Best Tent Camping near Elwood, NE

Recent Tent Reviews in Elwood

162 Reviews of 4 Elwood Campgrounds

• J

  JOHN T.

  Legend

  

  Oct. 10, 2024

  Lafayette Park Campground

  Great Park-like CG

  Great little RV park in a park-like setting. Gravel roads with relatively level gravel sites. Shared services. Lots of big trees. Long pull-through site to leave the truck and TT attached. Cross the little covered bridge into Lake Helen Rec Area for a good walkabout. Visit downtown Gothenburg to see the Pony Express station. We liked it and would stay here again.

• 

  Laura M.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 5, 2024

  West Maxwell WMA

  Lovely

  Peaceful spot by a lake all to ourselves. After dark highway traffic subsided and we were able to sleep soundly. There is some t mobile reception.

• M

  Michael B.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 24, 2024

  Fort Kearny SRA

  Quiet nice Campground

  Very inexpensive, convenient, nice place to stay for a layover. It's a first come basis with I believe 22 RV sites. They have a dump, clean bathrooms with hot showers(which super clean), a playground for the kids and a couple of walking/hiking trails nearby. The very long Cerro Gordo County trail is close to 50 miles long. Believe the cost was only $15 on our summer early September rate and drops to $10 basically in October for a few months, which includes a small fire pi, tabke, and electric! I'll just say a gem of a simple place.

• 

  Rebecca W.

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 23, 2024

  Box Elder Canyon WMA

  Great Little Spot

  At first I wasn’t sure because it’s right off the road but we gave it a try and love it. There aren’t many cars that pass and we had a couple of friendly people stop by with helpful tips- like look out for rattlers this time a year. It was a perfect spot for our two- day stay.

• S

  Sharon

  Traveler

  

  Sep. 19, 2024

  Lafayette Park Campground

  Confusing

  The sites are very confusing. We had to move to a different site because we could not understand how/where to park or hook up to water and electricity. There was nobody around at all; just a phone number which we called and texted and got no response back. The bathrooms, while clean, were old and a bit worn. It’s not a great campground but it’s acceptable for overnight

• 

  Melia S.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 19, 2024

  Blue Hole Wildlife Management Area

  Sketchy

  My husband and I had a freaky experience here and I wouldn’t want it to happen to anyone else. Around 4:30 AM a car pulled in quietly and parked right next to our van (even though there were other camping spots available). The only reason we woke up was because our dog started barking and freaking out. A guy was outside smoking and putting some things in a bag. We started up the RV and dipped as fast as we could. It’s a shame because it was a nice, convenient, peaceful spot otherwise. Be careful!

• 

  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.

• 

  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!

• 

  Deb M.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 31, 2024

  Lafayette Park Campground

  Ok for an overnight off I-80

  The best thing about this campground is that it’s shady and a ways off of the interstate. Otherwise it’s old and tired, with small sites and odd shared hookups between spaces. (Eg. - our water hookup was Ammon a pole right next to our door and the picnic table. The bathrooms were old but clean. There was a cute covered bridge on a trail to the main park which was the best thing about it. There were only a few other campers there, but I cannot imagine what it would be like if it was full. We were there during a boil water order for the entire town, and we appreciated that they emailed us about it so we knew to bring our own water and not use the campground’s.

• F

  Frances

  Guide

  

  Aug. 29, 2024

  Cozad Lake Wildlife Management Area

  Convenient and free

  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. The noise from I-80 ist always there (about 200') but it's constant and was ok for us (rather than trains every 30 minutes). There's a lot of trash but that's to be expected in a area like this. We cleand up some and it was ok for a 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.

• 

  Randall K.

  Ranger

  

  Aug. 7, 2024

  Fort Kearny State Recreation Area

  Easy spot to stay!

  Pulled in at night - was easy to get a spot. Very relaxing campground set against old growth trees. Beautiful pastures and some fishing ponds. Sites seemed pretty level. Right off highway but peaceful and quiet. Needs a little upkeep in terms of mowing the grass and cleaning trash up from the ponds.

• 

  Kalab R.

  Guide

  

  Jun. 30, 2024

  Fort Kearny State Recreation Area

  An escape thats worth it

  First time at this park. 6/30/24. You roll in the staff are friendly to help. The park is quiet, plenty of room for your site. Its deffinetly a good stay if traveling through.

• 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.

• 

  Lake George L.

  Scout

  

  Jun. 13, 2024

  Pioneer Village Campground

  Campground at Wonderful museum

  Older campground at museum. Clean and reasonable. Did not use showers. There is a nice grassy no hookups field. Good for tenters, horsemen.

• 

  Caren G.

  Traveler

  

  May. 16, 2024

  Pioneer Village Campground

  Rough, and would be fine except host got nasty

  I wasn’t going to write a review about the roughness of the campground, the very small and dirty showers and bathrooms, nor the very dirty museum(the pictures must have been when it was newer) until Mary, who checked me in, called my daughter a liar and told me I was going to have a life of disappointment because I don’t discipline her(texts attached). 

