Sean G.
Traveler
TravelerWildwood Lake
Good dispersed camping
Very pretty camping area. Fun hiking trail around the whole place. It's probably good fishing if you have a boat but a very weed heavy lake.
Camping near Valparaiso, NE
98 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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Valparaiso, Nebraska is surrounded by a mixture of established campgrounds and recreation areas within easy driving distance. The Oak Creek Trail allows free camping at the Valparaiso city park with electric hookups and water access for trail users. Nearby Timber Point Wetland offers free primitive camping with vault toilets and limited amenities, while Branched Oak Lake State Recreation Area provides extensive camping options including equestrian sites, RV hookups, and tent camping across multiple areas. Most campgrounds in the region fall within a 30-minute drive of Valparaiso, with several lakes offering water recreation opportunities.
Access to camping facilities varies across the region, with some sites offering year-round availability while others have seasonal limitations. Branched Oak Lake's multiple camping areas include full hookup sites at Area 2 and more primitive options at Areas 1 and 3. State Recreation Areas typically require permits for non-Nebraska vehicles, and many campgrounds operate on a first-come, first-served basis rather than taking reservations. Primitive sites often have vault toilets and fire rings but limited drinking water access. The terrain around Valparaiso is predominantly rolling hills with artificial lakes managed by Natural Resources Districts or state agencies. One camper noted that Timber Point Wetland is "well kept and close to the Oak Creek Trail which extends from Valparaiso to Brainard Nebraska."
Several visitors highlight the quiet nature of camping in this region as a key attraction. Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area features tent sites, RV hookups and cabin rentals, though as a newer facility, "there are no mature trees around the lake" making tent camping challenging on hot days. Memphis Lake State Recreation Area gets high marks despite limited facilities, with one camper calling it their "favorite" place to get away in Nebraska. Bluestem State Recreation Area offers a more primitive experience with raised toilets, trails and an archery range approximately 20 miles from Lincoln. Campers seeking solitude often recommend the recreation areas farther from Interstate 80, as these typically have fewer visitors and less traffic noise than campgrounds closer to major transportation routes.
Best Campgrounds near Valparaiso (98)
1. Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area
"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."
"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."
from $25 - $35 / night
Check Availability2. Camp A Way Campground
"A fun pass is require and costa about $10 but kids get ice cream, Slushies, water balloons for water wars included with that plus access to trampoline basketball, a nice jump pad, pool, indoor hot tub,"
"Next to highway. You can hear highway but that doesn’t bother me"
from $35 - $67 / night
Check Availability3. Lakeview Campground — Pawnee State Recreation Area
"Pawnee SRA is a well maintained family friendly SRA North West of Lincoln Nebraska. You’ll find powered and primative sites accommodating RV’s to tents."
"The change machine was either broken or out of change but that seems to be the norm this year at Nebraska parks."
from $30 / night
Check Availability4. Wildwood Lake
"Fun hiking trail around the whole place. It's probably good fishing if you have a boat but a very weed heavy lake."
5. Area One Campground
"Branched Oak-Area One Campground is 2 1/2 miles north of Malcom Nebraska. There are many different areas offering over 330 pads and tons of primitive camping."
"Branched Oak is not the luxury park that Mahoney is but it is one of the premiere campgrounds at Branched Oak which is one of the premiere parks of Nebraska."
6. Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area
"Lake 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."
"It’s been a few years since we stayed at Lake Wanahoo, but we decided to stay there over our anniversary weekend. The place is still great, and this time of year it was very quiet and peaceful."
from $8 - $40 / night
Check Availability7. Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Campground
"Nestled between two major cities in Nebraska, you're never far away from anything you may want to do or see. RV and tent camping is obviously available with limited privacy."
"We used to stop here as a midway point when driving to Colorado. We always stayed at the lodge for a night and had a pleasant time exploring the area."
from $25 - $485 / night
Check Availability8. Timber Point Wetland
"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."
9. Red Cedar Lake
"Red Cedar Lake is a hidden gem if you’re looking for quiet, simple camping. The scenery is beautiful, with open skies and plenty of wildlife around."
10. Area Three Campground
"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."
Drive Time
- 23 min from Lincoln, NE
- 51 min from Omaha, NE
- 1 hr 33 min from Grand Island, NE
- 1 hr 56 min from Sioux City, IA
Recent Camping Photos near Valparaiso, NE
96 Photos of 98 Valparaiso Campgrounds
Tommy S.
Wildwood Lake
Charlie B.
Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area
Shannon G.
Area One Campground
A H.
Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area
Tony C.
Lakeview Campground — Pawnee State Recreation Area
GW C.
Camp A Way Campground
Zachariah M.
Blue Valley Campground
Pat V.
Memphis Lake State Rec Area
Joe R.
Conestoga State Recreation Area
Lincoln W.
Seward/Lincoln West KOA Holiday
Jeff L.
Riverside Campground — Two Rivers SRA
Shannon G.
