Bluestem State Recreation Area
🏆🏆🏆🏆 Named for Big Bluestem grass — the “king of the prairie” that once dominated 170 million acres of tallgrass prairie across the Great Plains. This 742-acre SRA offers excellent bass fishing near Lincoln.
Visitor Information
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Location | Lancaster County, NE |
| Entry Fee | NE Park Permit Required |
| Size | 742 acres |
About Bluestem
Bluestem State Recreation Area near Sprague features a 325-acre lake in the Salt Creek watershed — an important water recreation area for the Lincoln metropolitan area. The park is named for the big bluestem grass that once dominated Nebraska’s tallgrass prairie — growing up to 10 feet tall before settlement converted most of it to farmland.
Things to Do
Fishing for walleye, bass, and catfish, boating (no-wake), camping (40 sites), swimming, picnicking, and birdwatching. A convenient recreation escape near Lincoln.
About Bluestem
Bluestem State Recreation Area in Lancaster County — just 25 miles from Lincoln — provides urban-accessible lake recreation on a 325-acre reservoir. Named for big bluestem grass (the dominant tallgrass prairie species that once covered eastern Nebraska in stands up to 8 feet tall), the area preserves native grassland remnants around the lake. Less than 2% of Nebraska’s original tallgrass prairie survives.
Things to Do
Fishing for walleye, wipers (white bass × striped bass hybrid), and largemouth bass, boating (no-wake), swimming, camping (27 pads), hiking through prairie remnants, and cross-country skiing in winter. Lincoln’s closest state lake.
Insider Tips
Prairie paradise: Bluestem is named for big bluestem grass — the dominant grass of the tallgrass prairie that once covered eastern Nebraska. Pro tip: Big bluestem can grow 8 feet tall by September — standing in it feels like being lost in a grass ocean. Prairie restoration: Nebraska is working to restore patches of the original prairie ecosystem — 99% of the tallgrass prairie has been converted to farmland.
Best Time to Visit
Late summer: Tallgrass at its peak height and wildflower bloom. Fall: Prairie turns golden-bronze. Spring: Green-up and nesting birds. Winter: Ice fishing on the lake.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to the tallgrass prairie?
The tallgrass prairie once covered 170 million acres across the central US. Today, less than 4% remains — making it the most endangered ecosystem in North America. Nebraska’s remaining prairie fragments are some of the most ecologically valuable lands in the Great Plains.
Park Location
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