Liberty Falls State Recreation Site
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Spectacular waterfall on the Edgerton Highway — stunning cascading falls dropping through a narrow canyon of
Lake Louise State Recreation Area
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Remote 28-square-mile lake — largest lake in the Copper River Basin, excellent lake trout and burbot
Halibut Point State Recreation Site
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Coastal recreation site near Sitka — scenic oceanfront picnicking and tidepooling on Baranof Island with views
Finger Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Glacier-carved finger lake in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley — popular swimming and canoeing destination surrounded by boreal
Delta State Recreation Site
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Campground at the confluence of the Delta and Tanana Rivers — gateway to the Alaska Range
Deep Creek State Recreation Area
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Kenai Peninsula beach fishing — one of Alaska’s most popular shore-based king salmon fisheries where the
Decision Point State Marine Park
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Marine park in Prince William Sound — named by Captain Cook in 1778 when he had
Big Lake South State Recreation Site
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Big Lake south shore — boat launch and camping on Big Lake, the recreational heart of
Big Lake North State Recreation Area
🏆 Alaska Wilderness — Big Lake north shore — popular Matanuska-Susitna Valley lake recreation area with 3,000-acre Big Lake, one
Chena River State Recreation Site
🏆 River Access — Day-use recreation site on the Chena River — convenient access for fishing and paddling near Fairbanks
Chena River State Recreation Area
🏆 Fairbanks Playground — 397-square-mile recreation area along the Chena River — Interior Alaska’s largest state recreation area with hot
Worthington Glacier State Recreation Site
🏆 Drive-Up Glacier — One of Alaska’s most accessible glaciers — you can walk right up to the face of
Point Bridget State Park
🏆 Juneau Wilderness — 2,850-acre coastal park north of Juneau — meadows, old-growth forest, and whale-watching from shore along Lynn
Baranof Castle Hill State Historic Site
🏆 Alaska Transfer Site — The exact spot where Russia transferred Alaska to the United States on October 18, 1867
Alaska Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve
🏆 Eagle Capital — 48,000-acre preserve hosting the world’s largest concentration of bald eagles — up to 4,000 eagles gather
Cowboy Trail
🏆 At 195 miles, the Cowboy Trail is the longest rail-trail in Nebraska and one of the longest in the
Willow Creek State Recreation Area
🏆 700-acre reservoir in Pierce County — built on Willow Creek as a flood-control project, now a popular fishing and
Windmill State Recreation Area
🏆 Named for the iconic Great Plains windmill — the wind-powered water pump that made settlement of the treeless Plains
War Axe State Recreation Area
🏆 Named after a local creek — small recreation area near Norfolk, birthplace of Johnny Carson (the legendary Tonight Show
Walgren Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Small lake famous for its local legend — the “Walgren Lake Monster” (a Nessie-like creature reported since the 1920s!).
Wagon Train State Recreation Area
🏆 315-acre lake named for the wagon trains that crossed this prairie on the Oregon Trail. Popular bass fishing destination
Verdon Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Small lake in the far southeastern corner of Nebraska — Richardson County borders both Kansas and Missouri. Visitor Information
Union Pacific State Recreation Area
🏆 Named for the Union Pacific Railroad that made Nebraska a state — the transcontinental railroad (completed 1869) put Nebraska
Sutherland Reservoir State Recreation Area
🏆 3,020-acre reservoir on the Platte River — part of the massive North Platte hydroelectric system supplying power to central
Summit Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Lake recreation area in Burt County along the Missouri River bluffs — overlooking the wide Missouri floodplain. Visitor Information
Stagecoach State Recreation Area
🏆 195-acre lake near Hickman — named for the Overland Stage route that once crossed this area. One of the
Sandy Channel State Recreation Area
🏆 Sand pit lakes along the Platte River near Grand Island — Platte River Central Flyway zone where 500,000 Sandhill
Rockford Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 150-acre lake in southeastern Nebraska — good bass and crappie fishing near Beatrice (pronounced “bee-AT-riss” by locals!). Visitor Information
Rock Creek Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Small lake in Dundy County — the most southwestern county in Nebraska, bordering both Kansas and Colorado in the
Riverview Marina State Recreation Area
🏆 Marina facility on Lake McConaughy — providing boat access to Nebraska’s largest reservoir (“Big Mac”) and its 30,000 acres
Ravenna Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Small lake near Ravenna — named for Ravenna, Italy by founder who admired the Italian city’s beauty. Central Nebraska
Pioneer State Recreation Area
🏆 Named for the pioneers who crossed this region on the Oregon Trail — recreation area along the South Platte
Pibel Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Small Sandhills lake in Wheeler County — one of the least populated counties in Nebraska with fewer than 800
Oliver Reservoir State Recreation Area
🏆 Reservoir in the far western Nebraska Panhandle — Kimball County is the highest county in Nebraska at 4,700+ feet
Olive Creek State Recreation Area
🏆 Small recreation area southwest of Lincoln — 175-acre Olive Creek Lake offering bass and catfish fishing for Lincoln-area anglers.
Long Pine State Recreation Area
🏆 Named for the ponderosa pine forests along Long Pine Creek — cold-water trout stream at the junction of the
Keller Park State Recreation Area
🏆 Small park along the Niobrara River — Nebraska’s most scenic river, a National Scenic River featuring 200-foot canyon walls
Gallagher Canyon State Recreation Area
🏆 Canyon recreation area along the Middle Loup River — dramatic limestone bluffs and canyon terrain in central Nebraska. Visitor
Dead Timber State Recreation Area
🏆 Oxbow lake recreation area along the Platte River — dead timber snags in the oxbow create excellent fish habitat
Cheyenne State Recreation Area
🏆 Named for the Northern Cheyenne people — a recreation area in the Nebraska Panhandle near Sidney, once the most
Champion Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Small High Plains lake in Chase County — remote prairie fishing at 3,400 feet elevation in far southwestern Nebraska.
Bufflehead State Recreation Area
🏆 Named for the Bufflehead duck — small but beautiful diving duck common on Nebraska’s Central Flyway wetlands during spring
Bridgeport State Recreation Area
🏆 Small recreation area near Bridgeport — gateway to the Oregon Trail landmarks of Courthouse and Jail Rocks, some of
Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area
🏆 1,600-acre reservoir in the Pine Ridge country of northwestern Nebraska — surrounded by ponderosa pine forests and mixed-grass prairie
Bluestem State Recreation Area
🏆 Named for Big Bluestem grass — the “king of the prairie” that once dominated 170 million acres of tallgrass
Alexandria State Recreation Area
🏆 Small 60-acre lake in southeastern Nebraska — popular local fishing and picnic destination in the Little Blue River watershed.
Conestoga Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Covered Wagon Lake — 230-acre lake south of Lincoln — named for the Conestoga wagons that carried settlers westward
Pawnee Lake State Recreation Area
🏆 Lincoln’s Lake — 740-acre lake just 10 minutes from Lincoln — the state capital’s primary outdoor recreation destination Pawnee
Sherman Reservoir State Recreation Area
🏆 Central NE Gem — 2,845-acre reservoir in Sherman County — known for excellent crappie fishing and beautiful Sandhills-edge scenery
Red Willow Reservoir State Recreation Area
🏆 McCook’s Lake — 1,628-acre reservoir near McCook — gateway to the Republican River valley with excellent fishing and camping