Louisville State Recreation Area

Whether you sleep in your van like we did, or you like to stay in a tree house (they appear to be building one as rental cabin) or need a tent platform, the place is huge and sprawling, with wooded sites and open lawn. Friendly and peaceful and definitely one we'll go back to.

The place is amazingly scenic and reasonably priced. But I've been camping in different campgrounds all over the US for the last 2 months and this is one of my top 3 for mosquitoes. Those things are relentless and not at all scared by deet. The only thing that surpassed them is the poison ivy that grows everywhere.

The place is wide open without privacy. Well-kept, clean and friendly.

But there's a train going right past our campsite. I had no idea trains can be this long when going through the plains with several engines front and back. If you wait for it to pass, your dinner will be cold.

And I don't know what industry is east of here. But it's 10pm and they're still running LOUD!

With a large amount of active train tracks, 24 hour concrete plant, airboat launch and loads of weekend warriors that travel from the city to camp for a couple of days, this place is the opposite of peaceful.  Campground has many sites available (both reservable and first-come, first-served).  Be prepared to have to pay to take showers!

The campsites a close together but the area is well kept. There are several rings you can camp on RV/Tent. There are showers and indoor bathrooms, also there is aplace to rent tubs. The water is surprisingly clear for Nebraska

The staff was wonderful. The showers were clean. No complaints about the facility and it looked like there was a lot of activities for kiddos. But why didn’t anyone mention the trains? Good luck sleeping through the night. The train tracks were less than 100 feet from our site with train traffic all night long. And the four hour thunderstorm added to the cacophony.

This campground is situated along the Platte River and there is plenty of family fun. There’s a playground, a free swimming lake area, a swim obstacle course ($$$), fishing, bird watching, and it’s a great place to just relax and enjoy nature

I am sorry 😔 but I have nut yet been to any of Nebraska's Camping grounds your's well be the first.

I stayed at site 239 (tent) which seems to be the least busy area. There are nice docks for fishing and boating. A nice closed off area for swimming, but not area allows pets to swim. Very polite employees. Showers are kinda expensive and expect to hear the tracks right behind the camping area. I think a pet/person swim area would be nice but other than that it was a good stay.

Being from California this style of camping is not what I’m used to. Less full of nature, more weekend out of the house. Tents were on nice lawns and RV’s were stacked up next to each other. There was a very nice lake to cool off and blow up water park that was closed when we were there.

This isn’t really camping in my book but a nice family getaway. My first and only time in Nebraska so it’s hard to judge. As an overnight it was very nice just not a place I would visit ordinarily.

It was crazy hot and humid when we arrived.

Lastly, trailer pads are very nice and level.

Amazing how peaceful the campground is in the middle of the week (not including the trains). Started filling up on Thursday evening but very understandable. Lots of kids on bikes having fun. The lakes are great for fishing. The swim area is always a hit. Lots of wildlife around as well.

Nice place to stay, green, nice Lil beach however, the train tack is very close and shook our whole camper. 😳 and take note the play area on the water is closed Tuesdays.

The park gets really busy and humming in Spring and summer given its numerous campground areas and proximity to Omaha. The facilities (restroom, shelter and trash pick) are very well maintained. One side of the camp area loop rears to the Platte river and you may get good views of the sun setting on the river if not obstructed by the large trees. A set of primitive tent ground is on the river sands and sort of secluded. They have the best view. The park has numerous small lakes, so the campers on the other side of the loop have water-fronts too. Grocery and gas station are right across the road. This is a wonderful weekend camping spot.

This is a nice place to take your kids swimming the water is a little dirty though but it's great because you can access the lake and the river at the same time  the train goes right by here though so it's kind of loud

Louisville Lakes has a decent beach area. Not too many amenities but the bathrooms are clean. The tent sites are close together but usually are not full, RV sites ARE full often. Some tent sites are on the river side and I'd consider very pretty. I like Louisville Lakes atmosphere but it can get pretty busy depending on the summer weekend.

There is a lot of good thing s about this park. There are several lakes to choose from to fish, or nonpower boats. There is a swimming area, beach, and play inflatables for kids in the water. There are playgrounds for kids. Various restrooms in the park, and campsites are spaced fairly well apart. There also nature trails and some camping at river side of the Platte. There is a nice little concession store in the middle of the park, and you can rent kayaks, canoes, and various kinds of paddleboards. However the park is always crowded with people, and trains always seems to fly through town several times at night.

Pretty decent campground that’s suitable for extended stays.

