BESSEY RECREATION COMPLEX Campground

List of Campsites

Overview

Bessey Recreation Complex and campground is located in central Nebraska, adjacent to Middle Loup River, offering visitors

opportunities to enjoy the scenery, relax, and recreate. 

Download the Recreation.gov app from your app store to pay online for first-come, first-serve sites. 

Recreation

Waterfront activities are popular and plentiful at this facility. Adjacent to the campground, Middle Loup River is shallow and steady flowing, providing good conditions for tubing and canoeing. A seven acre pond stocked with largemouth bass, blue gill, trout and catfish offers great fishing for the whole family. There is also an accessible fishing pier.

Facilities

Bessey Recreation Complex has camping sites able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs, including one group site and several tent-only sites.

The campground is equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings, flush toilets and drinking water. Electric hookups are available at the group site and several of the standard sites. A group picnic area is also available for use.

Restaurants, gas stations and a grocery store are available in Thedford, Nebraska, 16 miles to the west. Halsey also has a restaruant, and Dunning 10 miles east has a gas station with groceries. 

Natural Features

The Nebraska National Forest, Bessey Ranger District is located in western Nebraska.

The campground within the Bessey Recreation Complex is located next to the Charles E. Bessey Nursery, oldest tree nursery in the Forest Service.

Wildlife in the area abounds. Prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, mule-deer, whitetailed deer, pronghorn antelope, prairie dogs, turkeys, coyotes, bobwhite quail, eagles, hawks and falcons all find habitat in surrounding ecosystems.

Nearby Attractions

Drive or hike to the Scott Lookout Tower for a fantastic panoramic view of Nebraska's sand hills and prairies.

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Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest Facility

Located south of Nenzel in Cherry County, this 116,000-acre national forest is a fantastic representation of the unique Nebraska Sandhills prairie ecosystem. Popular uses of the forest include hunting, fishing, horseback riding, camping and bird watching. There is one small campground located on the southwestern edge of the forest. Steer Creek Campground has 23 campsites, 8 horse corrals, potable water, and the 1-mile Blue Jay hiking trail.

The Niobrara River Canoe Launch day use site on the Niobrara River for launching small water craft. Fishing is available in the nearby Merritt Reservoir. The Lord Lakes wetland complex has been recognized for its outstanding fishing.

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Oglala National Grasslands Facility

Located in the most northwestern corner of Nebraska, north of Crawford, you'll find the expansive landscape of the Oglala National Grasslands. This unique area consists of native mixed-grass prairie, with forested streambeds and steep, worn, formations created by water and wind erosion on layers of siltstone, and clay. 

Find your way to the Hudson-Meng Bone Bed site where you can take a tour and learn about the history of this area, walk through the unique features of the Toadstool Geologic Park, or just spend some quiet time in the wide open spaces of the 94,000 acres of mixed grass prairies.

The Oglala Grassland is the best place in Nebraska to view pronghorns and a popular place to view prairie dog colonies along the site’s northern border. 

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Wall, South Dakota Facility

East side of the Buffalo Gap National Grassland

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West Ash Trailhead Facility

The trailhead located on the east side of West Ash Road provides access to the Pine Ridge Trail heading east. There is a small parking area, but no services are available. Camping is available ¼ mile to the north at the West Ash Picnic area. 

Pine Ridge Trail is a non-motorized trail open to mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding. Hikers should carry water as water supplies are few and far between.  

Distances to the following areas include:

• East Ash Trailhead is 5.7 miles
• Roberts Campground & Trailhead is 15.8 miles
• Coffee Mill Trailhead is 20.3 miles

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Nebraska National Forest at Halsey Facility

There are two distinct areas of the Nebraska National Forest. One section is situated in the northwest panhandle south and west of Chadron, while the other is located near Halsey in central Nebraska. Both offer unique recreation opportunities in the wide open spaces of Nebraska.

The Halsey portion of the Nebraska National Forest is managed by the Bessey Ranger District. This unique area encompassed by the Nebraska Sandhills. The Sandhills region is one of the largest contiguous and least-disturbed prairies in all of the United States. The Sandhills are home to a large complement of wildlife: birds, bugs, reptiles, and mammals

Sites to visit include the Bessey Nursery, Scott Lookout Tower, the Middle Loup River, the Dismal River OHV Trail, campgrounds for horses and OHV users, the beautiful Bessey Recreation Area, and acres of wide open spaces.

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Nebraska National Forest at Chadron Facility

There are two distinct areas of the Nebraska National Forest. This area encompasses the west end of the Nebraska National Forest near Chadron and Crawford and is managed by the Pine Ridge Ranger District. The other distinct area within Nebraska National Forest is located near Halsey in central Nebraska. 

Special places within the Chadron area include Soldier Creek Wilderness and the Pine Ridge National Recreation Area as well as several developed recreation sites for camping, picnicking, or trailheads for access to miles of trails into the wide open spaces of the Nebraska National Forest.

Pine Ridge National Recreation Area is a 6,600-acre area is designed to provide a primitive/semi-primitive recreational opportunity in a natural environment and is managed for non-motorized recreation. Approximately 80 miles of marked trails make up the Pine Ridge Trail system. The easy-to-follow trails accommodate hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers. 

