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Established Camping

Smith Creek Recreation Area

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Smith Creek Recreation Area, near Beaver Crossing, Nebraska, is a straightforward camping spot that offers a no-frills experience for those looking to unwind in nature. With a mix of tent and RV sites, it’s a convenient place to pull off the expressway and set up camp without the hassle of reservations or permits.

The area features clean vault toilets and a picnic area that includes a covered space with electrical outlets and a grill, making it easy to enjoy meals outdoors. Campers have noted the presence of fire pits, which help mark out informal tent spots, and many appreciate the peaceful surroundings, with one visitor mentioning, “It was all wonderful!”

For those who enjoy a bit of adventure, there’s a floating dock perfect for morning coffee or fishing. While the campground is primarily used by RVs, there’s ample grassy space for tents, and some recent construction hints at future improvements, like a new pavilion. Just be prepared for the occasional noise from nearby wildlife and other campers, as one reviewer humorously described a night filled with barking dogs and yipping coyotes.

Whether you're stopping for a quick overnight stay or planning a longer retreat, Smith Creek offers a relaxed atmosphere where you can kick back and enjoy the great outdoors.

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Location

Smith Creek Recreation Area is located in Nebraska

Detail location of campground

Coordinates

40.80360043 N
97.32990082 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Unknown
  • Verizon
    Fair
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Unknown

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)

Features

For Campers

  • ADA Access
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Phone Service
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Big Rig Friendly

FREE established camping

Enjoy camping on government land. Limited or no services at this camping area.


PERMIT might be REQUIRED

We curate permit requirements across the US for our PRO members. Try PRO to see if Smith Creek Recreation Area needs a permit.

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General Info


Reviews

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4.0

out of 5

11 Reviews

Reviewed Jul. 3, 2024

Second Year Camping Here

Camped here previous year, and it was nice to come back to. Bathroom and lots of spots to set up. Also looks like it might be getting an update with the pavilion

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Donner N., July 3, 2024
Reviewed Jun. 16, 2024

Free camping right off the expressway

Great little spot right off the expressway.  Seems to be used mostly for RV's but has space for tents.  Tent spaces are not marked but there are fire pits to give you a general idea of where to camp.  Also, looks like they are constructing a picnic/gazebo area.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Timothy K., June 16, 2024
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Timothy K., June 16, 2024
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Timothy K., June 16, 2024
Reviewed Apr. 22, 2024

First BLM Camping

Great place clean facilities..heard a dog barking but.. kids ..dogs no issues here.. Nothing to stop wind so be prepared if your thinking of hanging out for a while Gravel road from highway to camp so keep dust in mind..

But for me it was all wonderful!!!!

Siteagainst frence in gravel parking area
Month of VisitApril
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Reviewed Oct. 26, 2023

Great quick overnight spot

Just a short drive down dirt roads off highway. Easy to find following diirections on Maps app. We were the second campers til another rv showed up during the night. RVs camp in gravel parking lot where toilets are. Unable to review toilets as we didn't use them. Large grassy area with trees and a couple teeter-totters, covered picnic area with electrical outlets, bbq grill and campfire grill. There's a floating dock with picnic table, perfect for enjoying a morning cup of coffee. A great quick overnight spot overall.

SiteDispersed
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Amilyn W., October 26, 2023
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Amilyn W., October 26, 2023
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Amilyn W., October 26, 2023
  • (6) View All
Reviewed Oct. 6, 2023

Interesting Night

Pulled in around midnight. We were under the impression that there was a gravel or dirt road that goes around the water to get to the designated tent spots. I didn’t find out until the next morning there was not and couldn’t explore upon arrival as there was a camper parked where I believed the road began. With no other way around, we parked the car in the lot and set up a tent on the first grassy area we could see. Once I got out of the car, there was constant barking that echoed around the area from around 12:15am throughout the night and next morning. The person with the camper had their dogs chained up outside all night and they would not stop barking. We were tired from driving all day and found a flat spot in the grass and set up as we couldn’t keep our eyes open to keep driving to another spot. The fun doesn’t stop there!

