Fort Kearny State Recreation Area

Fort Kearny State Recreation Area offers 186 acres dotted with sandpit lakes. In the spring, the world’s largest concentration of sandhill cranes and waterfowl gathers in the central Platte River valley. Facilities include electrical and primitive camp pads, showers, dump station, modern restrooms, water, picnic tables, grills, shelters, wheelchair-accessible fishing pier, nature trail, non-power boating and hike-bike trail.

Attractions

Fishing
Fort Kearny State Recreation Area has seven pit lakes that total 21 acres of water. Anglers will find bluegill, channel catfish, crappie and largemouth bass, among other species. Rainbow trout is stocked seasonally in Lake 6. Lake 2 is catch-and-release for all catfish species, and there’s a 21-inch minimum length limit for black bass. Wheelchair-accessible decks are located on lakes 6 and 7.

Boating
Only no-wake boating is permitted at Fort Kearny State Recreation Area. There are no boat ramps or docks.

Swimming
Lake 7 offers a designated swimming area with a beach. No lifeguards are on duty. A modern restroom and picnic shelter are located near the beach. The beach is open from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.

Hike-bike trail
The unique Fort Kearny Hike-Bike Trail begins at the park and extends 1.8 miles to Bassway Strip Wildlife Management Area, crossing both channels of the Platte River and was once a segment of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad. Flora and fauna of the Platte Valley can be enjoyed from this trail or from another that follows the old 1864 river channel. In winter, both trails are popular with cross-country skiers. The bridges that cross the Platte River make an excellent place to view the Sandhill Cranes during spring the spring migration at dawn and dusk. A trail map is available at the Fort Kearny State Historical Park visitor center.

Picnicking
Day-use facilities are open year-round and include picnic tables, shelters, grills, drinking water and playground equipment.

Camping

Modern camping
Fort Kearny is a year-round recreation area that provides modern camping. There are showers and modern restrooms, plus a trailer dump station. Stately cottonwood trees, some over 100 years old, shade much of the camping area.

Fort Kearny SRA offers 94 camping pads with electrical hookups. 28 of these are 50-30-20 amp and 66 are 30-20 amp. Of the 94 electrical sites 38 of them can be reserved up to a year in advance. Additionally, 26 camping pads are available without electricity.