4.7218 reviewsPrice
Varies
Booking
Reservable
Sites
Varies
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
No Pets
Price
Varies
Booking
Reservable
Sites
Varies
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
No Pets
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Learn more about alerts →Special Use Campground
36.5767, -93.8141
We'll monitor this campground and alert you the moment sites become available.
Free to start · paid plans add 2-min scans
256,000+ sites monitored · Email alerts to start; SMS and in-app with an account
Learn more about alerts →Scout leaders and youth group organizers will find this fits their needs well: reviewers confirm groups of 45+ camp here comfortably, staff step in during emergencies (one group sheltered in the conference center during a tornado), and the river delivers real fishing and swimming
Families and solo campers can't book this at all since it's reserved for organized groups. And even qualifying groups should know that interpersonal friction between campers shows up in the review record more than at similar parks, so tight group dynamics matter more here than mo
Camper Report Card
Rated higher than 49% of graded campgrounds
Graded on what 112 campers actually wrote - graded on 14 things that make or break a trip. Each topic is graded against every other campground on it - A is among the best, C about average. No star ratings.
Strengths
Watch-outs
Each topic is graded against every other campground on it; a topic campers liked never grades below C−. ± shows the 95% confidence range from the sample size.
Context for the broader area surrounding Special Use Campground, sourced from the federal Recreation.gov rec-area record.
<A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Facility.jsp?fac_Name=Virginia+Smith+Dam">Virginia Smith Dam</a> (formerly called Calamus Dam) and Calamus Reservoir, <A HREF="http://www.usbr.gov/projects/Project.jsp?proj_Name=North Loup Division Project">North Loup Division, P-SMBP</a>, are on the Calamus River in Nebraska. Recreation at the site is managed for the Bureau of Reclamation by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Reservoir open 24 hours. Good access roads. Fishing season is year round. Available species include walleye, wiper, white bass, northern pike, largemouth bass, rainbow trout, and crappie. Irrigation supply reservoir experiencing moderate fluctuations. The reservoir has 5,142 water surface acres, 6404 land acres and 31 miles of shoreline. <a href="http://www.usbr.gov/gp-bin/arcweb_cane.pl">Current reservoir level.</a>
Site is 5 miles northwest of Burwell. Nearest highway is Nebraska 91.
Special Use Campground appears in our curated guides. Explore more top-rated campgrounds for the same activities and regions.
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Spring brings the most comfortable weather and the valley at its liveliest. Daytime highs run mid-50s to mid-70s°F (March 50-65°F, April 60-75°F, May 65-80°F). Trout fishing peaks, wildflowers bloom on the slopes, and creeks run clear after spring rains. Crowds are moderate compared to summer. Summer is the busiest season. The cold river draws swimmers and waders, and trout fishing dates pack the park. Expect full campgrounds and heavy traffic near the hatchery. Fall offers milder temperatures and colorful foliage with fewer visitors, good for hiking and fishing. Winter is quietest but cold, with some services limited.
Overview: 'Spring brings the most comfortable weather' and trout fishing/wildflowers peak.
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