Parks around Scottsbluff

Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has served as a landmark for peoples from Native Americans to emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails to modern travelers. Rich with geological and paleontological history as well as human history, there is much to discover while exploring the 3,000 acres of Scotts Bluff National Monument.

Winters Creek Lake is a feature of the North Platte Project. Most of the lake lies within the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge. The Northeast side features an undisturbed bird sanctuary. The lake has a surface area of 379 acres and approximately 4 miles of shoreline. Available species include bluegill, channel catfish, largemouth bass, walleye (15 inch minimum), and yellow perch. Walleye are ...

The North Platte Project extends 111 miles along the river valley from Guernsey, Wyoming to below Bridgeport, Nebraska. The city of Scottsbluff is near the center of the development. Lake Alice reservoir is formed by two Lake Alice Dams; the upper dam Lake Alice #1 at the west end of Lake Alice and the lower dam Lake Alice #2 at the east end.Lake Alice, with a surface area of 752 acres and nearl...

North Platte National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located 8 miles northeast of Scottsbluff in the Nebraska panhandle. Superimposed over Bureau of Reclamation irrigation projects, the four Refuge units consist of Winters Creek, Lake Alice, portions of Lake Minatare, and Stateline Island (located south of Henry, Nebraska).

Lake Winters Creek is one of the four Inland Lakes in Nebraska. It is located immediately northwest of Lake Minatare. It has surface area of 379 acres and approximately 4 miles of shoreline. It is located almost entirely within the North Platte Wildlife Refuge, and the northeast side of the lake features an undisturbed bird sanctuary. Like Lake Alice and Lake Minatare, recreation at the lake i...

Lake Minatare is a feature of the North Platte Project. Managed as a State recreation area by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lake Minatare, with a surface area of 2,158 acres and about 12 miles of shoreline is a part of the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge. Available species include channel catfish, crappie, small mouth bass, white bass, walleye (15 inch minimum), wipers, and yello...

Chimney Rock has become one of the most famous landmarks in the American West. This unique formation--the most noted on the Oregon Trail--has come to symbolize the greatest voluntary migration in the history of mankind. The site is adminstered by the Nebraska State Historical Society which operates the Ethel and Christopher J. Abbot Visitor Center at the Chimney Rock National Historic Site. The Vi...

During the 1890s, scientists rediscovered what the Lakota Sioux already knew—bones preserved in one of the world's most significant Miocene Epoch mammal sites. Yet, this place called "Agate" is a landscape that reflects many influences—from early animals roaming the valleys and hills, to tribal nations calling the High Plains home, to explorers passing through or settling in the American West...

Box Butte Dam and reservoir are features of the Mirage Flats Project. Recreation is managed for the Bureau of Reclamation by the Nebraska Game and Parks. Water is stored in Box Butte Reservoir, Mirage Flats Project, on the Niobrara River about 10 miles north of Hemingford, Nebraska. The reservoir lies in the arid western Niobrara River Valley in the northwestern section of the Nebraska Panhandle...

Originally established as a private fur trading fort in 1834, Fort Laramie evolved into the largest and best known military post on the Northern Plains, before its abandonment in 1890. This "grand old post" witnessed the entire sweeping saga of America's western expansion and Indian resistance to encroachment on their territories.

The Soldier Creek Wilderness now contains a total of 7,794 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Nebraska. In 1986 the Soldier Creek Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an age of...

Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located approximately 28 miles north of Oshkosh, Nebraska. The Refuge was established in 1931 to help conserve waterfowl populations. It is located at the eastern edge of the Nebraska panhandle in Garden County, on the southwestern edge of the 19,000 square mile Nebraska sandhills. The sandhills are characterized by continuous grass and forb-cov...

One hundred and eighty miles below Alcova Dam and 25 miles below Glendo Dam, the Guernsey Dam, North Platte Project, controls the river flow of the North Platte. Water released from Pathfinder Reservoir can be stored and released to fit varying irrigation demands. Water is released through the Guernsey Powerplant. The dam is in a rocky canyon 2 miles northwest of the town of Guernsey, in Platt...