Cottonwood — Two Rivers SRA
Recent Reviews near Valparaiso, NE
546 Reviews of 98 Valparaiso Campgrounds
- EErica H.
ScoutPine Grove RV Park & Campground
BLUE COLLAR WORKERS BEWARE
•Turned of my water off in the winter time while it was in the negatives outside which froze my water and busted my water heater.
•quiet time is after 9 but we’re trying to make guests leave before 6
•their water line busted and they refused to reimburse multiple people for the 5 days we all went without water
•You can’t sit your trash out AT ALL, not even in the bed of your truck cause the dozens of stray cats will rip it apart and scatter it everywhere. They will also tear up your camper underneath looking for warmth
•owner saw me taking the trash out one day and offered to take it then turned around and told me I was to lazy to take it
•had 2 friends and their 3 kids come join us for a cookout and the owners pulled up in their golf cart, freaking out about how loud our “party” was and that the our new neighbors complained. Went to go apologize the next day and the neighbors said they didn’t even hear us.
•kept trying to up charge me on rent and electricity, one month my electric was $53 and the next month it was over $300 (the same month I wasn’t even there for 2 weeks)
•multiple blue collar workers left because the owners were treating them the same way
•they have a nice pool. If you want to invite anybody make sure you got extra money cause they’ll charge you whatever they feel like charging you that day. Went from $3 a person to $5 a person in just 2 days
•claim they’re Christians but refuse to you help in any way and will try to get as much money from you as they can
•••••••CHECK YOUR METER••••••••• when I left they tried saying my electric bill was higher than my deposit of $300 but when I told them I took a picture of the meter and how their price didn’t match the amount of kilowatts I had used (15 cents per kw) they sent me my deposit back
All this coming from someone who stayed here for 6 months and finally had enough
Dani P.
GuideWalnut Creek Lake & Recreation Area
Well maintained campground
This was a beautiful little spot in town. All the spots were decently spaced out so you had your privacy, and it was surprisingly quiet. It is on the edge a housing area, so you can see people's porches across the street, but it wasnt bad. The price is very reasonable especially if you're just spending the night while driving through. Its very green, well maintained and pretty, we even saw some fireflies! It has electric hook ups and a dump station as well.
- SStacey M.Scout
Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Campground
So much to offer!
This park offers something for everyone! Although the campsites are average this big beautiful park makes up for it in other ways. From the aquatic park, to the stables, hiking and biking trails, a small marina with fishing and paddle boats, and a nature center, you won’t have to leave to be entertained. Recommend staying at the lakeside campground for better views.
Richard K.TravelerLake North
Good place for short stay
Right up next to the lake with a nice quiet vibe and good fishing. Not for long stays but I think they want it that way. Very clean restrooms need a little more privacy and had trouble finding a stop to dump the black/grey tank.
- WWayne F.Traveler
Walnut Creek Lake & Recreation Area
Great Little Campground!
Beautiful city owned campground. 50 and/or 30 amp electric at all sites. No water hookups, but spigots are located throughout the park. No shower house, only pit toilets. However, at $20 a night a steal!
- AAnthony M.Traveler
Haworth City Park
Nice and Quiet
This is actually the Windsor Cove Campground within Haworth Park in Belleview, Nebraska. It is an older campground but near the river, walking trails, and close to all the amenities of Nearby Omaha (aprox. 25 minutes to downtown). I visited in Mid May and the park was about 25 percent full. The camp host is great and I would definitely visit again.
- SStillRVWanderer ..
LegendDodge County Fairgrounds
Basic fairgrounds camping with great Verizon signal
Dodge County Fairgrounds has four or five spaces on grass. The ground is fairly level, but it is bumpy and rutted. When I visited in May, the grass was not mowed and was very tall. It was so bad that I was itchy after leaving.
There are bathrooms on site, but they were locked when I tried them. It wasn't clear how to pay for your site, I did not see a sign with instructions or a drop box. The nightly rate, according to the website is $30 which seems high to me for this location.
There are two playgrounds available, including a modern one and a really old one. There is a pool located nearby, but it was not open in May and I am not sure when it opens for the season. The fairgrounds is located next to highway 275 so there is some road noise, but I didn't find it so much to be bothersome. I had a very good Verizon signal here with 200 Mbps download on 5G.
There's really nothing within walking distance, maybe a gas station about 10 minutes away. I would stay here if I need a place to park overnight while traveling, but other than that I would skip it.
- SStillRVWanderer ..Legend
Christiensen Field
Large gravel lot with water & electric - ok for an overnight
I stopped by this campground and found it was nearly empty, with only one other camper in the lot. The entire area is one giant gravel parking lot with no shade. The spots are located very close together, but it's rarely full (except during events at the Main Arena next door) so you'll have room to spread out. Each site has electric and water hookups. I read somewhere that there is a dump station here but I didn't see it.
