16 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
No dedicated horse facilities exist at the campgrounds near Valley, Nebraska, based on available data. Two Rivers State Recreation Area includes multiple camping areas such as Goldenrod, Oak Grove, and Fawn Meadows Campgrounds, each offering electric hookups, picnic tables, and fire pits, but none feature horse corrals or equestrian-specific amenities. The campgrounds provide fishing opportunities with multiple lakes plus Platte River access, making them popular for family activities rather than equestrian pursuits. Sites are typically flat with varying amounts of shade, and most are reservable.
The surrounding recreation areas primarily focus on water activities, hiking, and general outdoor recreation. Eugene T. Mahoney State Park and Platte River State Park provide cabin accommodations alongside traditional campsites but lack specific horse-friendly infrastructure. Lake Cunningham Campground offers concrete pads with electrical hookups and recently renovated facilities following a closure period. Camping options throughout the region include tent sites, RV spots with hookups, and specialty accommodations like the Union Pacific Cabooses at Two Rivers, but none specifically cater to horseback riding activities or provide the infrastructure necessary for safe, convenient horse camping such as corrals, wash racks, or dedicated equestrian trails.
"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."
from $25 - $485 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $100 / night
Check Availability"It is right next to lake 4 with some beach access. There are both reservable and walk up sites here. The walk up process is a little strange."
"Very nice camp sites and playgrounds for children nice clean fishing lakes and river access."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"This is a small campground a little ways before you get to lakeside campground. These spots are electric with fire pits and picnic tables. It is near the road and the dump station is in view."
"Take your pick, river or lakeside. Some areas are more modern than others but all are nice. A few have water hookups"
from $35 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $35 - $340 / night
Check Availability"The lake is right there, with a nice bike path that comes all the way around."
"Lake Cunningham is a fun destination for getting outside if you only have an afternoon to escape! The lake itself is great for kayaking, paddle boarding, and sailing!"
from $15 - $40 / night
Check Availability"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."
"I am sorry 😔 but I have nut yet been to any of Nebraska's Camping grounds your's well be the first."
from $15 - $35 / night
Check Availability"It’s not close to water like some of the others but it has a nice amount of room between spots and lots of trees for shade. There is an old playground by a vault toilet."
from $30 / night
Check Availability"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."
from $25 - $35 / night
Check Availability"A few vault toilets are scattered around the park, but there are no shower facilities. Nearby is a small lake along with a nature center. Park is within a valley with lots of shade trees."
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.
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.
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.
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.
ScoutIf you don’t mind lugging your stuff to your tent spot, it’s primitive, no frills camping at its finest! We chose the closest spot to the vault toilets. There are only 4. It’s a bit off the beaten path but we got to enjoy the beautiful horses. Bonus!
TravelerGood hiking, horse rides, great hills for trail running.
The camping areas surrounding Valley, Nebraska offer several outdoor recreation options along the Platte River corridor. Most campgrounds in this region sit at elevations between 1,000 and 1,200 feet, with a humid continental climate that brings hot summers and cold winters. Temperatures typically reach into the 90s during July and August, with overnight lows dropping to the 60s, making evening campfires comfortable even in summer.
Fishing opportunities: Multiple lakes at Two Rivers State Recreation Area provide various fishing environments with seven different lakes plus Platte River access. "Lots of fishing opportunities in the ponds and river. Even a trout lake," notes Justin R. about the Fawn Meadows Campground. Regular stocking programs maintain fish populations throughout the season.
Water activities: During warmer months, several parks offer swimming and boating options. At Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area, "There's a huge no-wake area of the lake for kayaking and paddle boarding. They also offer boat rentals," according to Jordan H. The lake spans over 1,800 acres with designated swimming areas.
Trail exploration: Some parks feature hiking trails suitable for day excursions. Tony B. shares about Platte River State Park: "This park offers a lot of nature activities. You can hike the many hiking trails to the mini waterfall, or Platte river." The park maintains approximately 10 miles of trails through wooded terrain.
Campsite variety: The camping areas offer different levels of amenities from primitive to full-hookup sites. Shannon G. describes Goldenrod Campground: "Half of this campground has electric and half has none. It is right next to lake 4 with some beach access. There are both reservable and walk up sites here." Sites typically range from 30-40 feet in length.
Family amenities: Many campgrounds include dedicated recreation areas for families. Jennifer M. observed at Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Campground: "There are many activities for kids including paddleboating, a wave pool, horse riding, ziplining, and playgrounds. Modern restrooms with showers and power are available." Day passes for the water park cost approximately $8-10 per person.
Scenic settings: Several campgrounds offer waterfront sites with direct access to lakes or rivers. "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," Daniel B. mentions about Louisville State Recreation Area. The park's eastern campground offers the most secluded river-view sites.
Train noise: Railroad tracks run near several campgrounds, causing significant noise disruption. Justin R. cautions about Louisville State Recreation Area Campground: "At night the trains go by about every 17 minutes. The tracks run right get along the park." Trains run throughout the night, with horns audible throughout most camping areas.
Reservation system: Popular campgrounds fill quickly during peak season. Shannon G. explains about Goldenrod Campground: "The walk up process is a little strange. You get put on a waiting list and have to return to main office at 3. Then the start at beginning of list and people start choosing so get on waiting list early."
Site conditions: Terrain and amenities vary between campgrounds. Sarah N. notes about Goldenrod Campground: "A lot of them have absolutely no shade whatsoever, so be mindful of that. I stayed here on a night where it rained maybe as much as an inch, and some campsites did flood." Sites typically measure 30-50 feet with varying degrees of privacy.
Specialty accommodations: Unique lodging options appeal to families with children. Rick J. recommends Union Pacific Cabooses — Two Rivers SRA: "We usually tent camp but have also stayed in the cabooses a couple times, the kids really enjoy that." These converted caboose cabins include small kitchens, bathrooms, AC and beds with mattresses.
Swimming areas: Designated swimming zones provide safer water recreation for children. Tony B. describes Louisville State Recreation Area: "There is a swimming area, beach, and play inflatables for kids in the water. There are playgrounds for kids." Most swimming areas are open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, weather permitting.
Activity planning: Some parks require additional fees for recreational amenities. Meghan H. from Eugene T. Mahoney State Park explains: "The pool is awesome. It was, however, expensive. $10 for adults (even as a non swimmer) and $8 for kids plus $3 to rent a tube for the wave pool." Planning for these costs helps avoid unexpected expenses.
Site selection: Choose RV sites based on size requirements and seasonal conditions. At Lake Cunningham Campground, Steve D. notes: "ALL paved campsites level and clean! Many clean and nice bathrooms which showers and FULL hookups for almost any size RV or camper." Recently renovated east side sites feature concrete pads with more space between sites.
Utilities available: Most RV sites offer electrical hookups with some providing full service connections. James H. observed at Lake Cunningham: "We got a level pull-thru spot and the encouragement and advice of a kind camp host as we got our tanks washed through and drained. Slips are nicely spaced apart from each other."
Equestrian camping limitations: None of the campgrounds near Valley, Nebraska offer dedicated equestrian facilities. Campers seeking horse-friendly accommodations should look beyond the immediate Valley area, as the local campgrounds lack horse corrals, dedicated equestrian trails, and washing facilities needed for equestrian camping.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is the most popular equestrian campsite near Valley, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Valley, NE is Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Campground with a 4.1-star rating from 47 reviews.
What is the best site to find equestrian camping near Valley, NE?
TheDyrt.com has all 16 equestrian camping locations near Valley, NE, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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