3.9624 reviewsPrice
$15/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
23 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$15/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
23 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
No Service
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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40637 River Loop Halsey, NE 69142
Birders, horse campers (8-stall corral on-site), and anyone deliberately going off-grid for a few nights. The ponderosa canopy keeps summer afternoons cool, dark skies make stargazing excellent, and at $15 with no reservations needed, it's easy to just show up.
No potable water on-site means hauling your own from Cody or Valentine. Add overgrown trails, unmowed grass, and zero hookups, and anyone expecting maintained facilities will be frustrated before they unpack.
Reference information about Steer Creek Campground sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>Tucked in the shade of ponderosa pines planted in the early 1900's, this 23-unit campground is located in the southeast corner of the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest. A hand water pump, picnic tables, fire rings, and modern vault toilets make this an attractive base from which to explore the Sandhills. The Blue Jay Trail, a one-mile nature loop, starts and ends at the campground. </p><p>For horseback riders, a corral with 8 stalls is available, with a manure bunk nearby. We ask that horses not be in individual campsites unless being saddled. </p>
The elevation is 3,180 ft. The campground is situated in a man-made forest of pines. It is surrounded by Nebraska's sand hills and has got to be the state's best kept secret. Except for the singing of birds, occasional bellowing of cattle and gentle breezes whistling through the pines, the campground is serene and soooo peaceful. Care of the campground is obviously a labor of love even to the point of providing free firewood. Although dry camping, the campground is suited for either the tenter or RVr.
Services provided Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day
The water spigot is hand pump.
Campground is ideal for any size RV. The parking aprons are pea gravel and asphalt, flat and level. There is a public RV waste station at the city park located in Cody, NE.
In Cody, NE, take US Rt. 20 east 7.1 miles to Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest sign in Nenzel, NE (State Rt. 16F Spur). Turn right onto Rt. 16F and go 18.4 miles to campground sign. Turn right at sign into campground. NOTE: There is no gas or groceries in Nenzel.
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Summer delivers the most reliable conditions, with daytime highs in the mid-70s to mid-80s°F and nights in the 50s to 60s. The ponderosa canopy provides welcome shade during warm afternoons, and dry trails make hiking accessible. Dark Sandhills skies offer excellent stargazing. Expect moderate use on holiday weekends but otherwise quiet. Spring brings characteristic Sandhills winds, while winter sees freezing temperatures and snow that transforms the pines into a hushed landscape for hardy visitors.
Most reliable conditions; services provided Memorial Day–Labor Day; shade from pines.
Steer Creek Campground is a 23-unit facility nestled within the ponderosa pines of the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest. It offers a rustic camping experience with limited amenities. The campground features picnic tables, fire rings, a hand water pump, and modern vault toilets. A corral with 8 stalls is also available for horseback riders and there is a nearby manure bunk. Potable water is explicitly not available on-site, requiring campers to bring their own or collect from the hand water pump. While the campground is suited for RVs, there are no electricity, water, or sewer hookups. There is no dump station, public phone, or Wi-Fi available. User reviews emphasize the peaceful and remote atmosphere, with some campers praising the "serene and secluded" environment and the "fresh water hand pump" as a "nice added touch." However, others note the lack of maintenance on trails and overall long grass and tree limb overgrowth.
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