There are no showers or flush toilets. The only bathrooms available are port-a-potties located in the middle of the lot. There is some kind of agriculture equipment nearby that creates a constant humming sound which some might find annoying. The campground is very close to the airport, but I did not notice any airport noise.
While there is nothing within walking distance, there are several commercial restaurants and stores that are an easy drive from this location.
I would only stay here if I needed an overnight spot while traveling.
Guide to Valparaiso
Camping near Valparaiso, Nebraska centers around several public lakes managed by both state and local Natural Resources Districts. Located in the glacial till plains of eastern Nebraska at approximately 1,600 feet elevation, the area experiences hot summers with nighttime temperatures often dropping 20-30 degrees below daytime highs. Most campsites near Valparaiso provide basic amenities while water recreation forms the primary attraction.
What to do
Kayaking on calm waters: Lake Wanahoo's restrictions create ideal conditions for paddlers. "Great fishing and kayaking lake! Bike path goes all the way around the lake," notes one camper at Lake Wanahoo State Recreation Area. The lake's no-wake zones particularly benefit non-motorized watercraft.
Night sky viewing: Rural locations around Valparaiso offer excellent stargazing opportunities. At Timber Point Wetland, a visitor reported, "The stars were spectacular! There's some black cows nearby that kind of stare at you with no emotion." Minimal light pollution creates ideal conditions for astronomy enthusiasts.
Disc golf: Several recreation areas maintain disc golf courses with varying difficulty levels. "We went in the off season so we had a lot of space to ourselves," commented a visitor to Branched Oak Lake about the amenities, which include an established disc golf course with multiple basket positions.
What campers like
Fishing accessibility: Memphis Lake offers bank fishing with convenient access from campsites. "Many of the tent sites allow you to camp right next to the lake," says a reviewer at Memphis Lake State Recreation Area. The small lake supports bass, catfish, and panfish populations.
Off-season tranquility: Visiting during shoulder seasons provides solitude at normally busy locations. At Wildwood Lake, one visitor mentioned, "Pulled in fairly late. No problem finding a spot in the dark. The place was pretty empty due to the cold weather I'm sure." Fall and spring weekdays typically see minimal campground occupancy.
Multi-use trails: Several areas offer connected trail systems for walking, running and biking. "It is a nice spot a bit off of the main roads," notes a Memphis Lake camper, with trails connecting camping areas to fishing spots and day-use facilities.
What you should know
Permit requirements: Nebraska requires separate vehicle permits for out-of-state visitors at state recreation areas. "Cost- $12 for out of state plates and $15 for a site without amenities is steep," notes a camper at Area Three Campground. Daily vehicle permits run $8-14 depending on residency.
Drinking water access: Water availability varies significantly between recreation areas. At Branched Oak Lake, a visitor noted, "Downside drinking water access was difficult." Most primitive sites lack running water, requiring campers to fill containers at central locations.
Highway noise: Some campgrounds experience traffic noise due to proximity to major roadways. "The highway is so close you can see the cars going by. Its extremely loud and constant highway sounds," reports a tent camper at Camp A Way.
Tips for camping with families
Playground facilities: Several recreation areas maintain playground equipment for children. "Very kid friendly with tons of activities. Nice pool & hot tub. Clean laundry facilities and they even have a dog park," reports a visitor to Camp A Way Campground. Most playgrounds are located near camping areas for easy supervision.
Swimming areas: Designated swimming beaches provide safer water recreation for children. "There is a clean beach area, a boat and kayak landing area and many children parks," mentions a Branched Oak Lake visitor. Swimming areas typically include shallow water sections with gradual entry points.
Activity options: Some parks offer structured activities beyond standard camping. "My son and I camped for one night. We went paddle boating, swimming, and horse back riding," writes a visitor to Eugene T. Mahoney State Park Campground. Activity availability varies seasonally with most options running May through September.
Tips from RVers
Dump station locations: Some recreation areas position dump stations inconveniently far from camping areas. "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," notes a Lake Wanahoo camper. Planning dump station use before departure prevents unnecessary maneuvering.
Off-peak availability: RV sites typically remain available midweek even during summer months. "Late October tent camping- low around 19f... we seemed to be the only souls in the place," reports an Area Three camper. Sunday through Thursday occupancy rates average below 50% except on holiday weeks.
Electric hookup variations: Power amperage differs between campgrounds and even within the same recreation area. "We had full hook ups and a level site," mentions an Area One Campground visitor about their experience at Branched Oak Lake. Many sites offer 30-amp service while newer campgrounds provide 50-amp options.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Valparaiso, NE?
What camping is available near Valparaiso, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, Valparaiso, NE offers a wide range of camping options, with 98 campgrounds and RV parks near Valparaiso, NE and 2 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Valparaiso, NE?
Which is the most popular campground near Valparaiso, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Valparaiso, NE is Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area with a 4.1-star rating from 28 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Valparaiso, NE?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Valparaiso, NE?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 2 free dispersed camping spots near Valparaiso, NE.
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