- Boating
- Canoeing/kayaking
- Camping
- Fishing
State Recreation Area
42285 York Point Rd. | Burwell, NE 68823-9803
Due to planned road construction in 2024, reservations are not available for Calamus SRA at this time. Campsites will be first-come, first-served in spring and summer 2024. Updates, including confirmed construction dates and/or changes to available reservations, will be released via our News section as they become available.
Located in Nebraska’s beautiful sandhills, Calamus State Recreation Area is among the most popular places for camping, fishing, boating, picnicking and hiking in the state. Features of the area include a 5,123-acre lake and surrounding 4,958 acres of gently rolling land, covered with native grasses and forbs. Some 1.2 miles of the Calamus River and 3.5 miles of other streams meander through the area.
Kids play on the beach at Calamus Reservoir State Recreation Area. Eric Fowler, Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
An angler fishes for white bass on Calamus Reservoir. Eric Fowler, Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Kids launch pumpkins from the boat dock during the 32nd annual Pumpkin Carving Festival in the Homestead Knolls area at Calamus Reservoir State Recreation Area. Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
A family fishes at sunset at Calamus State Recreation Area. Jon Farrar, Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
A boy feeds rainbow trout in a raceway at the Calamus Fish Hatchery located below Calamus Reservoir. Eric Fowler, Nebraskaland Magazine/Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
One of Nebraska’s five fish hatcheries is located at Calamus State Recreation Area. Located below the dam, the hatchery has self-guided tours and displays on raising fish and other topics, making it an interesting and unexpected stop for many lake visitors.
All types of boats are permitted at the lake, which offers four docks and five ramps. Calamus State Recreation Area also offers access to the Calamus River.
Primary sport fish at Calamus State Recreation Area are walleye, white bass, wipers (white/striped bass hybrid), channel catfish, carp, drum, muskie, northern pike and crappie. In addition, catchable rainbow trout are stocked regularly in adjoining Gracie Creek Pond. In spring and early summer, walleye are tops on most anglers’ lists. As summer progresses white bass, wipers and catfish show up. Two fish-cleaning stations are on site.
The fresh air and cool evenings of the Sandhills make Calamus a great spot for picnicking and grilling out. The area offers 204 picnic tables, 216 grills and one shelter.
Swimming is permitted at Calamus Reservoir, however, no lifeguards are on duty, and swimming is at your own risk. Swimming is not allowed within 50 yards of boat ramps and docks.
Calamus offers seasonal naturalist programs, birding events and a pumpkin carving event each autumn.
Dining, snacks, groceries, boat rental, bait and other sundries are available at the following concession areas (call for details, exact location and hours):
Dining, lodging, fuel and groceries are available in nearby Burwell, which is also home to Nebraska’s oldest rodeo, held annually in July.
Calamus Outfitters offers tubing, canoeing/kayaking and tanking trips down the Calamus River. They also offer guided bird watching and hunting.
Calamus SRA offers Electric Plus and Basic camping spread over three campgrounds. Shower houses are available at Homestead Knolls, Nunda Shoal and Valley View Flat campgrounds. All three areas offer mature shade trees, water and modern restrooms and each area is within walking distance of the lake. A dump and fill station is available at Little York Point. Additionally, camping is permitted in the parking lots of the Valley View Flat and Hannaman Bayou campgrounds in designated spots.
Hannaman Bayou and Valley View Flat campgrounds offer Basic non-pad campsites with access to water, restrooms and shower houses. There is a group campground that accommodates up to eight tents in the Valley View Flat Campground. Reservations are available for this area. Beach camping is not permitted at Calamus SRA.
Camping reservations are available for half of the electrical campsites up to a year in advance. All other camping is all first-come, first-served; campers must register their nightly camping fees in a raised, locked box called an Iron Ranger. Self-service envelopes are provided at each station and accept cash or checks only.
Little York Point – This day-use area is where the park office and dump station are located. The point is named for the large number of early settlers who had their roots in England and many of whom emigrated from Yorkshire.
Valley View Flat – Situated on the now extinct town site of Valleyview, this small area has a boat ramp, basic and electric plus camping, and showers. The town site was founded in the early 1900s on the railroad grade of the never to be completed Lincoln & Black Hills Railroad. The grade was constructed in the late 1880s. A historical marker details the town’s history.
Homestead Knolls – Named to honor the hardy settlers who pioneered agriculture in the Calamus Valley, this area on the lake’s north shore is the most highly developed recreation site on the reservoir. It offers electric plus camping, 2 boat launching docks, fish cleaning station, and day use picnic areas.
Hannaman Bayou – The name comes from the two tombstones that marked the graves of a family named Hannaman dated 1886 and 1888. This area offers basic camping, restroom, and a kayak/canoe launch that works best when the lake is at full pool.
Buckshot Bay – This area is named for Conrad Wentworth “Little Buckshot”, famed scout and hunter at nearby Fort Hartsuff. This area offers the most protected boat ramp on the lake in the form of a large rock jetty to make launching easier on windy days. There is no camping in this area.
Nunda Shoal – Situated midway along the lake’s south shore, Nunda Shoal derives its name from a settlement platted across the lake. Speculators hoped Nunda would become a railroad town served by the Lincoln & Black Hills Railroad, which failed before any track was even laid. At its height, Nunda boasted a post office, telephone exchange, and school. Facilities at this area include a fish cleaning station, boat ramp, electric plus camping, and a shower facility.
Virginia Smith Dam – Located on the Calamus River near Burwell, the dam was completed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in May 1986. It is a zoned, rolled-earth filled structure 96 feet high with a crest length of 7,295 feet. It was built for off-season storage of water flows for release during the irrigation season. The reservoir has 31 miles of shoreline and 119,469 acre feet of storage. Operation of the dam and water releases are the responsibility of the Twin Loups Irrigation District. The reservoir irrigates about 53,000 acres of farmland.
Picnic shelters at Calamus State Recreation Area are available to rent.
Park Pricing
A park entry permit is required to visit state parks and may be purchased at the park, statewide Game and Parks offices and permit vendors, or in advance of your arrival online. View those fees, as well as attraction and amenity pricing.
Reservations
Reservations are accepted for cabins, lodge rooms, and group lodges up to one year in advance of the arrival date. Reservations for camping are accepted up to 180 days in advance of arrival date. The Reservation Call Center hours are Monday-Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. (CT) and closed on holidays.
Park Events
Our 76 gorgeous state park and recreations areas host a plethora of events throughout the year. From bird hikes to kayak races, Living History events to family outdoor days, our parks host something fun for every outdoor enthusiast.
