Summary
Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts looking for a variety of activities. Visitors can enjoy fishing, boating, camping, hiking, and wildlife viewing. The reservoir is home to a variety of fish species, including walleye, catfish, and crappie.
One of the main attractions of Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area is the beautiful scenery and wildlife. The area is home to a variety of bird species, including bald eagles, pelicans, and great blue herons. Visitors can also see bison, elk, and mule deer at the nearby Fort Robinson State Park.
Interesting facts about the area include that it is home to the largest cottonwood tree in Nebraska, which is over 60 feet tall and estimated to be over 200 years old. The reservoir was also used as a training site for pilots during World War II.
The best time of year to visit Box Butte Reservoir State Recreation Area depends on the activities visitors are interested in. Spring and fall are popular for fishing, while summer is a great time for boating and camping. The area also offers winter activities, such as ice fishing and snowmobiling, when weather conditions permit.
Weather Forecast
Park & Land Designation Reference
Large protected natural areas managed by the federal government to preserve significant landscapes, ecosystems, and cultural resources; recreation is allowed but conservation is the priority.
State Park
Public natural or recreational areas managed by a state government, typically smaller than national parks and focused on regional natural features, recreation, and education.
Local Park
Community-level parks managed by cities or counties, emphasizing recreation, playgrounds, sports, and green space close to populated areas.
Wilderness Area
The highest level of land protection in the U.S.; designated areas where nature is left essentially untouched, with no roads, structures, or motorized access permitted.
National Recreation Area
Areas set aside primarily for outdoor recreation (boating, hiking, fishing), often around reservoirs, rivers, or scenic landscapes; may allow more development.
National Conservation Area (BLM)
BLM-managed areas with special ecological, cultural, or scientific value; more protection than typical BLM land but less strict than Wilderness Areas.
State Forest
State-managed forests focused on habitat, watershed, recreation, and sustainable timber harvest.
National Forest
Federally managed lands focused on multiple use—recreation, wildlife habitat, watershed protection, and resource extraction (like timber)—unlike the stricter protections of national parks.
Wilderness
A protected area set aside to conserve specific resources—such as wildlife, habitats, or scientific features—with regulations varying widely depending on the managing agency and purpose.
Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Land
Vast federal lands managed for mixed use—recreation, grazing, mining, conservation—with fewer restrictions than national parks or forests.
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