Best Tent Camping near Elwood, NE

Recent Tent Reviews near Elwood, Nebraska

163 Reviews of 4 Elwood Campgrounds

• C

  Christoph R.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 19, 2021

  Lafayette Park Campground

  Great overnight stop along I80

  Quaint little city park with RV and tent camping. To occupy a tent site you MUST pitch a tent ( so no Van camping at those). Place is quiet and clean and nice peeps

• 

  Tarrah C.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 5, 2023

  Fort Kearny State Recreation Area

  Lots of camping option

  This is a nice site with electric and tent sites. Each site has fire ring and there are vault toilets around the site. There are tent site that are free. You can camp there off season. Some of the site are on the river. There are also several hiking trails.

• 

  Shannon G.

  Legend

  

  Sep. 25, 2018

  Jeffrey Canyon State Wildlife Area

  Remote with a few camping spots

  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.

• 

  Joseph A.

  Traveler

  

  Aug. 21, 2024

  West Maxwell WMA

  Cute camp with highway white noise

  Cute little park off the highway. 2 sites are available. I wouldn't haul a trailer into the park, but it's perfect for a small rv or tent camping. Allot of highway noise, but it's good white noise to fall asleep after you get used to it.

• 

  Vanessa M.

  Traveler

  

  Jun. 13, 2021

  Main Area Campground

  Lovely spot

  We really enjoyed this campground but the RV sites are definitely popular on the weekends. We arrived at about 4 on a Saturday in June. All of the sites were first-come-first-served and the only thing available were the tent sites with no hook ups. We stayed by the kayak put-in and it was lovely—green, shaded and peaceful, near the water spigot, clean bathrooms and pay showers. There’s a decent amount of space between each site, though no bushes or anything to create privacy. There were also some tent sites available right near the water that we didn’t realize were open until we had already settled in. The lake is lovely and there are huge trees all over. There’s only one RV dump site which made for a huge line in the morning.

• C

  Carly P.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 10, 2019

  COE Harlan County Lake Methodist Cove Campground

  Huge Campground with Many Options

  There are many RV and tent sites at this campground with water access to the Harlan reservoir. Several loops of sites are available around the lake within this campground. Electric RV sites and some tent sites can be reserved online while there are also a set number of first come first served sites. Dogs and campfires are allowed. There is a fish cleaning station for those who are interested in fishing. There is also a playground in the main loop for kids. Due to the overwhelming amount of rain in the area, some of the sites are unavailable right now, but there are still more than enough for everyone. We were there on a busy holiday weekend and still had plenty of space, shade, and privacy. Dogs are allowed on lease at all times. There are also two group campsites and a covered picnic facility that would be great for reunions.

• N

  Natalee M.

  Traveler

  

  May. 21, 2021

  Main Area Campground

  Quiet Campground!

  Nice quiet campground! We tent camped, it was a nice grassy spot! Our camp site had a picnic table and a fire ring! We chose one on the end with trees on one side so more privacy! There were very few other campers around! Kayak access down the road from our spot! Bathrooms were nice! You have to pay for showers! They had some free firewood available which was really nice to help our fire last longer!

• 

  Tarrah C.

  Legend

  

  Apr. 28, 2024

  Johnson Lake State Recreation Area

  Lovely Area to Camp

  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. There are bathrooms, showers and electric (50/30amp), there are no water hook-ups. The dump station is currently closed (April 2024) due to construction. The camp grounds are close together but they have planted bushes between them to create privacy. I cant speak on the bathroom or showers as the are closed since it is off season.

• A

  Alexandra J.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 7, 2022

  Fort Kearny State Recreation Area

  Not worth it for tent camping

  After much deliberation, and with great regret, I am declaring myself a Nebraska State Parks campground anti. There are three interlocking reasons for this decision:

  1. Both the campgrounds I have been to (this one and Rock Creek Station SRA) seem to treat tent sites as an afterthought: each park has a very small number of tenting spaces that are kind of on the margins of the campground. At Fort Kearny, the sites that were available were also either totally slanted or full of trash. It does seem like other parks might not share this problem, but it at least indicates a pattern to be aware of.

