Best Tent Camping near York, NE

Tent campsites near York, Nebraska provide minimal facilities with several small established campgrounds scattered within driving distance. Tooley Park Campground in Marquette allows tent camping and offers river access for kayaking and tubing, while Bruning Dam Recreation Area provides a more secluded tent camping experience with just two small sites. Powerhouse Park in Columbus offers free tent camping with basic amenities including picnic tables, water, and toilets.

Most tent campgrounds in the region feature primitive setups with varying amenities. Bruning Dam has toilet facilities and one site appears to have sewage hookups, making it suitable for tent campers who prefer some basic conveniences. Tooley Park allows fires and has picnic tables but lacks drinking water and toilet facilities. Powerhouse Park provides drinking water, picnic tables, toilets, and trash service, making it more accommodating for tent camping. Sites typically have dirt or grass surfaces with minimal improvements. Area Three Campground charges $15 per night for primitive tent sites with little more than a picnic table, fire pit, and vault toilet.

The tent camping experience near York offers varying degrees of solitude and nature access. One camper noted that "in late October tent camping, we seemed to be the only souls in the place" at Area Three Campground, suggesting good off-season opportunities for solitude. Tooley Park provides popular river access but can become crowded during peak seasons, particularly for water recreation. According to one visitor, "people from Grand Island have ruined this park by partying," leading to periodic closures and alcohol restrictions. For tent campers seeking fishing opportunities, Powerhouse Park offers access to canal fishing while Bruning Dam Recreation Area is described as "best suited for an outdoorsman that's hunting or fishing." Most tent-only sites in the region are designed for short stays rather than extended camping.

Best Tent Sites Near York, Nebraska (5)

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Recent Tent Camping Photos near York, NE

2 Photos of 5 York Campgrounds


Tent Camping Reviews near York, NE

364 Reviews of 5 York Campgrounds


  • Jennifer T.
    May. 28, 2024

    Branched Oak Lake State Rec Area

    Beautiful spot

    We 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

  • Fred S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 9, 2024

    Streeter Park Campground

    Really good overnight stop

    Streeter Park is a nice park with ball fields, walking paths, waterpark and a small campground. The campground has about a dozen or so sites set up in a gravel parking lot next to the waterpark. It's a place where you can pull in your camper & spend the night. It's free, although a donation is requested. The sites are small parking spaces, close together. Each site has a picnic table, electricity & water. Waste disposal is also available in the campground as well as trash dumpsters. You can use the restrooms at the waterpark & ball field; they were open all night. No shower facilty. The one negative is the road noise; it was loud at times. This campground is not a destination; it's a really good place for an overnight stop.

  • oregonlums
    Apr. 12, 2021

    Mormon Island State Recreation Area Campground

    Easy access from I-80

    Spacious and well maintained campground. In March, the campground was still in WINTER season so only one bathroom location open and no showers open in winter, and limited water access points, but we had a electric hookup. Our campsite loop bordered vegetation, was spacious between campsites, and fairly protected from Interstate noise. Had a fire ring and picnic table. Several lakes and pretty trees. Camp hosts were friendly and helpful with questions! Don’t forget to visit sandhill cranes in March/April.

  • Shelly S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Oct. 16, 2018

    Lakeview Campground — Pawnee State Recreation Area

    Roomy but not

    Pawnee 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.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 25, 2018

    Pioneer Trails Recreation Area

    Secluded

    Pioneer Trails Recreatin Area is a new campground so there is no shade available, but the sites have lots of room between them and have nice level, long concrete pads with a picnic table and fire ring. There are 10 Rv sites with electric only and a separate area with 8 tent sites. The tent sites are walk up sites. There is a nice lake for fishing or boating, and the area is well kept and will be beautiful once the trees come into full maturity.

  • R
    Sep. 7, 2018

    Beaver Crossing City Park

    Water and Electric in easy to find City Park.

    Room for about 4 RV’s on a grassy area. Covered picnic tables shared by rv’s with a shared fire ring. Clean flush restrooms within walking distance. when I first arrived and saw the ballfields and pool I thought it might be noisy but by 8:30 pm all was quite. Donation suggested. One small gas station but no groceries.

  • Shannon G.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 25, 2018

    Area One Campground

    Lake view, ample sites

    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. In Area One we had full hook ups and a level site. There were picnic tables, and fire rings at each site. The shower house/restrooms were clean. There is a swim beach, playground, and fishing in this area. We were here during the week so it wasn't to busy. We were told the weekends could get rowdy. We enjoyed a beautiful night with a campfire and coyotes howling.