  I’m a PA member and found this place on their app. I was excited as that’s what my 11 year-old and I have been doing this school year. In fact, we had just stayed two days at Laura Ingalls Wilder’s house! Mary took my reservation on the phone and let me know sewer hookups were reserved for non-PA guests first. This was fine, though three of those nine spots were vacant both nights we were there. 

  We have two dogs with us. I let Mary know and she indicated that was fine as long as they were well-behaved. I told her they are. She told me they needed to be leashed, and I said, “Of course!” She continued to tell me a dog had been running loose that day for more than five minutes while she called it and while she understands sometimes they get out, this was just not ok. I agreed whole-heartedly. 

  I was surprised when we got there because the pictures on PA and on their website look tree-lined, grassy, and well-kept. It is rough. The grass is patchy and it’s more gravel than not. There are buildings around the RV sites that look like they’ve been abandoned for decades and they are the motel! It’s certainly not $35/night nice. It did come with a free ticket to the museum, so that was cool. 

  The museum has neat stuff. It’s very run-down and dirty; I was sneezy and some of the cooler buildings were very smelly. We’ve been in a lot of museums lately and this was both the most expensive and the least well-kept, which is too bad, because the stuff is cool. There are people restoring things and I hope that’s where the money’s going and it gets better. 

  After we had been gone for more than 24 hours I received a message from Mary implying that I’m a bad parent and my child is a liar. Remember, there was a dog loose Mary was calling for the day we arrived. No one said anything while we were there, because I believe it didn’t happen the way she says. We have been traveling most of this school year. We’ve been in campgrounds ranging from National Parks to Disney; basic to fancy. Through 22 states no one has accused us of not cleaning up after ourselves. We are diligent about it because I highly dislike it in others.

• 

  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.

• 

  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.

• C

  Cort B.

  Scout

  

  Jan. 25, 2024

  Blue Heron Campground

  Awesome place

  The grounds host was very helpful getting me to my spot. The restrooms and showers were emaculate.

• 

  Catherine S.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 15, 2023

  Lafayette Park Campground

  Small RV Park Clean Sites in a grassy park with big trees and a paved trail

  Clean sites with just a few quiet RVers. Clean bathrooms. Easy dump site. Worth the few miles to drive off 1-80. Beautiful big trees throughout the RV park and along the paved, 1-mile loop trail. Online reservations. Verizon = 2 bars.

• m

  michael W.

  Traveler

  

  Oct. 14, 2023

  Lafayette Park Campground

  Pretty park, well maintained

  Little ways off I 80, but worth the trip. Very well maintained , nice bathrooms and showers. A lot of space between sites, both pull thrus and back ins.

• B

  Ben B.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 10, 2023

  Blue Hole Wildlife Management Area

  Ok for a free overnight

  This is a small area with a pond just off the interstate. A little sketchy but not quite as sketchy as some of the other wildlife management areas on this stretch of I-80 (and I stopped at 3 before this one and decided to keep moving until I got here). A bit trashed, but not horrible. Constant sound of the interstate. Some light local use of the road and of the pond for fishing. I wouldn't make this a destination, but for a one night needed rest stop it's ok.

• C

  Carson H.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 4, 2023

  Box Elder Canyon WMA

  Great spot when traveling through

  Less than 10 mins off the highway. Rolled in about 11pm; easy to find and a very quiet area. Great ATT phone service.

• s

  shanell L.

  Scout

  

  Oct. 3, 2023

  Blue Heron Campground

  Very Happy

  What a neat little place right off 80. Clean bathrooms. Laundry. A dried up creak right alongside the campground. Perfect for walking your dog. Well shaded. Everything is dirt but not it’s really nice here. I rolled in pretty late and the person working here drove me to my site and held the flashlight to help me set up. Very nice man. Definitely coming back

• M

  Mary L.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 23, 2023

  Cambridge City RV Park

  Great place

  There’s about 11 or 12 campsites here there’s a dump station, water available and electric it’s free they suggest a donation It is real sheltered with all the big trees 

• M

  Mary L.

  Guide

  

  Sep. 22, 2023

  Holdrege City Park

  Great $10 for elect

  I had a hard time finding this place you need to turn south on Burlington Street and cross the railroad tracks and then you will see it on the left. There are seven concrete pads and nice picnic tables 10 bucks for electric. There’s also I dump station and water available although when I was there, the water faucet was not operational because of a broken waterline

• M

  Matthew B.

  Scout

  

  Sep. 19, 2023

  West Maxwell WMA

  Easy to get to, right off the highway

  Beautiful little pond for fishing if you have a kayak. The bank is surrounded by cattails with a nice ramp and only two wheelchair accessible peers to fish from.

  The highway is about a half mile away and the noise does not stop. That being said, if I’m ever back this way, I would stay here without a second thought.