  2. In addition to the campsite fee, there is a $12 DAILY out-of-state vehicle entrance fee. This means that a $15 campsite is actually a $27 campsite. I will say, in fairness, that the $12 also allowed my car to enter the Fort Kearny historical site next to the campground.

  3. The showers are coin-operated. This isn’t a cost problem so much as it is a logistical one: who has quarters anymore? Also, because the showers are timed, you can’t turn the water off and back on again, which ruins my entire haircare routine.

  Obviously, these reasons won’t apply to everyone. If you have a camper or RV, your calculus will be totally different. If you’re in-state, and you only have to pay $6 for your vehicle instead of $12, I could see these sites being worth it. And if you don’t have hair that you need to condition, the shower thing might not bother you. But if you are like me, a long-haired out-of-state yokel trying to cross the country with a Honda Accord and a backpacking tent, you might take these considerations into account.

  I will say that this campground is beautiful to drive through, with all the little lakes and the cottonwood trees. Also, the camp hosts offer free bikes for guests to use around the campground and presumably on the nearby hike/ bike trail, which is very kind of them and which I wish I had time to take advantage of.

• N

  N I.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 23, 2021

  COE Harlan County Lake Hunter Cove Park

  Second Time Around

  •  150 campsites, both with and without electric hookups. 
  • There are also several tent-only sites. 
  • Showers
  • Toilets
  • Laundry (1.50 per load)
  • Two playgrounds
  •  Volleyball court 
  •  Boat ramp 
  •  Fish cleaning station with grinder and running water is located near the entrance. 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. 
  •  Latitude 40° 4' 59.0002" N Longitude 99° 13' 39.7200" W 
  • Directions"   Highway 80, take Highway 183 south to Alma, Nebraska. Turn left onto Highway 136. then turn right on Berrigan Road and travel 1.25 miles to the intersection of Road B. Turn right and travel one mile; the park entrance is on south side of the road.
  • Off-road vehicles not permitted in the campground 
  • Don't Move Firewood: Protect your forests from tree-killing pests by buying your firewood locally and burning it on-site. 
  • Phone number for campground inquiries, please call: 308-799-2105

  This 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.

• C

  Chris C.

  Guide

  

  Jul. 30, 2018

  Johnson Lake State Recreation Area

  Well wooded with nice amenities.

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

• R

  Richard H.

  Scout

  

  Jul. 21, 2020

  COE Harlan County Lake Methodist Cove Campground

  Nice campground

  We came in late and the campground was almost full. They found a place for us to park a Jeep with a roof top tent. All places are flat and good parking and good grass for tents. Set up well. Showers could have been cleaner but ok. The wind blew hard across the lake.

• M

  Michael G.

  Traveler

  

  Apr. 5, 2022

  Box Elder Canyon WMA

  Excellent access for over night stay

  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.

• 

  Becky D.

  Guide

  

  May. 13, 2021

  North Outlet Camping

  Huge lake

  Harlan county dam is one of the largest lakes in the state of Nebraska there's boats and jet skis that you can rent there the water is pretty you can walk across the dam that's a good time

• N

  N I.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 24, 2021

  South Outlet Camping

  Dam View

  • FCFS
  • May 15 - Sep 15
  • No reservations
  • 14 day limit 
  • Generators allowed 24/7
  • Trash
  • Pit toilets
  • Picnic tables
  • Fire ring
  • No designated sites
  • Dispersed camping

  This 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

  LNT

  Leave it better than when you found it

  Stay safe  Travel safe

• 

  Jesse S.

  Ranger

  

  Oct. 23, 2020

  Indian Point Campground

  Shaded

  We found ourselves the best little shaded spot. We had a very nice afternoon and night here. We had a fire ring and a great tent area.

• 

  Steven O.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 6, 2024

  Holdrege City Park

  LOUD

  A very loud "campground." Very close to many train tracks with multiple trains going through all night. Also, many semis accelerating as they leave the city. Not tent friendly as there's very little grass. On the plus side. The shower was great!

