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Best Campgrounds near Royal, NE

163 Reviews

Campgrounds and parks surround Royal, Nebraska with varied opportunities for tent and RV campers. Grove Lake State Wildlife Area offers free primitive camping with picnic tables, fire pits, and vault toilets approximately 4 miles southwest of Royal. Several nearby towns provide city park camping, including Orchard City Park with electric hookups and sanitary dump facilities, while Riverside Park in Neligh (20 miles south) features water and electric sites with shower facilities. The region includes both free and fee-based options, with most sites accommodating both tent and RV camping.

Most campgrounds in the Royal area operate seasonally from April through October, though several remain open year-round with limited services during winter months. City park campgrounds typically provide concrete pads with electric hookups, while wildlife management areas offer more primitive experiences. Grove Lake Wildlife Area provides hydrants and vault toilets but no hookups, making it suitable for self-contained camping. Cell service can be limited or non-existent, particularly in wildlife areas. A visitor commented, "Grove Lake is a lovely free camping area with flat dirt areas that would accommodate a camper or tent. No hookups but hydrants, vault toilets, fire pits, and picnic tables exist."

Campers report mixed experiences with facilities at public campgrounds in the region. Bathroom and shower cleanliness varies significantly between locations, with some city parks maintaining clean facilities while others receive criticism. Several visitors mentioned enjoying fishing opportunities, with Grove Lake offering trout fishing and scenic views. Road noise can be an issue at some locations, particularly those near highways. Small town camping parks provide convenient access to local services and businesses. As described in feedback on The Dyrt, "These small towns in NE have the right idea with these free community campgrounds. It's just the reason we need to stop and visit local businesses and explore a town we would normally just pass through."

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Best Camping Sites Near Royal, Nebraska (64)

    1. Grove Lake State Wildlife Area

    2 Reviews
    Royal, NE
    2 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 296-0041

    "Grove lake is a lovely free camping area with flat dirt areas that would accommodate a camper or tent. No hookups but hydrants, Vault toilets, fire pits, and picnic tables exist."

    2. Orchard City Park

    1 Review
    Royal, NE
    6 miles
    Website

    "This playground has two parking pads with power and a bathroom behind it. Picnic table, playground and pavilion and grill. Sweet little find for boondocking."

    3. Riverside Park

    5 Reviews
    Royal, NE
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 887-4066

    "Bathrooms were clean and close by. The river runs by so we had a fun night out on a sand bar. It's in town which has several restaurant choices."

    "Fairly quiet, some highway noise but not bad. Clean restroom and shower. Would stay here again."

    4. Chilvers Park

    4 Reviews
    Royal, NE
    17 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 582-4928

    "Again, if boondocking is your thing, Nebraska is on target. Apparently most of the city parks allow up to 3 days camping at their city parks."

    5. Fred Penn Park

    3 Reviews
    Royal, NE
    15 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 887-4066

    6. Bruce Park Campground

    1 Review
    Royal, NE
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 358-3557

    $10 - $15 / night

    7. Modern Campground — Niobrara State Park

    14 Reviews
    Niobrara, NE
    29 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 857-3373

    $30 - $35 / night

    "Nebraska State Parks have walk up and reservable spaces. We usually risk it and easily found a walk up on a Monday afternoon after the weekend crowd left."

    "We ended up having nearly the whole place to ourselves! Spots 43/44 were absolutely perfect! On the end which is always nice. Also far enough from the road so it wasn’t too noisy."

    8. Wildwood Acres Park

    1 Review
    Niobrara, NE
    19 miles
    Website

    9. Ewing City Park

    Be the first to review!
    Royal, NE
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 626-7718

    10. Willow Creek State Recreation Area Campground

    10 Reviews
    Pierce, NE
    30 miles
    Website
    +1 (402) 329-4053

    $20 - $30 / night

    "We stayed here on our visit up to Ashfall Fossil Beds(which is a must see for anyone with kids, and is only a 30 minute drive from campsite) Most RV campsites are within a minute or two walk to lake."

    "Kids and families biking and walking and it has very nice paved areas. The May birding around this end of lake was fantastic. Bath facilities were a walk away but very clean."

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Recent Camping Photos near Royal, NE

28 Photos of 64 Royal Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Royal, NE

163 Reviews of 64 Royal Campgrounds

  • Morgan V.
    Sep. 15, 2025

    Modern Campground — Niobrara State Park

    Great little getaway

    We ended up having nearly the whole place to ourselves! Spots 43/44 were absolutely perfect! On the end which is always nice. Also far enough from the road so it wasn’t too noisy. It was downhill from the horse riding spot and there’s some dogs up there who were barking and came down to our camp twice. Level and spacious enough for our tent (some of the other spots were valleys). It was a short walk to the bathroom/shower.

    Right off of spot 43 is a path to a clearing right on the riverbank for fishing. You might not like that spot if it’s busy and people are walking through your camp set up to get to it.

    Showers and bathrooms were quite clean aside from bugs. Water had that icky egg smell lol.

    Lots of bugs around in general! Mosquitoes, gnats and spiders were especially bad for us.