Within sight of 10,272 foot Laramie Peak, Glendo Reservoir serves as an important resting and feeding place for numerous wetlands birds. It is also very attractive to migrant and nesting passerine species as they follow the North Platte River during migration. Glendo Dam and reservoir are features of the Pick Sloan Missouri Basin Project - Glendo Unit. Recreation is managed for the Bureau of Recl...

Recreation at East Canyon Dam and reservoir, a feature of the Weber Basin Project, is managed by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation under agreement with the Bureau of Reclamation. The reservoir has a surface area of 680 acres and is situated in an open setting 12 miles south of Morgan. THe elevation is about 5,700 feet elevation. Managed recreation season all year with high use occurring ...

The Angostura Dam and Reservoir are located at the southeast edge of the Black Hills on the Cheyenne River in southwestern South Dakota near the Nebraska border. The reservoir has approximately 4,407 water surface acres, 4,546 land acres and 42 miles of shoreline. Recreation on this reservoir is managed by the SD Department of Game, Fish and Parks for the Bureau of Reclamation and includes campg...

Cottonwood Springs Dam, SD was constructed to reduce flood damages in the Fall River Basin. Located just 5 miles west of Hot Springs on U.S. Highway 18 and nestled in the rugged hills and evergreen trees of the southern Black Hills, Cottonwood Springs Lake is the place to go for nature lovers. This recreation area offers primitive camping only (no hookups), hiking, fishing (only electric motors),...

Cold Brook Dam, SD was constructed to reduce flood damages in the Fall River Basin. Located less than 1 mile from the town of Hot Springs, SD, Cold Brook Lake offers an excellent variety of recreational activities year-round including canoeing, fishing, swimming, wildlife viewing, and camping. Winter activities include ice fishing, skating, and cross-country skiing.

Bamforth National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located in the southern part of Albany County, Wyoming. The Refuge consists of 1,116 acres on three parcels of land that are interspersed with private and State land. Bamforth Lake, located at the bottom of a basin, is mostly state owned; approximately 100 acres of the total 550-acre lake bottom are owned by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The Refuge ...

Hutton Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) is located in southeastern Wyoming in the southern part of the Laramie Plains. It is a montane, park-like area surrounded by mountains. The Refuge, at an elevation of 7,150 feet, includes 1,968 acres with five natural lakes (Hutton, Creighton, George, Rush, and Hoge). The Refuge offers a variety of wildlife observation and photography opportunities...

Swaying prairie grasses, forested hillsides, and an array of wildlife such as bison, elk, and prairie dogs welcome visitors to one of our country's oldest national parks and one of its few remaining intact prairies. Secreted beneath is one of the world's longest caves, Wind Cave. Named for barometric winds at its entrance, this complex labyrinth of passages contains a unique formation – boxwork.

Horsetooth Reservoir, Colorado-Big Thompson Project, furnishes the main water supply for the Poudre Valley. The reservoir is 6.5 miles long, and is formed by four large earthfill dams. Developments include 4 campgrounds, 111 campsites, and 7 boat-launch ramps. A concession-operated public marina is located at the Inlet Bay area. Concession operated restaurant (Cordova's Horsetooth Lighthouse, 97...

Mortenson Lake National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) supports the last known breeding population of the endangered Wyoming toad. The Refuge encompasses 1,776 acres and is located southwest of Laramie, Wyoming. The four main lakes on the Refuge are associated with a series of high elevation lakes called the "Laramie plains lakes." The Refuge is administered out of Arapaho NWR in Walden, CO. It is closed ...

The Cache La Poudre Wilderness now contains a total of 9,258 acres and is managed by the Forest Service. All of the Wilderness is in the state of Colorado. In 1980 the Cache La Poudre Wilderness became part of the now over 109 million acre National Wilderness Preservation System. In wilderness, you can enjoy challenging recreational activities and extraordinary opportunities for solitude. In an ag...

Immerse yourself within the third longest cave in the world. With over 173 miles of mapped and surveyed passages, this underground wilderness appeals to human curiosity. Its splendor is revealed through fragile formations and glimpses of brilliant color. Its maze of passages lure explorers, and its scientific wealth remains a mystery. This resource is truly a jewel in the National Park Service.