Soldier Creek Wilderness Area offers a well-developed trail system of 17 miles in and adjacent to the Wilderness which allows hikers and horseback riders a variety of trial loop choices.

Overnight camping in developed sites is on a first-come, first-served basis. Campfires are allowed unless restrictions are posted. Backcountry or primitive camping (no facilities) is allowed anywhere on the National Forest. Practicing Leave No Trace principles ensures that the next person to visit will have the same sense of discovery as those who came before.

 

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Outrider Trailhead Facility

Outrider Trailhead located north of Chadron State Park just off of Highway 385 provides access to Pine Ridge Trail system which is open non-motorized travel for mountain biking, hiking, and horseback riding.

The trailhead provides access to several areas, including:

• The Black Hills Overlook is 1.8 miles
• Forest Road 701 is 6 miles
• Chadron Creek Wildlife Area is 6.9 miles
• Deadhorse Road and trailhead is 10.1 miles

Outrider Trailhead includes dispersed camping, horse corrals and stock water. No other services are available including garbage, so please pack it in, and pack it out and practice Leave no Trace.

Stock water is usually available from May through October, but please call ahead to verify at (308) 432-0300.

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Spotted Tail Trailhead Facility

This trailhead area accesses both the Pine Ridge Trail and Spotted Tail Trail. The Pine Ridge Trail and the Spotted Tail Loop Trail are non-motorized, open to mountain biking, hiking and horseback riding. From this trailhead you can do the Spotted Tail Loop Trail (about 6 miles) which uses part of the Pine Ridge Trail in order to make the loop. This section of the Pine Ridge Trail provides access to several other trails, including motorized and non-motorized. This area was burned in the 2006 Spotted Tail fire. 

Distances to the following are:

• From Spotted Tail Trailhead to Chadron State Park, using the Pine Ridge Trail is 7.7 miles
• Spotted Tail Loop Trail is 6 miles

Dispersed camping is allowed off of Forest Road 711 near the trailhead. There is no garbage service, so please pack it in and pack it out and Leave No Trace.

For additional details and maps, please call the Pine Ridge Ranger District at (308) 432-0300.

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Buffalo Gap National Grassland Facility

This area is divided into two areas located in southern South Dakota.  One area is south and northeast of Hot Springs and the other is south and west of Wall.  There are few developed recreation sites, but plenty of space for all kinds of recreational opportunities.

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Travel on National Forest Land Facility

Travel on Nebraska National Forests & Grasslands: Including Bessey Ranger District near Halsey, McKelvie National Forest near Valentine, Pine Ridge Ranger District near Chadron, and Oglala National Grasslands near Crawford.

• All motorized travel is restricted to designated roads or trails
• Routes are officially designated “open” or “closed” for motorized travel
• Cross-country or off-road use is prohibited
• Only Exceptions are if designated open, or unless it is officially allowed by permit  

Motor Vehicle Use Map - Motor Vehicle Use Maps (MVUMs) are the primary tool to determine where you can drive on the forest! 

• MVUMs show routes, roads or trails as either open or closed
• MVUMs show allowed uses by vehicle class (i.e. highway-legal vehicles, vehicles less than 50 inches wide and motorcycles), seasonal allowances, distance allowances
• MVUMs provide information on other travel rules and regulations. 
• MVUMs are for legal designations to guide travel with various motorized vehicles.  They have no topographic features and are best used with a Forest Visitor Map or other detailed map. 
• MVUMs are black and white maps and free to the public from all District Offices, the Supervisors office, or online.  MVUMs may also be requested by calling or writing the Supervisor’s Office, 125 N. Main St, Chadron, NE 69337, (308) 432-0300

• The Public is responsible for using MVUMs to stay on designated routes for motor vehicle use.  
• Designated Routes identified on the MVUM for motorized use may not always be signed on the ground.
• Routes not shown on the MVUM are not open to public motor vehicle travel
• MVUMs are updated annually to assure optimal travel decisions.

• Motor vehicle use for big game retrieval and dispersed camping is allowed within 300 feet of most roads and trails that are designated open.

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Grouse Viewing Blinds - Bessey Facility

One or two viewing blinds are set up each spring at the Bessey Ranger District to watch the mating dances of prairie grouse. The blinds have small square viewing windows for observing and photographing birds as they are dancing and booming on their display grounds, also known as leks. 

View an amateur video taken from a blind - turn up the sound!

Both viewing blinds are first come, first served. Visitors should plan to enter the blind at least 45 minutes before sunrise to avoid disrupting the lek. Please be courteous to fellow viewers, if present.

Viewing tips:

• Dress warmly and bring a blanket. 
• Bring binoculars, a spotting scope or a camera with telephoto lens. A flashlight will help navigate the dark.

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Hudson-Meng Education & Research Center Tours Ticket Facility

Located on the beautiful Oglala National Grassland in northwestern Nebraska, the Hudson-Meng Education and Research Center houses one of the most important paleo-archeological discoveries in North America. Visitors can tour the bonebed enclosure and discover the mysterious past of the Bison antiquus (extinct bison) that died here.

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Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands Christmas Tree Permit Tree Permit

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