Branched Oak Lake State Recreation Area at Area 2 offers equestrian camping facilities approximately 20 miles from Malcolm, Nebraska. This designated horse camping area features pull-through sites with full hookups, nearby equestrian trails, and corrals for horses. The area provides both RV and tent camping options with lake access. The horse camping section remains relatively uncrowded compared to other areas of the park, making it an ideal spot for equestrians seeking a more secluded experience. While showers are not available directly in Area 2, they can be accessed at the nearby Area 1 campground. The equestrian area often gets overlooked by general campers despite its quality amenities.
The equestrian trail network at Branched Oak connects directly to the campground, allowing riders convenient access to established riding routes. Trailer parking is available at the equestrian sites, accommodating various rig sizes with pull-through access. The campground provides water access for horses and includes picnic tables at each site. State park permits are required for all vehicles entering the recreation area. Beyond the immediate trails, the surrounding area offers additional riding opportunities with relatively flat terrain suitable for most skill levels. Sites fill quickly during peak season and holiday weekends, so advance reservations are recommended for horse campers. The park maintains consistent patrols for rule enforcement and visitor safety.
$25 - $35 / night
"My first time camping in Nebraska. Ive been to several throughout the US. Loved the spot, I was right next to the lake, great swimming access. Downside drinking water access was difficult."
"Camping area 2 has a lot to offer, even if you don't own a horse. The area is well known for being the equestrian camping area at one of the finest lakes in Nebraska."
$20 - $485 / night
"As full-time campers we stay at Mahoney quite often as it is close to the Omaha-metro and there are so many things to do within the park: swimming, golf, zip lines, arts & crafts, trails, nature, horses"
"Walking trails. Camping spots galore. Arts and crafts. Horse riding. Water park. Lodge. Viewing tower. And they just added a ropes course. cabins for rent as well."
"No people really, just a bunch of cows you pass as you drive down the gravelly/sandy roads to get to it. No mosquitoes, but bullfrogs aplenty throughout the night."
"My favorite campgrounds are the ones that are a little out of the way on unpaved roads in the middle of nowhere :-) there was a pretty lake, a bathroom, a dumpster, and a map of the hikes."
"Check out Blustem if you like to get away from RV heavy camps like I do. You’ll find clean raised toilets, trails, and archery range, boating, fishing and hunting here."
$340 / night
"It’s a bit off the beaten path but we got to enjoy the beautiful horses. Bonus!"
"Good hiking, horse rides, great hills for trail running."
$15 - $35 / night
"A HUGE campground with around 250 total sites, with options ranging from walk-in camping tent-only sites to RV areas. There is a 3 decent-size lakes spread evenly across the grounds."
"A HUGE campground with around 250 total sites, with options ranging from walk-in camping tent-only sites to RV areas. There is a 3 decent-size lakes spread evenly across the grounds."
$35 / night
$100 / night
"The fishing is easy in all the lakes and they have a pay fishing trout lake that nearly guarantees success. Our kid and her friends love the swimming beach."
"Whether I was riding a bike around the paved roads. Fishing in one of the sandpit lakes they have to offer, or the river. Walk around the nature trails, or lakes."
ScoutMy first time camping in Nebraska. Ive been to several throughout the US. Loved the spot, I was right next to the lake, great swimming access. Downside drinking water access was difficult.
LegendCamping area 2 has a lot to offer, even if you don't own a horse.
The area is well known for being the equestrian camping area at one of the finest lakes in Nebraska. Pull through sites with full hookups, equestrian trails, and corals. Yet few people realize that there is a nice RV and tent camping area, lovely inlet with lakesides slabs, Boat docks, and Boat ramps. Showers are not available at area #2 but are available at a closeby area #1.
The lake has some nice trails including the equestrian trail that comes from the park. The park has several beaches 2 of them very close. There are archery and shotgun ranges at the lake and a decent disc golf course.
At a popular lake, this is a nice yet secluded camping area that often gets overlooked.
LegendThis is really two large primitive campgrounds each capable of holding crowds of campers. Though this does not have flush toilets or showers they are very near in the adjacent campground.
This campground is on the peninsula of Branched Oak Lake and is close to area 6 which has all the fun stuff. See the review of area 6!
Nearby Malcolm has one of the best BBQ joints in the state, and people throughout the area go to a little town called Bee, close by, for an awesome fish fry every Friday night.
LegendCampground Review
I stayed in this Louisville Rec area a few nights, moving around to three different areas of this HUGE campground are nestled in Nebraska. My plan was to spend a few days taking advantage of the many amenities and activity options this area appeared to have, and I since this is a popular destination option many are considering, I sought to provide a review of the grounds from the perspective of someone who is considering staying in the west, central, or east area of the grounds. This review is for the west area.