As if the constant barking wasn’t enough, there were coyotes yipping all night too. It sounded like a lot of them and it sounded like they were getting closer and closer. That mixed in with the ‘mooo-ing’ of cows all night as they were right across the road. The person with the camper also had their loud generator running all night. Nothing like some

All in all, it was not a good night of rest with all of the noise although it was nice to wake up there near the water. Could obviously do without all the barking and generator sounds but hey- that’s life right?

SiteParking Lot Grass
Month of VisitOctober
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Alexander K., October 6, 2023
Reviewed Sep. 11, 2023

Clean, quiet, lighted

Two other car campers there already when we rolled in close to midnight. Gravel road leading to the campground was in good condition. Convenient to I-80, but far enough removed that we had no freeway noise (my goal). Parking lot had a nice bright light. Clean vault toilets. Small playground.

Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Julia C., September 11, 2023
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Julia C., September 11, 2023
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Julia C., September 11, 2023
Reviewed Aug. 3, 2023

Nice, pleasant, did its job

Off a back road campsite that is pretty decent. Newer made ground toilets which were nice to have. They have pretty lax rules. Had no troubles setting up my tent in the area, does seem a lot of locals swing by during the day to visit but that was no issue. Not super buggy aside from moths.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Donner N., August 3, 2023
Reviewed Jul. 14, 2022

Quiet spot

Nice quiet spot on a creek fed lake. Boat/fishing dock. Newly constructed restrooms on a concrete pad. Only one drive up spot 4 or five spots for tents on grass a short carry from the parking. Day I was there only one other tent camper. The road in is typical gravel country road that can get a bit muddy with rain. My drive in spot was on the lake shore, no gravel so got quite muddy after the rain storm that blew through. Nebraska clay very slippery sticky and heavy. But really liked the place for an overnight stay.

SiteShore side drive in
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Ron O., July 14, 2022
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Ron O., July 14, 2022
Reviewed May. 30, 2022

What a disappointment

I saw this site via a browser search. I also followed up with this app. The description was that it was a nice campground "south of I-80", with old vault toliets upgraded to portajohns.

First, to get here, I drove 20+ miles on dirt road. Luckily, I had a Jeep Gladiator, so it handled the roads.

Upon arrival, I found a mess! It appears that the state was building new bathrooms and concrete sidewalks...but the parking lot area was a MUDPIT! Good thing I had 4×4! A large 24ft tow behind RV had taken up a large portion of the area, and appered stuck in the mud.

This site was a mess, and I left. Maybe I will revisit in future,but as of Memorial Day 2022, no way!

To get back to civilization, another 10 miles of dirt road to York, NE.

Sitena
Month of VisitMay
Reviewed Apr. 22, 2021

Great stay and close to interstate!

What a great stay. Stayed for 3 nights and only had 1 other camper. State trooper checked in one afternoon. There are 4 vault toilets, 2 male/2 female. Stalls aren’t separate though but overall very clean and stocked. This place was very peaceful and had both beautiful sunrises and sunsets. There’s a couple spots you could park in the lot and camp from a van or camper. There’s several spots available to pitch a tent near the shelter or down the hill. Multiple ring fires, picnic tables and grills available for use. There’s also trash bins which is nice.

Little bit of traffic for those looking to fish. Nice little walking paths along the lake. You can stay up to 14 days, free. Be sure to pack everything needed but there is a Walmart 15 minutes away. I had 2-3 bars of LTE via AT&T and was able to work efficiently. Definitely would stay here again.

Month of VisitApril
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Abby M., April 22, 2021
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Abby M., April 22, 2021
  • Review photo of Smith Creek Recreation Area by Abby M., April 22, 2021
  • (4) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • What is the elevation of Smith Creek Recreation Area?

    Smith Creek Recreation Area is located at 1504 feet.

  • Are fires allowed at Smith Creek Recreation Area?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Smith Creek Recreation Area, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Smith Creek Recreation Area?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is fair, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is unknown.