There’s five or so lakes you can fish. One lake has swimming access. Canoe and paddle board rentals. Convenience store on site with firewood and propane tanks. There is an air compressor at the convenience store.

RV sites are electrical only but paved. Restrooms are somewhat clean. Showers are okay but the hot water is nice.

Dump station is clean. Don’t checkout on a Sunday if you don’t want to wait two hours to dump.

The roads and spots are tight, so as relatively new users to our travel trailer parking was tricky. Electric only at the sites, fire pits and picnic tables as usual. There are trees at most of the sites so shade is decent. The whole place really filled up Friday night. Like not one empty site in sight.

The lakes are nice, my 7 year old caught a 14” bass! The kids loved the swimming area.

The trails along the Platt are decent. They’re unmarked and a little rough, but our family (and dogs enjoyed them!) the primitive camping area must have flooded recently, because it was closed when we walked the trails there.

Overall the campground could have been cleaner, but was by no means uncomfortably dirty. Lots of bugs in the bathrooms etc. but it’s camping, so...

The trains are loud when they blow their horns, but maybe since we’re from the Chicago area it didn’t bother us.

There’s not a ton nearby. The closest Walmart is about 20 mins away. But there is a decent pizza place nearby.

**special note! You will need a permit for your vehicle to enter, a permit to fish, and a permit for each additional vehicle per day. On top of the reservation fee. We are out of state and stayed long enough to justify an annual pass. We only had the one car.

Stopped here for one night on a long trip. I was disappointed at first that the swim area was closed already in Mid-August but then I saw it and changed my mind. The areas around the campsites and for swimming were large ponds. I wouldn’t have let my kiddo in there if it was open. The pit toilets were absolutely disgusting, but I guess that is to be expected. Road noise was pretty intense at night. Overall I wouldn’t stop here again.

I’ve only been here much and didn’t do much exploring. The campsites were decently spaced. But, our site was right by a train track. There were trains going by all night long.

Train noise all night

Louisville State Recreation Area is a nice large camping area offering over 200 sites with Electricity. There are also primitive tenting areas as well. The sites are mostly shaded and are spacious with fire rings and picnic tables. There are 2 larger lakes and 3 smaller ones. The park offers a swim beach, playground, fishing, and lots of hiking trails. There are trails that lead right along the banks of the Platte River.

I would recommend reservations as it seems a popular place on the weekends. We stayed next to one of the larger lakes and if you enjoy wildlife, you will see plenty. I could sit and watch the pond wildlife all day long. Only downside to this campground is the abundance of trains passing through. There is a train tracks right across the lake and it can be quite noisy. Otherwise this is a wonderful campground.

We liked everything about this area but the train tracks! Be selective on where you pitch the tent. It can get loud.... River, ponds, swimming area, playground, near by hiking.

Very clean tent sights by the Platte River. Nearby train-tracks were a bit noisy though

Has a brand new water park fairly busy on weekend

Ok this place was my first camping spot so I may be partial! With that said- this is great for kids and busy!

There are several lakes for fishing and a beach for the kids! The water is clear and the beach is well kept! They currently have an over water bounce obstacle course! Worth it!!

Great snack shack with wonderful ice cream! There is also a pizza place that is locally owned across the street if you want to skip the work!

pros: great great community

cons: it is very crowded with not much space in between sites!

electric and water available

Campground Review

I stayed in this Louisville Rec area a few nights, moving around to three different areas of this HUGE campground are nestled in Nebraska. My plan was to spend a few days taking advantage of the many amenities and activity options this area appeared to have, and I since this is a popular destination option many are considering, I sought to provide a review of the grounds from the perspective of someone who is considering staying in the west, central, or east area of the grounds. This review is for the east area.