General Info on this overall campground
This is a state-funded park, so non-Nebraska plated cars have an additional fee. A HUGE campground with around 250 total sites, with options ranging from walk-in camping tent-only sites to RV areas. There is a 3 decent-size lakes spread evenly across the grounds. Near the central lake ("Lake 2") there is a small shop which has a market where basic kick knacks and firewood are available. This is also where you can rent boats like canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddleboards for hrs, half and daily rates. There is a trail in the woods running parallel to the North Platte River. The path is in a heavily wooded area, so no lakeside views, just a nice, quiet hike with the very occasional hummm of a mosquito. There is a swim area along the beach of Lake 2. There is canoe access at the far west side of the park. In summer, it was common to see people wading across the river as it was neither a fast moving current nor deep. This is a Rec area, so day use is also an option. There are numerous locations for picnics, including Grills, and for fishing in the lakes from some roof-covered docks. Coin-operated showers (takes quarters, change machines take $1 and $5 bills) and full-service, ADA-friendly bathrooms scatter the park as well. There is a play area in the center which has a basic jungle gym. Each site has at least a picnic table and a fire pit. All tent sites are park and walk. If you want to have your car next to your picnic table, you need a padded spot. Each area of the park has these options, as well as electrical, then RV. Most sites are reservable and there are some allocated for first come, first serve. Gates will close at 10pm so make sure your road trip stops before they do. Also, packing earplugs is a must, but it won't completely help you. There is a train that goes very near the grounds - the track basically borders the south side of the campgrounds - and it needs to use its horn while passing through, which happens A LOT.
Central location-specific Info
The harsh part of being located here is if you are looking for any kind of spot that accommodates a flat plot, like sites 206 - 236, you are butted up against the train tracks and that train is LOUD! You will have no chance of a solid night's sleep since the train uses its horn very often. I was in campsite 11 another night, literally as far away from the tracks as possible and wore ear plugs and there was no avoiding it - I was waking up at 5am no matter what. This is the place you want to camp if you are tent camping. The reserve sites or tucked away from a lot of the more family-friendly activities, so you'll get some reprieve from that energy, plus can have some spots that are very close to the N Platte river's edge.
Ranger Review
I was given a pair of the Midland X-TALKER TV1P3 Walkie Talkies to test out from Midland. Since they come with a hands-free option with a compatible accessory, I also got a pair of the AVPH3 Surveillance headsets.
These came in handy (pardon the pun) when I was biking with a friend and skiing. By hooking in the headset to the side of the radio it allowed me to leave the radio in the bag, run a wire and clip a little mic with a talk on/off button to my jacket, then put a little earpiece in around my ear that was out of the way of my helmet. This also protected the radio from debris, as water is easy to collect on electronics when skiing and dust when biking.
These radios aren't big, but they're packed with a lot of features. I personally love the weather scan capability. It locks into the NOAA weather broadcasts to deliver you a forecast. This is very useful while you are on a backpacking trip or in my case doing some kayaking because it helps me plan my routes and assess risk for my activities. They also charge through micro USB if you don't want to pack the included charging cradle (AC powered), so recharging them on the go is pretty simple since you already pack those cables and a portable USB power bank for other electronics.
The 28 mile range is a bit of a stretch (pardon the pun) but this is up to 28 miles. It worked fine for me over some densely forested lakes 2 miles away and even further over open water. I had these up at my cottage in Northern Ontario with me and I was able to get reception on these when I kayaked from one family friend's cottage from ours 8 miles away. It was getting crackly at that point but there is A LOT of interference over that distance so I was shocked they worked at all.
They have 22 channels and 38 privacy codes, so it's easy to create your own network and stay uninterrupted. I also got these working with another pair of radios I had, so they work with other brands. There are some other features, and the product support on their site is great. hey have a reference guide and a user manual to learn how to operate things like the quiet mode - if so inclined.
Overall Pros
Overall Cons
RangerAs full-time campers we stay at Mahoney quite often as it is close to the Omaha-metro and there are so many things to do within the park: swimming, golf, zip lines, arts & crafts, trails, nature, horses, etc. Huge amount of walk up sites all year long. Little Creek campground is the best place to stay for amenities: laundry, hot showers but avoid any campsite located at the bottom of the hill so you are not washed away by rain water or have a site full of mud.
LegendCheck out Blustem if you like to get away from RV heavy camps like I do. You’ll find clean raised toilets, trails, and archery range, boating, fishing and hunting here. I camped here in early spring with my boys and another family and we had the place to ourselves. This is yet another really nice state recreation area within 20 miles of Lincoln Nebraska. Check it out.