    We drove around and looked at some of the other spots nearby. The primitive campsites looked super private and the cabins had some amazing views, I think cabin 10 would’ve been the best view but cost $170 per night.

  • AThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 11, 2025

    Ta-Ha-Zouka Park

    Perfect city park overnighter

    Nice roomy clean sites. Park is nice, pretty little pond with fountain and immediate access to the Cowboy Trail. Right on the edge of the town of Norfolk, access to everything you may need. Across the highway from a cubby’s and love’s truck stops but the stay was still peaceful and quiet. Very nice large city park.

  • W
    Jul. 25, 2025

    Bloomfield - Lewis and Clark SRA

    Quick Tour

    We recorded our last visit (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=umNkBK\_PPGQ) so that we would remember the site numbers for the RV spots. 

    They have 4-6 spots along the water.  This is one of my favorite campgrounds. Amazing views!

  • lThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 11, 2025

    Carney Park

    Very nice overnite spot

    Water and electric with pad and picnic tables and trees for $20! Also some tent sites. Nice place for an evening or morning walk to stretch legs around rodeo arena, between baseball fields and then around and small pond. Self serve payment envelopes. A handful of other campers around the CG that has about 16 (?) sites

  • HThe Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 10, 2025

    Modern Campground — Niobrara State Park

    Beautiful Park

    Great park. You do have to pay to shower though. Make sure you make it to the scenic overlook in the cabin area. There are beautiful views of the Missouri River!

  • Rob C.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jun. 14, 2025

    Riverside Park

    Great Campground

    Easy hook up, many sites with shade $20 per night. There is a shower and flush toilets but not very clean! That’s why only four stars!

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 30, 2025

    Osmond City Park

    Very tiny

    Located in a small city park with only 3 obvious sites. There is a pool nearby, tennis courts, playground, picnic shelter, and park. There are businesses right across the street so quite a bit of activity during the day. Stayed here previously a few years ago and happened to be passing through again.

  • Tori K.The Dyrt PRO User
    May. 30, 2025

    Fred Penn Park

    Small and primitive

    quiet in this remote area with fishing. Located next to the Elkhorn River and Fred Penn Lake, this park offers primitive camping for $5/Day - first come, first serve. It is a great location to enjoy a nice quite picnic with your family.

Guide to Royal

Camping near Royal, Nebraska, offers a mix of beautiful scenery and fun activities for everyone. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat or an adventurous getaway, there are several campgrounds nearby that cater to different needs.

What to do:

  • Hiking and Nature Walks: Explore the trails around Niobrara State Park Campground. One visitor mentioned, "Enjoyed a hike with the interpreter. Worth a stop for sure."
  • Fishing: The Nebraska Tailwaters is a great spot for fishing. A reviewer noted, "The campground is below the dam and the fish were running like crazy."
  • Swimming and Beach Fun: At Willow Creek State Rec Area, families can enjoy the beach. However, one camper mentioned, "The beach was not nice when we were there in August."

What campers like:

  • Clean Facilities: Campers appreciate the cleanliness at places like Riverside Park. One happy camper said, "Clean restroom and shower. Would stay here again."
  • Scenic Views: Many enjoy the views at Niobrara State Park Campground. A visitor raved, "Views of the Missouri River were amazing."
  • Family-Friendly Activities: Campgrounds like Willow Creek State Rec Area offer activities for kids. A reviewer mentioned, "Little park for kids. Horseshoes and sand volleyball."

What you should know:

  • Bring Quarters for Showers: At Niobrara State Park Campground, showers require quarters. One camper reminded others, "Bring your quarters for shower."
  • Limited Amenities at Some Campgrounds: Campers at Willow Creek State Rec Area found the services sparse. A review stated, "We only found one shower house for over 100 campsites."
  • Close Campsites: Some campgrounds, like Riverside Park, have sites that are close together. A camper noted, "The sites are grass and some of them are on some slopes."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Kid-Friendly Facilities: Look for campgrounds with playgrounds and activities. Chief White Crane Recreation Area has a great playground. One family said, "The kids and pets especially enjoyed it!"
  • Plan for Water Activities: If your family enjoys swimming, check out Lewis and Clark Recreation Area. A reviewer mentioned, "Clean beach, spacious spots for our 35' camper."
  • Pack Snacks and Drinks: Having snacks handy can make a big difference. One camper at Ta-Ha-Zouka Park said, "Great stopover campground or for staying awhile."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check for Electric Hookups: Many campgrounds, like Nebraska Tailwaters, offer electric hookups. A reviewer noted, "Nice clean campsites with the cleanest bathrooms I have ever seen at a campground!"
  • Be Prepared for Tight Spaces: Some RV sites can be close together. A visitor at Carney Park mentioned, "Sites are a decent size, but the campground is very open."
  • Dump Station Availability: Make sure to check if the campground has a dump station. One camper at Riverside Park said, "Dump station is located on your way out of the park."

Camping near Royal, Nebraska, has something for everyone, from families to RV enthusiasts. Just remember to plan ahead and enjoy the great outdoors!

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular campground near Royal, NE?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Royal, NE is Grove Lake State Wildlife Area with a 3.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

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