Elwood, Nebraska sits at approximately 2,608 feet above sea level in the Republican River Valley. The climate features hot summers with temperatures often exceeding 90°F and cold winters that can drop below 10°F. Most campgrounds near Elwood offer electric hookups to handle temperature extremes, with summer weekends typically reaching capacity by early afternoon.
What to do
Fishing opportunities: Main Area Campground at Johnson Lake offers direct lake access for anglers. "The lake is lovely and there are huge trees all over," notes one camper, with fishing particularly popular at sunrise and sunset.
Disc golf course: Lafayette Park Campground features a disc golf course within the grounds. A visitor mentioned, "This really large, open space park next to the grounds also had a disc golf course," making it ideal for active campers looking for recreation beyond water activities.
Swimming options: Kearney RV Park & Campground offers swimming beaches for cooling off during hot Nebraska summers. "The lake was very nice and our kids enjoyed playing in the water," reports one visitor who appreciated the designated swimming areas.
What campers like
Shaded sites: Cambridge City RV Park provides sheltered camping spaces with mature trees. According to a camper, "It is real sheltered with all the big trees," creating natural cooling during hot summer days.
Clean facilities: Main Area Campground maintains well-kept bathroom and shower facilities. One visitor noted, "Clean bathrooms and pay showers. There's a decent amount of space between each site," which campers appreciate during peak season weekends.
Affordable options: Karrer Park in McCook offers free camping with electric hookups. "You can't really ask for much more from a free site. It includes electric hookups," reports a satisfied camper who took advantage of the 3-day maximum stay limit.
What you should know
Train noise considerations: Several rv parks near Elwood, Nebraska experience railroad noise. At Muny Park, one camper shared, "Train tracks are close by however," while another mentioned, "When the noise started in the middle of the night (like a series of rockets) the noise went on for several minutes."
Cell connectivity: While most RV parks and campgrounds have serviceable coverage, strength varies by location. At one campground, a visitor reported "WiFi is excellent. Cell service too," which is helpful for campers needing to stay connected.
Wind exposure: George Mitchell RV Park and other open sites can experience significant Nebraska winds. A camper noted, "After heavy rains it could be difficult to impossible to drive onto grass at sites," as wet conditions combined with wind can affect camping comfort.
Tips for camping with families
Playground access: Muny Park features playground equipment near the camping area. According to a review, "There's a swimming pool, disc golf, and walking path along the perimeter. Very pretty grounds," providing multiple activities for children of different ages.
Swimming considerations: When camping with children, note that some lakes prohibit swimming. One camper at Lafayette Park mentioned, "Close by lake Helen which is a fishing lake. We were hoping to take a dunk but no luck, 'No Swimming'."
Wildlife viewing: Many campgrounds feature morning wildlife activity kids enjoy. "I woke up, and there was a horse grazing across the road," noted one visitor at Lafayette Park, with early morning being the best time for wildlife spotting.
Tips from RVers
Dump station availability: Dump stations vary across rv parks in Elwood, Nebraska area. "Dump station and clean water are just before getting into the park on the left side," advises one RVer about navigating Main Area Campground.
Site spacing: Alma RV Park City Park offers well-spaced sites compared to other options. A visitor noted it's "a smaller RV campground within the city of Alma, NE," with "widely spaced sites with great shade" making it comfortable for larger rigs.
Weather preparation: Strong winds affect RV camping comfort throughout the region. One camper at Alma reported, "When we were here the wind was in the 30 to 40 mph range so we couldn't have our awning out and made it hard to keep the Blackstone up to temp," suggesting securing loose items and positioning RVs with doors away from prevailing winds.
