Lake Ogallala State Recreation Area

Three from the Road #18 – 2010 trip¹

Lake Ogallala sits below Kingsley Dam on its east side in western Nebraska.  Located immediately downstream from Lake McConaughy on the North Platte River in Keith County, it was formed in the late 1930’s when the dredging of materials for the construction of Kingsley Dam resulted in a large borrow pit. Water supplied to Lake Ogallala is primarily from deep-water releases from Lake McConaughy resulting in cold water temperatures ideal for trout.²

Lake Ogallala, at 320 acres, is comparatively small, gentle and sedate. Its protected shoreline wards off winds that would send the big lake into torment. Lake Ogallala’s modern campground is a pay-for-use area, but has all the conveniences electricity, modern restrooms, hot showers and fire grates. Its camper pads are nestled among mature cottonwoods in a serene lakeside setting. On the west side, a more primitive atmosphere prevails at campsites without all the amenities.³

References:

• Lake Ogallala State Recreation Area
  • Nebraska Game and Parks
  • Camping – Reserve America, Nebraska State Parks

End Notes

1. Three from the Road is a series sharing images from places we’ve visited.  Initially, each post included thee images, related by a randomly selected location or topic. Posts now may be random choices or pre-planned sequences.  This post is in a series sequentially sharing images from our 2010 trip west.
2. Lake Ogallala Project Ready to Move Ahead; Environmental Update, Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, Summer 2009 (Accessed 10/15/2016)
3. Lake Ogallala SRA, NE – Reserve America, Nebraska State Parks