Campgrounds and RV parks near Howells, NE

Water-based recreation drives most trips in this area. Dead Timber State Recreation Area has a 50-acre oxbow lake with bluegill, crappie, largemouth bass, common carp, bullhead, freshwater drum, and channel and flathead catfish, plus non-powered boating and shoreline fishing. The Elkhorn River runs alongside the park for paddling. Around Columbus, the Loup Power canal system feeds Lake North and Lake Babcock, two 1,100-acre regulating reservoirs used for fishing and boating. Powerhouse Park offers canal fishing, a playground, picnic tables, and grills, with swimming not permitted. Off-road riders can bring dirt bikes, ATVs, and four-wheelers to Off Road Ranch, a 30-acre property with a 300-foot sand drag strip, motocross course, and snowmobile tracks. Blue Ox Factory and RV Park offers weekday tours of its tow-bar and hitch manufacturing plant.

The main RV season runs from late April through October. Loup Power District parks, including Powerhouse Park, are open to the public from May 1 to November 1, weather permitting. Blue Ox Factory and RV Park and Off Road Ranch operate year-round, and Dead Timber SRA is also open year-round, though winter services at the state park are limited. Summer brings the warmest weather and the busiest weekends, along with Nebraska's peak thunderstorm and tornado risk. June is the wettest month on average, and severe storms can move through quickly. Northeast Nebraska sits in a well-known severe-weather corridor, so a plan for tornado shelter matters at any open campground. Spring and fall are cooler and less crowded. Spring can be wet and stormy, while September and October usually bring drier, mild days and cool nights, good conditions for fishing and river paddling. Winter is cold with snow typically between November and April, and many amenities at state and utility parks are shut down or unheated during this period.

Facilities in this part of Nebraska tend to be simple. Dead Timber SRA has 17 electric campsites with 30-amp hookups, drinking water, primitive restrooms, no showers, and no dump and fill station. Access is via U.S. Highway 275, which was heavily damaged in the 2019 Elkhorn River floods and has since reopened. Loup Power District campgrounds provide electric and primitive sites but have no dump stations or direct water hookups, and swimming is not permitted at Powerhouse Park. Blue Ox Factory and RV Park offers 14 full-hookup sites with 50-amp service, big-rig-friendly access, internet, and pet-friendly grounds, with a handful of primitive sites also available. Expect flat to gently rolling terrain, agricultural surroundings, and small-town services for fuel, groceries, and supplies in Scribner, Columbus, Norfolk, and Pender.