  • Travis A.The Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 3, 2025

    Yankee hill wildlife management area

    Good over night spot

    Situated 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.

  • Tommy S.The Dyrt PRO User
    Jul. 12, 2020

    Wildwood Lake

    local hangout/know where to look

    The area is mostly a hangout for fishers and locals. There's a loading dock and small piers, and a couple of lawns with some campfire rings and places to set up a tent. Fishers and boaters were loud, and we were there on a Tuesday. Dozens of kids came to hang out on a bridge above the water, jumping off the bridge occasionally, and making quite a commotion. No alcohol is allowed but they clearly had coolers full of beer. You are also not allowed to swim. I was surprised park services didn't shoo them away. 

    However, if you follow the trail to the right over the bridge and around the lake, there is a wonderful path through the preserve. It is especially nice to walk around sunset. There are some sites, only a minute or two walk, on the water along this path. If you continue down the path for about 10 minutes, to the right, under a canopy of trees, was a neat secluded "campsite". There were probably more of these hidden gems down this way, along the quieter side of the lake. It's a decent walk from the car, so we stayed at one of the closer spots along the water. All of the sites had LOTS of trash. So sad to witness all the locals throwing their bottles everywhere, very careless people in this area.

    Boats stayed out on the water well after dark. All in all it was not peaceful, but at night the fireflies were amazing, and it was truly the most diverse symphony of bird calls I have ever woken up to.


Guide to York

Tent camping near York, Nebraska offers an alternative to crowded state parks. Located within the Central Great Plains region where the Platte River runs approximately 25 miles north of York, campsites experience seasonal extremes with summer highs regularly reaching 90°F and winter temperatures frequently dropping below freezing. Winter camping is available at select sites but utilities are typically winterized from November through March.

What to do

Fishing opportunities: Bruning Dam Recreation Area provides access for anglers seeking a quiet experience. A camper noted it's "best suited for an outdoorsman that's hunting or fishing," with only two small sites available.

Kayaking and tubing: Tooley Park Campground serves as a popular river access point. According to one visitor, "Over the years this has been my get in spot for around 100 kayaking trips. I've never had any issues with anyone messing with my vehicle."

Canal fishing: Campers at Powerhouse Park have access to "good fishing in the canal" while staying relatively close to Columbus. The park includes basic amenities like picnic tables and charcoal grills.

What campers like

Affordable camping: Most tent sites in the region are economical, though some campers question the value. At Area Three Campground, a reviewer noted the cost was "steep" at "$12 for out of state plates and $15 for a site without amenities."

Off-season solitude: Winter camping provides significantly more privacy. A late October camper at Area Three Campground reported temperatures "low around 19F" and that "we seemed to be the only souls in the place."

Water recreation access: Tooley Park remains popular despite restrictions. One visitor explained, "Typically this park is used by locals for its river access" and is "usually in decent condition" though often "crowded since it is a pretty popular point to get in and out of the river."

What you should know

Limited facilities: The best tent camping near York, Nebraska typically means basic accommodations. At Bruning Dam Recreation Area, there's "a bathroom available" but minimal amenities beyond that.

Noise considerations: At some campgrounds, maintenance can disrupt early mornings. One Area Three camper mentioned being "by the dumpster, and they came by to empty it around 7am."

Seasonal closures: Management issues have affected some parks. Tooley Park has faced problems with "partying" which has resulted in it being "closed half the time and no alcohol is allowed."

Tips for camping with families

Playground access: Western Village Park Campground offers tent camping with proximity to recreational facilities, making it suitable for families with children needing play space.

Nearby attractions: Powerhouse Park offers more than just camping. One visitor highlighted the "nice playground" and mentioned "nice parks in town including a memorial to Andrew Jackson Higgins" plus a "mammoth waterpark" nearby.

Morning activities: Area Three Campground provides lakeside locations good for family exploration. A camper mentioned their site was "a few hundred yards from the lake, and we had a great morning walk."

Tips from RVers

Limited hookups: Most campgrounds near York provide minimal RV services. At Area Three, expect only "the regular old picnic table, burn pit and rather dirty vault toilet" with "nothing else here" despite the $15 nightly fee.

Sewage options: For RVers requiring sewage disposal, Bruning Dam Recreation Area has limited options. A reviewer noted "only two small sites and one appears to have sewage" making it one of the few locations with this service within driving distance of York.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is the most popular tent campsite near York, NE?

According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular tent campground near York, NE is Tooley Park Campground with a 2.5-star rating from 2 reviews.

What is the best site to find tent camping near York, NE?

TheDyrt.com has all 5 tent camping locations near York, NE, with real photos and reviews from campers.