Are you in need of a campground near Lincoln, NE? There are tons of hikes and other fun activities to partake in, as well as sights to see and explore. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.
"Late October tent camping- low around 19f... we seemed to be the only souls in the place.
Our site was a few hundred yards from the lake, and we had a great morning walk."
"Located near downtown Wahoo. $20 per night for full hookup. Appear to be approximately 40 sites."
$15 / night
"Our favorite campground is Riverside for tent camping. There are spots where you can tent camp right by the river."
"A short drive from Omaha, two rivers offers generally clean TV and tent camping sites across multiple campgrounds. I camped right by the river. Also a short walk to the outhouse and playground."
$10 - $15 / night
"The lake was awesome, not much shade on most tent sites. make sure you ask when they dredged the lakes that you want to stay on."
"Lots of walking and bike riding. Very woodsy feeling through the whole park and a nice bicycle trail that leaves the park and winds out to Hormel Park on the Platte River."
LegendThis SRA about 25 minutes Southeast of Lincoln Nebraska is a favorite go to for me and my boys. Wagon Train is far enough from major roads that all you’ll hear is nature and the crackle of your fire. There are 28 pad/powered sites and 80 non powered, non pad sites for basic tent camping. If you want a sad spot reserve early. This SRA experienced a tornado a few years ago and many trees were lost. Those trees are in a pile near the non pad sites though, so claiming free fire wood is easy if you have a saw. Potable water is available and vaulted toilets are a short walk from the non powered sites. If you RV you’ll also have access to a dump station. There is a short hiking trail but nothing to write home about. Your camp sites will all have fire rings and picnic tables. I think the best part of this lake is the sand beach swimming area which is near a large covered picnic area. As with many Southeast Nebraska lakes, you can boat but there is a 5mph speed limit. If you don’t make reservations online you can show up and self register at the camp entrance. For me Wagon Train isn’t the prettiest lake in the area be a long shot but I love how quite it is and you’ll love the dark starry skies at night.
GuideIt is a nice spot a bit off of the main roads. Many of the tent sites allow you to camp right next to the lake. It's generally pretty quiet and people respect the 10 pm quiet hours rule. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring.
GuideThis is a nice small campground that is well taken care of. We stayed at site number 8 which may be one of the more unlevel spots. The passenger side of our 5th wheel was about 7" lower than driver side and rear of fifth wheel was about 3" lower than front before we levelled out.
Pros:
-Well maintained walking trails that are perfect for dogs
-Most sites have 30 and 50 amp hookups
-Fire rings and picnic tables at most sites
-$18 a night for electric hookups
-Quiet
Cons:
-Some sites are very unlevel
-No water or dump station
TravelerWe spent Memorial weekend here in 2022. We had to park in a designated parking spot and walk in to set our tent. The site was shady and came with a picnic table, fire ring and We were right on the shores of the lake. It was a beautiful and very relaxing to hear the waves, although the wind coming across the lake was mighty fierce and destroyed the canopy that we had over the picnic table. And the beating of the tent all night long was a little hard to get some decent sleep. But the area was nice and close to the restrooms and spacious campsites
GuideSituated in the middle of corn fields. The WMA has a large marshy, stagnant pond, so bring mosquito repellent. The parking area is clean. There is a dumpster and vault toilet. I didnt inspect it, I'll leave that up to you. No potable water, but Lincoln Nebraska is only 17 miles away.
LegendPawnee Lake State Recreation Area was within 30 minutes of Lincoln, NE . Try to make sure all essentials are packed to enjoy your stay without frequent trips to town. This is one of those spots where you can easily park the car and use other means of transportation for your whole visit.(ie, feet, bike, boat, horse, etc.)
There are options to where you camp. RV sites and tent in three different areas. This is not my favorite sort of tent camping, you have to park and walk everything to your site. Some tent sites are located right on the lake which is nice, you can easily park your watercraft nearby. However if it’s busy your neighbors are going to be very nearby. Not much privacy in that case. We however were completely alone when we visited, the crappy weather played a part I’m sure. Shade, which we didn’t need and picnic tables. If you have a hammock you may have an issue with getting it hung, bring alternate means of suspension.
The trails are multi-use so pay attention. We were hiking in the rain so did not see anyone but the trail apples were fresh. Were we hiked it was grassy and mostly level, there was an area where hikers had trails to themselves and a few benches to sit on.
The lake looked nice but I didn’t see anyone on it. I didn’t see any algae signs but the weather may have been a factor too. We overnighted so I didn’t get to completely explore the entire area. It was pretty quiet, some motor noises but they were more of a background noise. Worth an extended stay as long as the lake is open.
RangerLake Wanahoo is a fairly new lake in Saunders county Nebraska. The lake is part of the local NRD and was originally managed by the state parks department. You used to be able to use your state park permit to gain entry, but now you need to either buy a day pass or a yearly pass from the NRD.
There are plenty of places to camp here including gravel pads and grass pads for RV’s. While most people seem to prefer the gravel pads closer to the lake, we actually prefer grass pads because they are 2-3 larger, so you have more room to setup.
The tent camping area is huge and there always seems to be plenty of availability. We were the only tent in the entire area. The tiered tent area allows you to have a great view of the lake from wherever you setup. All RV and tent spots have picnic tables and fire rings. Unfortunately when the lake and campground were built they planted saplings, so during the hot months there is no shade to be found.
The is still plenty to do at the lake from getting the fishing boat out, using their three wide boat ramp or fishing from the shore using bank or using a jetty. There is a gravel trail that goes all the way around the lake, which provides about a three mile loop. The trail also leads down into the town of Wahoo. There are two large play areas for kids. One is in the campground and one is across the lake in the day use area.
No matter where you go you are not far from a restroom. There are nice clean vault toilets available all around the lake. There is also a large bathroom/shower house in the campground. The shower house does have a change machine on the outside of the build to get change for the showers. These are kept very clean and tidy.
When pulling your RV out here the water fill is in an awkward spot in a parking lot of the campground. To get to the dump station you have to leave the campground, get on the highway and drive to the opposite side of the lake to the day use area. These were just installed a couple years ago. They are nice and level, but just add a bit of driving to get to them.
All-in-all this is a nice place and in a few more years of tree growth, it could be even better!
LegendLocated just a bit west of Lincoln, NE. Gravel road and sites in the rv section with electric only so fill up with fresh water before setting up. All sites are first come first serve with self check-in. Most are 30A like ours, site 46, but there are a couple with 50A. No bath house but a couple of vault toilets, About 58 sites here with half of them tents only.
LegendWorth Brothers Rec Area is located west off Highway 50 on 733 road on gravel. It is a primitive camping area - no hook ups. It has a few fire rings, and raised grills. There are picnic table and a covered group picnic shelter. There is drinking water, bathrooms, playground, archery, and a swimming beach. $5 a day or $15 for annual permit.
Tent camping near Lincoln, Nebraska offers a variety of experiences, from serene lakeside spots to convenient fairgrounds. Whether you're looking for a primitive escape or a more developed site, there are options to suit your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular tent campsite near Lincoln, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near Lincoln, NE is Area Three Campground with a 3-star rating from 2 reviews.
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