Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area Martin Bay Little Thunder Campground / Lone Eagle Campground

We stayed one night at "Big Mac" on July 6th on our way out to Colorado in beach area 12. We were able to pull right up to the shore. There was a heat wave coming through so it was very hot. The bathrooms (In our spot they were just biffy's) are a bit of a walk from the spot we were at. 

We had 3 setups, a roof top tent, inside the 4runner and a ground tent. All parties slept pretty happily including a 6 year old. We cooked right on the beach and had a campfire. 

Towards midnight we saw some amazing stars that the pictures I included don't do justice. We would stay here again but I would caution anyone coming here to bring some sun screen and ensure you drink a lot of a water. There are some tent spots among the trees that provide more shade.

If you're from a state (Like we are from MN) with lots of beaches and Lakes, it's really "just ok". Don't get me wrong, It's cool you can camp right on the beach and it's probably the most exciting place to be in Nebraska, but that's not saying much.

Cold evening, pulled in late, campground was empty, sandy spot, bathroom at boat launch was open in the morning.

The campground is open all year, but the restroom isn't. The sites are not level but definitely doable. Not a lot of shade in the center of the loop. Most of the Lakefront sites do. There is a great playground. Showers are by token. Beautiful white sandy beaches close by. In Lake McConaughy RA you can camp anywhere within the state park for $12, it doesn't have to be an actual site!  So lots of people camped on the beach along the water. Probably very quiet and pleasant and budget friendly.

Campground Review: A great place for beach goers and those that want to take advantage of the huuuge Lake McConaughy for boating and fishing, as most campers have something with them for their aquatic adventures. There's boat load ramps. The campgrounds are large too. 4 stars since ground plots for primitive camping didnt offer much cover. Primitive and electrical hook ups available. There's a combination restroom and shower facility and half of their 42 sites are reservable. There's also a basic jungle gym for kids in the center of the grounds. Within the State Rec Area, this is a good site for access to the lake and if you need the electrical hook ups, and probably the best bet for anyone with kids so bathrooms are close by. Of course, you are steps from beach, so if that's your thing you'd be well served here.

Gear Review: The Xero Umara Z-Trail Sport is designed to be a lightweight performance sandal and I wholeheartedly agree. As a Dyrt Ranger, I get products to test and review in the field, and I've had these on my feet for about 3 weeks now. They're so light you'll forget you're wearing them, and the comfort is hard to ignore. I've done everything in them from hikes in the Rocky Mountains to cruising the urban concrete. Performance: The tread has serious grip. Doing descents on mountain trails in these wont keep your feet from getting dirty, but it will keep them on the ground and not above your head because you slipped. The thin sole allows for you to massage your feet on curved rocks too, so yeah - Bonus. These aren't my first choice running shoes, but barefoot-style runners have totally found their holy grail. I ran along the beach with them in the morning and it was awesome because it felt like I was running on the sand but I knew I was getting better support at the same time.
Fit: I highly recommend using the size guide online. If you're going to be really active (runners and hikers), your feet will swell slightly so give yourself some room to play with. The straps against my skin were great (probably because they use a process where there's no edge seams rubbing against you), easy to adjust, and there's a flexible loop to put any excess strap through so you're not tripping over yourself. Clever design too because your foot sits in a slight footbed well, rather than on top of a total flat piece of material, so your foot is well 'cushioned'. Verdict: Great sandal for around camp and on the trails. I've hesitated about taking a second pair of shoes for use around campgrounds because of the weight it would add to my pack, but not only are these roll-able so it makes packing easy (or lash them to your pack with a caribiner) but now, my second-pair shoes are so light, why wouldn't I? The grip means foraging for firewood or exploring around camp are no concern. My belongings seem to be just as accident prone as myself, and so far they're up to the task. The value with the Xero Umara Z-trail Sport is totally there. Check out the sandals here. Men's and Women's sizes available. https://xeroshoes.com/shop/ready-to-wear-barefoot-sandals/ztrail-men/