If you want to explore the beauty of Holdrege, glamping is an excellent option. Glamping near Holdrege is a great way to travel off the beaten path. Find the right glamping site for you with our user-submitted photos, reviews, and tips. You're sure to find glamping for your Holdrege camping adventure.
This recreation area is part of Harlan County Lake
Legend
Nebraska is abounding with recreation areas many within a reasonable distance of the main highway running across the state. But War Axe, a much smaller area offers immediate access to fishing and fun within only 30 seconds of the highway!!
I visited this area and quickly was surprised by how such a small location could have such a great opportunity for someone like myself to enjoy a quiet day at a small lake. Despite being so close to the highway, the location is quiet and calm, a perfect way to spend a day or up to 10 days.
There isn't much to say about this site that is negative, the grass is a plush green and backs up to a corn field, so iconically Nebraska!! The site is small and only caters to a handful of campers at $10 per site. While primitive there is a flush toilet with running water making it feel not quite as primitive as other sites along the same stretch. Lush trees shade the camping zones and a small boat launch offers those stopping in. the opportunity to get in the water or enjoy the small shoreline.
One thing to be said for any recreation area in Nebraska is a friendly reminder that you will need an access pass to stay here or even visit. These cannot be obtained at the site and must be repurchased before visiting either online or at one of the main offices. This I found to be a big inconvenience throughout the entire state as I passed by on a weekend and was unaware.
The area is well patrolled and actually a ranger was present when I visited. He was a great source of information and allowed me to access the area despite my lack of knowledge of the pass requirement. There is no gate or monitoring when you enter only an honor box near the restrooms.
Campsites are marked with tables and fire rings and any restrictions are posted at the same area as the honor box.
I loved this location and would gladly stop in again if in the area!! Very cute and small, not busy and easy to access makes for the perfect place to spend a day or night.
Tips:
Traveler
Nice camp ground with helpful gate attendants, this Nebraska park represents the conundrum of many public campgrounds. Here, there are plentiful showers (yes, 75 cents for three minutes, woopdeedoo) but no water spigots and few usable pit toilets. There are primitive sites, 30 amp (yellow) and 50 amp (red) sites so no generator noise and all sites are near stocked ponds. A mix of overnight and long term visitors. Sandhills cranes can be viewed in the adjacent corn stubble in April. Limited cell service and no WiFi
TravelerAfter much deliberation, and with great regret, I am declaring myself a Nebraska State Parks campground anti. There are three interlocking reasons for this decision:
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.
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.
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.
Guide
Road noisy kept this from being a 5. Good facilities all around. Concrete pads, all drive through.
GuideIf 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”
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.
ScoutThe park was mostly gravel lot. It was all FHU throughout that I saw the staff was nice at check in. Didn’t have any other interaction with them after that. The park was clean. I just really to comment on the very odd bath house. The showers were separate shower rooms. Two were just shower. There were two other that had a toilet in them. The wasn’t any place to set your bath items or clothes. The were hooks, but some were missing one hook leaving only one. You had to be able to hangs items from a hook and also your bath towel. The toilets were separate rooms one toilet to a room. That’s it. Just a toilet and a trash can. Then the sink/mirror was out in the open room and just two sink-a. No place to set anything if you wanted to blow dry hair after shower. No trash can at sink area. The only place you found a trash can was in the separate toilet room. Very odd layout and any other camper we talked to said the same thing. Trees at sites were only in one area of campground. Our site didn’t have a tree. All sites were concrete pads which is nice. Hook ups were easy to reach without needing to add lengths of hose or cord. LOTS of highway noise. We just did an overnight on way from Montana to Florida. It’s was just okay and would have gotten. More stars from me if not for the odd bath house. I didn’t use the laundry facility, which was also housed in same open floor plan building as toilets, showers and sinks.
TravelerThey took ok in as an emergency stop because our truck had DEF issues. Campground is nice level concrete pads and a reasonable distance between sites. There is a stocked pond you can fish without a license. It is catch and release only. It is right on a bike/walking path that goes into the city and to the archway that is super convenient. The park is clean and the staff is awesome! We would definitely stay again.
TravelerWe arrived late and they had a map and packet ready for us inside the lobby. Great wifi and the cleanest/ nicest bathroom and shower area!
TravelerWe stayed here on the way to Colorado. It is a nice easy in and out campground that has great concrete pull through sites and it makes it easy to get in, go to sleep and wake up and head out. I wouldn't stay here for anything other than that but for a quick stop, it is a great alternative. Great easy location as well.