General Info on this overall campground

This is a state-funded park, so non-Nebraska plated cars have an additional fee. A HUGE campground with around 250 total sites, with options ranging from walk-in camping tent-only sites to RV areas. There is a 3 decent-size lakes spread evenly across the grounds. Near the central lake ("Lake 2") there is a small shop which has a market where basic kick knacks and firewood are available. This is also where you can rent boats like canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddleboards for hrs, half and daily rates. There is a trail in the woods running parallel to the North Platte River. The path is in a heavily wooded area, so no lakeside views, just a nice, quiet hike with the very occasional hummm of a mosquito. There is a swim area along the beach of Lake 2. There is canoe access at the far west side of the park. In summer, it was common to see people wading across the river as it was neither a fast moving current nor deep. This is a Rec area, so day use is also an option. There are numerous locations for picnics, including Grills, and for fishing in the lakes from some roof-covered docks. Coin-operated showers (takes quarters, change machines take $1 and $5 bills) and full-service, ADA-friendly bathrooms scatter the park as well. There is a play area in the center which has a basic jungle gym. Each site has at least a picnic table and a fire pit. All tent sites are park and walk. If you want to have your car next to your picnic table, you need a padded spot. Each area of the park has these options, as well as electrical, then RV. Most sites are reservable and there are some allocated for first come, first serve. Gates will close at 10pm so make sure your road trip stops before they do. Also, packing earplugs is a must, but it won't completely help you. There is a train that goes very near the grounds - the track basically borders the south side of the campgrounds - and it needs to use its horn while passing through, which happens A LOT.

Central location-specific Info

I personally this this area has the best spots on the grounds. I was loving campsite 11. I had a river-side view to a nice sunset and sat at my picnic table and watched fireworks go off on the other side of the river (4th of July long weekend). These sites are also furthest from the train, which isn't really helping all too much because it's loud anyway, but you're also away from all the noise of the main rec area and central market. Less kids in this area for that reason as well.

Ranger Review

As a Ranger for The Dyrt, I am sometimes given products to test and this time I am testing the FlatPak Toiletry Bottle and the NanoDry Shower Towel (large).

The NanoDry Shower Towel

I have other travel towels, but nothing this size that is this light, this packable, and this quick drying. It's a total keeper. Well, I actually forgot it at a different campground a few days later, but it's something I am happy to pay to replace. I would wake up, have a shower, lay out the towel on the picnic table, and 10 min later it was dry. Speaking of really cool, let me take a sec to talk about the carry case. It's this silicone thing that comes with a carabiner, so I can hook it outside my bag if it's still wet to keep it away from other stuff but also let it air dry a bit.

Overall Positives

• Towel has a loop near the middle to hang in shower stalls or hang dry
• Very absorbent fabric. 2.3x it's own weight in water, to be exact. I didn't think the large size (47 x 24 inches, 142 grams) was going to be enough material to dry me after a soak, but it was.
• NanoDry fabric dries soooo fast.
• Antimicrobial coating so there's no mildew build up
• Silicone case clips to anything and keeps it away from your other items in case it's not quite dry

Overall Negatives

• I forgot it at a campground a few days later

The FlatPak Toiletry Bottle

I decided to get a few of these guys to solve a few pain points. Usually 'travel size' anything is a little pricier compared to the 'economy size' option, so now I just leave bigger bottles of things like shampoo at home and fill up one of these. Secondly, it's a case that's crazy light so you're pretty much taking whatever liquids, gels, and pastes you use with you with as little added weight possible. It's a travel accessory, so it should be TSA approved, and it is.

Overall Positives

• Snap loop makes it easy to attach these to toiletry and day use bags for outdoor adventures, weekend trips, or a gym session.
• The screw top opening is easy to remove and wide enough to make it easy to fill
• There's a place to write a note about the contents of the bag so you don't wind up brushing your teeth with hand lotion.
• It's waterproof, so go ahead and use it in the shower

Overall Negatives

• Because of it's compact size and weight design, it's going to be near impossible to clean out completely after use, so get enough for each category of your liquids, gels, and pastes. Sure, one sunscreen vs another is totally reasonable when it comes time for a refill, so all I'm saying is get the 3 pack because you'll like these things and you'll want one for your toothpaste, another for sunscreen, one for shampoo, another for conditioner, maybe you use shower gel, and maybe everyone else you camp with is going to need them now too.
• I didn't buy enough
• Only comes in 1 color

Campground Review

I stayed in this Louisville Rec area a few nights, moving around to three different areas of this HUGE campground are nestled in Nebraska. My plan was to spend a few days taking advantage of the many amenities and activity options this area appeared to have, and I since this is a popular destination option many are considering, I sought to provide a review of the grounds from the perspective of someone who is considering staying in the west, central, or east area of the grounds. This review is for the west area.

