehicle pulling a boat and you are in an RV so be prepared. Harlan County Lake is set in the rolling plains of south central Nebraska where farming is very important to Nebraska and to the United States. The Republican River begins in eastern Colorado and flows 453 miles through the states of Nebraska and Kansas. Harlan County Lake is the second largest lake in Nebraska and provides year round recreation such as fishing, hunting, and all types of watersports. A claim to fame for Republican City is that it is the "Only" town by this name in the world. Republican City has a population of less than 200 people. It was founded in 1871. The Republican River supplies the lake. Republican City was devastated by "the big flood of 1935" and due to the flood the Corp of Engineers(COE) designed a dam to cross the valley. The town had to be moved to higher ground. The town was moved to higher ground in 1951-52. Homes were loaded onto trucks and placed on foundations already constructed. French traders in the late 1700's named the indigenous people along the river the Republican Pawnee in the mistaken belief that they had a republic type of government. Everything in the area was so named because of that misnomer. Harlan County and an additional almost 18,000 acres of land that surround the lake is managed by the COE. There are six parks which provides the area with a plethor of recreation campsites. When you turn off the main highway there is a liquor store and just down from that is a bait shop where I would guess you could pick up some supplies. There is a market in Alma, Nebraska. Make sure you purchase your supplies before arriving. Enjoy bird watching, fishing, hiking, fishing and other water activities.
Notice to all that bring watercraft. All watercraft pose a threat of AIS Aquatic Invasive Species to the waterways in Nebraska and waterways in other states. Watercraft is the primary source of AIS they must be prepared with an accepted means of ensuring no AIS will enter local waterways. CLEAN DRY Non residents must obtain the AIS decal and apply to watercraft. If a boat is launched from a Nebraska boat facility a AIS decal must be obtained.
Please buy your firewood locally.
No fireworks
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Leave it better than when you found it
Stay safe Travel safe
RangerConvenient stopover driving through Nebraska. It's on the other side of town in a Park, away from the interstate. Traveling with a Labrador Retriever, the huge park was wonderful. Electric, water and a dump station met all my needs. Bathhouse needs some TLC, and was not clean. WiFi worked well! Cute little town with fastfood or other options to eat.
If you're looking for pet-friendly camping options near Elwood, Nebraska, there are several great spots where you and your furry friends can enjoy the great outdoors together.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular dog-friendly campground near Elwood, NE is Main Area Campground with a 4.5-star rating from 10 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 39 dog-friendly camping locations near Elwood, NE, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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