LegendCampground Review
I stayed in this Louisville Rec area a few nights, moving around to three different areas of this HUGE campground are nestled in Nebraska. My plan was to spend a few days taking advantage of the many amenities and activity options this area appeared to have, and I since this is a popular destination option many are considering, I sought to provide a review of the grounds from the perspective of someone who is considering staying in the west, central, or east area of the grounds. This review is for the east area.
General Info on this overall campground
This is a state-funded park, so non-Nebraska plated cars have an additional fee. A HUGE campground with around 250 total sites, with options ranging from walk-in camping tent-only sites to RV areas. There is a 3 decent-size lakes spread evenly across the grounds. Near the central lake ("Lake 2") there is a small shop which has a market where basic kick knacks and firewood are available. This is also where you can rent boats like canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddleboards for hrs, half and daily rates. There is a trail in the woods running parallel to the North Platte River. The path is in a heavily wooded area, so no lakeside views, just a nice, quiet hike with the very occasional hummm of a mosquito. There is a swim area along the beach of Lake 2. There is canoe access at the far west side of the park. In summer, it was common to see people wading across the river as it was neither a fast moving current nor deep. This is a Rec area, so day use is also an option. There are numerous locations for picnics, including Grills, and for fishing in the lakes from some roof-covered docks. Coin-operated showers (takes quarters, change machines take $1 and $5 bills) and full-service, ADA-friendly bathrooms scatter the park as well. There is a play area in the center which has a basic jungle gym. Each site has at least a picnic table and a fire pit. All tent sites are park and walk. If you want to have your car next to your picnic table, you need a padded spot. Each area of the park has these options, as well as electrical, then RV. Most sites are reservable and there are some allocated for first come, first serve. Gates will close at 10pm so make sure your road trip stops before they do. Also, packing earplugs is a must, but it won't completely help you. There is a train that goes very near the grounds - the track basically borders the south side of the campgrounds - and it needs to use its horn while passing through, which happens A LOT.
Central location-specific Info
I personally this this area has the best spots on the grounds. I was loving campsite 11. I had a river-side view to a nice sunset and sat at my picnic table and watched fireworks go off on the other side of the river (4th of July long weekend). These sites are also furthest from the train, which isn't really helping all too much because it's loud anyway, but you're also away from all the noise of the main rec area and central market. Less kids in this area for that reason as well.
Ranger Review
As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am sometimes given products to test and this time I am testing the FlatPak Toiletry Bottle and the NanoDry Shower Towel (large).
The NanoDry Shower Towel
I have other travel towels, but nothing this size that is this light, this packable, and this quick drying. It's a total keeper. Well, I actually forgot it at a different campground a few days later, but it's something I am happy to pay to replace. I would wake up, have a shower, lay out the towel on the picnic table, and 10 min later it was dry. Speaking of really cool, let me take a sec to talk about the carry case. It's this silicone thing that comes with a carabiner, so I can hook it outside my bag if it's still wet to keep it away from other stuff but also let it air dry a bit.
Overall Positives
Overall Negatives
The FlatPak Toiletry Bottle
I decided to get a few of these guys to solve a few pain points. Usually 'travel size' anything is a little pricier compared to the 'economy size' option, so now I just leave bigger bottles of things like shampoo at home and fill up one of these. Secondly, it's a case that's crazy light so you're pretty much taking whatever liquids, gels, and pastes you use with you with as little added weight possible. It's a travel accessory, so it should be TSA approved, and it is.
Overall Positives
Overall Negatives
LegendThis free camping area is low on amenities, but os well kept and close to the Oak Creek Trail which extends from Valparaiso to Brainard Nebraska.
The Lake is lovely with such good trails it is often used as a cross-country race site. This NRD lake has 3 gravel slabs close to a vault toilet and water hydrant. It is just up the hill from the boat ramp.
GuideThis is a great state park and possibly the busiest since it’s between Omaha and Lincoln. Walking trails. Camping spots galore. Arts and crafts. Horse riding. Water park. Lodge. Viewing tower. And they just added a ropes course. cabins for rent as well.
The only minus besides it’s always busy is the road noise from Interstate 80.
Branched Oak Lake State Recreation Area offers equestrian camping facilities approximately 25 miles northwest of Lincoln, Nebraska. The horse camping area sits 2.5 miles from the main entrance at Area 2, providing direct access to riding trails. Trail riding options range from 1-5 miles in length across relatively flat terrain with occasional wooded sections. Nebraska state park permits are required for all vehicles entering the recreation area.