General Info on this overall campground

This is a state-funded park, so non-Nebraska plated cars have an additional fee. A HUGE campground with around 250 total sites, with options ranging from walk-in camping tent-only sites to RV areas. There is a 3 decent-size lakes spread evenly across the grounds. Near the central lake ("Lake 2") there is a small shop which has a market where basic kick knacks and firewood are available. This is also where you can rent boats like canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddleboards for hrs, half and daily rates. There is a trail in the woods running parallel to the North Platte River. The path is in a heavily wooded area, so no lakeside views, just a nice, quiet hike with the very occasional hummm of a mosquito. There is a swim area along the beach of Lake 2. There is canoe access at the far west side of the park. In summer, it was common to see people wading across the river as it was neither a fast moving current nor deep. This is a Rec area, so day use is also an option. There are numerous locations for picnics, including Grills, and for fishing in the lakes from some roof-covered docks. Coin-operated showers (takes quarters, change machines take $1 and $5 bills) and full-service, ADA-friendly bathrooms scatter the park as well. There is a play area in the center which has a basic jungle gym. Each site has at least a picnic table and a fire pit. All tent sites are park and walk. If you want to have your car next to your picnic table, you need a padded spot. Each area of the park has these options, as well as electrical, then RV. Most sites are reservable and there are some allocated for first come, first serve. Gates will close at 10pm so make sure your road trip stops before they do. Also, packing earplugs is a must, but it won't completely help you. There is a train that goes very near the grounds - the track basically borders the south side of the campgrounds - and it needs to use its horn while passing through, which happens A LOT.

Central location-specific Info

The harsh part of being located here is if you are looking for any kind of spot that accommodates a flat plot, like sites 206 - 236, you are butted up against the train tracks and that train is LOUD! You will have no chance of a solid night's sleep since the train uses its horn very often. I was in campsite 11 another night, literally as far away from the tracks as possible and wore ear plugs and there was no avoiding it - I was waking up at 5am no matter what. This is the place you want to camp if you are tent camping. The reserve sites or tucked away from a lot of the more family-friendly activities, so you'll get some reprieve from that energy, plus can have some spots that are very close to the N Platte river's edge.

Ranger Review

I was given a pair of the Midland X-TALKER TV1P3 Walkie Talkies to test out from Midland. Since they come with a hands-free option with a compatible accessory, I also got a pair of the AVPH3 Surveillance headsets.

These came in handy (pardon the pun) when I was biking with a friend and skiing. By hooking in the headset to the side of the radio it allowed me to leave the radio in the bag, run a wire and clip a little mic with a talk on/off button to my jacket, then put a little earpiece in around my ear that was out of the way of my helmet. This also protected the radio from debris, as water is easy to collect on electronics when skiing and dust when biking.

• Watch the video review below

These radios aren't big, but they're packed with a lot of features. I personally love the weather scan capability. It locks into the NOAA weather broadcasts to deliver you a forecast. This is very useful while you are on a backpacking trip or in my case doing some kayaking because it helps me plan my routes and assess risk for my activities. They also charge through micro USB if you don't want to pack the included charging cradle (AC powered), so recharging them on the go is pretty simple since you already pack those cables and a portable USB power bank for other electronics.

The 28 mile range is a bit of a stretch (pardon the pun) but this is up to 28 miles. It worked fine for me over some densely forested lakes 2 miles away and even further over open water. I had these up at my cottage in Northern Ontario with me and I was able to get reception on these when I kayaked from one family friend's cottage from ours 8 miles away. It was getting crackly at that point but there is A LOT of interference over that distance so I was shocked they worked at all.

They have 22 channels and 38 privacy codes, so it's easy to create your own network and stay uninterrupted. I also got these working with another pair of radios I had, so they work with other brands. There are some other features, and the product support on their site is great. hey have a reference guide and a user manual to learn how to operate things like the quiet mode - if so inclined.

Overall Pros

• Weather Alert channel
• 28 mile range
• Clips included
• Clips included, help with Hands-Free option
• Long battery life
• 22 channels & 28 privacy codes. Can work with other radio brands.
• Silent operation

Overall Cons

• None really. It has so many features so to avoid getting lost in the technical stuff, I recommend downloading the product spec sheet to get the gist. It covers nearly everything. The real techies may want to check out the user manual.

This has the capability to be a great little state park, but and a huge one at that is at night the trains go by about every 17 minutes. The tracks run right get along the park.

You are right on the edge of the town of Louisville which is nice if you need something you forgot.

Theres trails, Accra to the platte rover. Swimming lake. Fishing spots. Geese.

We had no trouble getting a spot since we stayed mid week. There's over 200 modern camp sites. The East end shower facility was very clean​, as the host camper was cleaning it at 6 am. There is a new shower house that just opened near the shopette ($1 for 5 min), but the change machine was out of quarters. Train tracks near the campground aren't terrible but can be distracting at the beginning of the night.