GuideRight off 80. Close to a few museums, specifically the archway museum. Nothing fancy about the sites. Gravel and sunny. A lake for swimming where there was a fire pit. Beautiful bath house and laundry.
GuideVery large concrete pads with full hook ups. The lake was very nice and our kids enjoyed playing in the water. The staff was very nice, and helpful. We got in after hours and their process was super easy, and the directions were simple to follow. Close to attractions and town. You could hear the highway noise outside, but we didn't hear anything inside our trailer while we slept.
GuideClean well kept, mostly pull through spots I think. Ours was both times. Cement spots on gravel near a small pond. Easy access. Nice owners. Cleanest bathrooms/sowers ever.
GuideAll as advertised! Easy set up, level, and clean.
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.
GuideEasy in and out, plenty of pull thru spaces. We could have made it a very long day and arrived at home, but this was a great place to shut down and rest with the air on so we are out of the wind and heat.
TravelerAlways a great place for a weekend get away! Kids love to explore on their bikes. Nice trail to the Platte River. Just a nice escape location!
ScoutWe only stayed one night. Got in late and left early. Was very peaceful, quiet, lots of sites. I think it was in September. Would stay again!!!
TravelerStayed here in late October and was pleasantly surprised by how nice this was. Had gorgeous fall color and a great sunset. Park was sparsely populated, but there were a couple other campers spread around. Very peaceful and quiet. Site and bathrooms were clean, altho the particular site I chose was hard to level my truck out in for car sleeping. Had a really nice sunrise walk around a field behind the site and saw lots of deer. Quick little ten minute or so jog off the interstate and about 15 to get into the actual town. Would definitely stay here again! Had good signal with verizon.
ScoutOk so the cost to camp here is very expensive considering what they offer... First the sites are all in terrible condition.. the shower house is gross and the vault toilets.. puke. They where so over full the toilet paper was at the top... We could smell it all the way down where we were and it was a long distance away .. the playground is terrible cigarettes and booze bootles everywhere... Come on you have an attendant on site what do they do but junk up the place with old dirty bicycles piled high In a nasty campsite... We had been heading home from a mountain camping trip where we where in a camping area with zero power zero water and vault toilets and those where immaculately clean.. we only spent like 6 bucks a night to stay there and it was much nicer than this crap hole..
GuideEnjoyed our short stay here. Found by accident trying to find a different location, but a pleasant place to stay for a couple nights. The one downside is the pit toilets. They hadn’t been emptied in who knows when. The tp was piled high and there were flies. Yuck! Thankfully, we didn’t have to use them. Hosts were very nice and even have bikes for the kids. Posting a video about this park on YouTube soon. Skyways to Highways
GuideFirst 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.
Guidevery nice sites with hookups. will definitely stay there again!
TravelerShort walk to the Platte river. Several fishing ponds.
LegendThis was a quick stopover due to bad weather coming in. A daily vehicle park permit is required and when this is added in to the cost, it’s a bit pricey for what it is, but the Recreation Area has a lot going for it. Check the photo of their brochure for camping pricing. They go by Electric Plus, electric and basic.
There are 7 sandpit lakes in the area that offer fishing. Lakes 5, 6 and 7 offer handicap accessible piers. Lake 7 has the swimming beach. I was camped backed up to Lake 4 at site 57. This site wouldn’t accommodate anything longer than 26’. It was also right next to site 58, so it would be great for 2 families looking to camp together, but otherwise, not so good. The site wasn’t level due to erosion, which was pretty significant.
The area has beautiful, mature cottonwood trees. One of these was right at site 57 so there was lots of shade. Also a picnic table and fire ring. Electric h/u, but no water. Need to fill up prior to camping. I didn’t use the dump station or the bathrooms so can’t comment.
There’s a bike trail that goes to the Fort at the historical park. I didn’t have time to check this out, but would like to next time I pass through.
TravelerMy husband and I were able to get a primitive site right next to one of the lakes. Our site was secluded from the other campers but it was a bit of a walk to the vault toilets. We even saw some deer in the field next to the campground. Great for an overnight stop!
RangerPulled 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular glamping campsite near Holdrege, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular glamping campground near Holdrege, NE is Fort Kearny State Recreation Area with a 4.2-star rating from 17 reviews.
What is the best site to find glamping camping near Holdrege, NE?
TheDyrt.com has all 7 glamping camping locations near Holdrege, NE, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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