• 

  Paul B.

  Ranger

  

  Sep. 17, 2022

  Lafayette Park Campground

  I 80 stopover

  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. 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.

• N

  N I.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 26, 2021

  COE Harlan County Lake Methodist Cove Campground

  Fishing Time

  Harlan 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.

  • • May 1– Sept 30
  • • Reservable May 1– Sept 30 (877-444-6777)
  • • Non-reservable Nov 1– April 30

  • 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

  LNT

  Better than when you found it

  Stay safe - Happy Travels

• N

  N I.

  Legend

  

  Aug. 30, 2021

  North Outlet Camping

  Archery is the Game

  FCFS. May– Sep. 24 sites Archery range. Toilets, flush. Showers. Water sites.

  Picnic table. Mature trees. Swim beach(rocky). Playground Water. Trash. Fire ring. Boat ramp

  This campground is a bit of a third choice unless you want to practice archery. The archery range is the best thing about this campground making me wish I had my bow.

   The campground is small, with small sites, no electric. It has a very sad swim beach which is covered in gravel. Another pro would be the fact that it is on the lake and would be less crowded.

   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.

   GPS 40.086231.      -99.213833

   Phone 308-799-2105 

  Directions: Drive one mile southeast of Republican City by way of Corps A Road

   LNT

   Better than when you found it

   Stay safe Happy travels

• 

  Gabriel H.

  Traveler

  

  May. 11, 2024

  Coot Shallows WMA

  Good for a day

  It's a small park with a pond that you can fish at. We were the only campers in for the day and honestly probably wouldn't be great for tents. There are 3 pull outs that you can put in an RV or camper but not much else to this place.

• 

  John Rushton A.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 12, 2024

  West Maxwell WMA

  Convenient, free spot! With Verizon reception .

  Arrived pretty late into the night, but it was easy to find and no one else was there. Camped by the pond in my tent. One could bring a small to medium length trailer in here with ease.

• 

  James D.

  Guide

  

  Oct. 1, 2016

  COE Harlan County Lake Hunter Cove Park

  Awesome Walleye and Northern fishing!

  Stayed here for 3 days and 2 nights back in 2011. The park is a bit more built up than what I generally like but this was a fishing trip so I didn't mind. There is a volley ball court and playgrounds. There is an ORV trail which was seeing heavy use while we were there. They have laundry and even fish cleaning stations, which lucky for us we needed to use. They have back in and pull through sites for RV's, some with electric and some without. There are tent only sites too. One important thing to mention is you can't have more than one small camper or more than one tent per site. Some places you can get away with this but not here. We also saw some quail and a pair of female deer here.

• M

  Mitchell M.

  Scout

  

  Aug. 18, 2023

  Fort Kearny SRA

  Overpriced and subpar campground

  I've stayed 3 times at the Fort Kearney SRA for convenience only.  Nebraska Game & Parks has a punitive price model that charges out-of-state visitors $12/day to enter a park with a campground (no Senior discounts either) and then $15/day for a primitive campsite (no water or electric) that is a looong ways for the dirty and rundown restrooms.

• 

  Pam G.

  Guide

  

  Aug. 13, 2019

  Karrer Park

  Great free stop

  Nicely 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).

• 

  Steve H.

  Guide

  

  May. 22, 2023

  Kearney RV Park & Campground

  Nice spot

  If you don’t mind hwy noise (we slept in a roof top tent) after a long day of driving no issue sleeping. Nice level pads. Easy check in (after hours) called ahead and paid and they left us a camp map and our site info. Bathrooms were nice with laundry and “storm shelter”

• E

  Erica C.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 27, 2024

  Box Elder Canyon WMA

  Free but so many bugs!

  There were a ton of mosquitoes when we visited, so much so that we couldn’t sleep in our truck and had to set up a tent. Several cars drove by on the road, some as late as 2:30 in the morning. Also, the cows nearby were super loud. Not the best sleep but hey, it’s a free site. No amenities at all.