Pawnee Lake State Recreation Area / Lakeview Campground, near Lincoln, Nebraska, is a solid spot for those looking to unwind and enjoy some time outdoors. With a mix of tent and RV accommodations, it’s a convenient place to set up camp, especially for travelers passing through.

This campground is known for its clean, open spaces, perfect for activities like frisbee or just lounging around. Visitors have mentioned that the fire pits with grilling add-ons are a nice touch, making it easy to cook up a meal while enjoying the scenery. The nearby lake offers a refreshing swim, though keep in mind that algae can be an issue later in the summer.

If you’re into kayaking, there’s a great little put-in nearby, and the views of the sunrise over the water are a highlight for many campers. While the campground doesn’t have all the bells and whistles—like electric hookups or showers—it does provide essential amenities like drinking water and toilets. As one camper noted, “I had a great and relaxing night here, and was ready for another full day of driving when I woke up!”

For those traveling with pets, it’s worth noting that the campground has a no-pets policy, so plan accordingly. Whether you’re just stopping for a night or looking to kick back for a bit longer, Pawnee Lake offers a laid-back atmosphere with plenty of natural beauty to soak in.

This recreation area is part of [Pawnee Lake][1]

[1]: http://www.recreation.gov/recreationalAreaDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&amp;recAreaId=302&amp;agencyCode=130

Pawnee Lake State Recreation Area / Lakeview Campground

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Malcolm

The Best Camping Near Malcolm, Nebraska

This is a great site for anyone who does not want to travel far off the highway. I drove out to RI in 2015, and found it to be very convenient for my needs. I was driving along i80 and needed a place to chill out and rest a night, and this was the perfect spot!! The dam is beautiful and the campsite sits right near the edge of the water. I had a great and relaxing night here, and was ready for another full day of deriving when I woke up! 

Quick Stop

Nice quick stop for 1 night while driving through in Lincoln, NE area. I tented 1 night while traveling through the area on a summer roadtrip 2015. Easily located off of Interstate-80. All the amenities you'd need for tenting or RV hookups. Affordable. It is in a Nebraska State Park but the $5 day pass wasn't a deterrent. Quick drive into Lincoln as well as easy interstate travel to Omaha, NE if you're passing through.

Nice quick stop for 1 night while driving through in Lincoln, NE area

We stayed here on our way back home to RI from Colorado- it was good because it was right off the highway, is dog friendly and even had some nice facilities. No complaints- was a pretty area.

Good for one night

Doesn’t look like the northern campground at Pawnee Lake comes up in a search on this app, very specific to note my review is for the Lake View area that is on the north side of the lake. Pops up in google maps no problem.

This tends to be a quieter area, easy to head out later in the evening and still usually plenty of tent camping spots. I love this area because I camp close to the water, and can watch the sun come up over the water and trees. There’s an easy little put in for my kayak over here. Too bad that after May, the water is too overtaken with algae to hit the water.

That is so important to note at this lake - if you are camping with an animal/dog you may want to reconsider. Again, the algae here is very bad more months in the summer than good. Even once the warnings are taken down, it’s still thick with green algae and it’s harmful to animals. If you planned to swim I would caution you to re-evaluate.

Generally you’ll always be able to find an open spot here, so for a little more mellow atmosphere compared to the bigger Branched Oak lake just north, this is a great smaller alternative that is just outside Lincoln.

Also plenty of spots for Day recreation too - multiple swimming beaches and picnic spots. There’s only one spot that has a short walk form your car to the picnic area and it’s less than a minute, so you don’t have to haul stuff around.

For Nearby Lake View Campground Sites

It was a very difficult place to find a camp. First you have to go to the office.  Information at the entrance would be good idea. Lots of fish hooks and trash. Set up camp anyway while I cleaned. Then big horse flys covered my dog. I packed up and left

Didn’t like

Was on a cross country road trip. Site was clean and very open for me to play frisbee with the dog. Fire pits with grilling add ons seemed new. Lake was clean. Got in an swam with the dog in the morning. Everything seemed well taken care of. Would definitely stay again. 

Photos of Pawnee Lake State Recreation Area / Lakeview Campground

Real photos from real campers