Kayaking and paddleboarding: The lake features a designated no-wake zone perfect for non-motorized watercraft. "There's a huge no-wake area of the lake for kayaking and paddle boarding. They also offer boat rentals," notes Jordan H. from Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area.
Archery practice: Several recreation areas provide designated archery ranges with multiple target distances. "We enjoyed the archery range and took plenty of walks," shares Pat V. about their stay at Branched Oak Lake.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple lakes within a 30-minute drive offer varied fishing environments. "This lake is a great place for boats! If you're looking to take out a tube or just power around this area is good as it is larger than most lakes around Lincoln/Omaha," explains Kwin K. about Branched Oak Lake.
Hiking trails: The region features several interconnected trail systems spanning different difficulty levels. "I love Platte River State Park; there are accommodations for every type of camper - cabins, RV, primitive - hell they even have teepees! On top of the excellent camping offered, they have a wealth of amazing hiking/biking trails that traverse through some amazing scenery," shares Jared J. from Platte River State Park Campground.
Lakeside camping spots: Many campers appreciate waterfront sites that offer scenic views and easy water access. "My first time camping in Nebraska. Ive been to several throughout the US. Loved the spot, I was right next to the lake, great swimming access," reports Jennifer T. about Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area.
Clean facilities: Well-maintained bathrooms and shower facilities receive positive mentions. "The camp sites are forked out like the cul-de-sac properties, each facing the road and having a large portion of the lake or greens to themselves on the back. It has plenty of greenery and is very well-maintained," notes Patheeka about their experience at Branched Oak Lake.
Diverse camping options: The region offers everything from primitive sites to full-hookup options. "Check out Blustem if you like to get away from RV heavy camps like I do. You'll find clean raised toilets, trails, and archery range, boating, fishing and hunting here," recommends Joe R. from Bluestem State Rec Area.
Stargazing opportunities: The rural setting provides excellent night sky viewing away from city lights. "Nighttime is great for stargazing and they have pretty stellar sunrises," mentions Pat V. about Branched Oak Lake.
Train noise: Several campgrounds in the region experience significant train disturbances. "Train noise all night," warns Bill M. about Louisville State Recreation Area Campground, while another camper advises, "We liked everything about this area but the train tracks! Be selective on where you pitch the tent. It can get loud."
Weekend crowds: Most recreation areas become heavily populated Friday through Sunday, especially during summer months. "It's usually packed and the beach's are always full but it's always a really good time," explains Skylar S. about Branched Oak Lake.
Mosquito populations: Insect activity can be intense, particularly near wetlands and after rainfall. "We are avid campers, we are no strangers to all the things that come with camping including bugs. That said, the amount of mosquitoes here made any amount of time outside unbearable," shares Sarah Y. about their experience at Wagon Train State Recreation Area.
Limited shower facilities: Not all campgrounds offer shower access. "Downside drinking water access was difficult," notes Jennifer T. about her stay at Branched Oak Lake.
Water recreation options: Several parks offer swimming beaches and water activities for children. "Free showers are a great amenity as well. This is one of our favorite places to 'get away' to for fishing, camping, etc. Be warned: VERY BUSY campground as it is super close to a highly populated city," advises Jen K. about Branched Oak Lake.
Playgrounds and activities: Many recreation areas include dedicated play spaces. "There are so many activities from your typical hiking experience to spending the day at the water park to being able to take the family mini golfing," explains Camden O. about Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Campground.
Family-friendly fishing: Some parks maintain stocked ponds for easier fishing experiences. "This is a great campground for camping and fishing with kids. The fishing is easy in all the lakes and they have a pay fishing trout lake that nearly guarantees success," explains Rick J. about Two Rivers SRA.
Unique accommodations: Consider alternative lodging options for special family trips. "We usually tent camp but have also stayed in the cabooses a couple times, the kids really enjoy that," adds Rick J. about Two Rivers SRA.
Reservation planning: Popular RV sites fill quickly, especially during peak season. "Plan ahead and reserve a spot or go early in the week otherwise you won't get a pad!!!" advises Jen K. about Branched Oak Lake.
Road conditions: Many access roads are unpaved, creating dust and potential vehicle issues. "The roads around this area are almost all gravel including the main strip through the camp area so you'll have to find your way around to minimize time on gravel," notes Andy C. about Wagon Train State Recreation Area.
Site selection: Pay attention to campsite layout when booking. "The RV spots are pretty dated with narrow roads. We were glad it wasn't a weekend with a full campground and we think it would be pretty hectic during their peak season," cautions Pat V. about Branched Oak Lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Malcolm, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Malcolm, NE is Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area with a 4.1-star rating from 28 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Malcolm, NE?
TheDyrt.com has all 14 equestrian camping locations near Malcolm, NE, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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