calamus reservoir

susanbJ92PH

First of all, I am not an outdoorsy person, but I enjoy being with family. We ended up at Calamus Lake for a large family get together. There are many outhouses, but we never found running water in a restroom or a shower area. Even when I did tent camp as a child in Texas 45 years ago, every major water area had running water. My second concern was the swimming areas. We found a nice one, but a boat, a pontoon, and several jet skis were parked in the middle of the area. Buoys were easily visible that they went past. The kids had a great time and we kept watch for the boats. The boats, etc. really made it hard to keep track of the older kids as they were playing. Overall, this would be a very nice lake if boats were kept out of the swimming areas.

sjebuffetfan

I went to the campground on the west end of the lake south side for tent camping. I was the only one there and it was great. There is water and outhouse . Beautiful place to view the lake with pelichans, cranes and other wild life. Well kept and some big trees for shade. only $8 a day. It is my second time there. Love it. Beautiful view of the sand hills.

nicholass106

One of the greatest things about Calamus Lake is the sandy beaches. Be aware that in late spring, they lake can be fairly high still. So many lakes are nice to look at, but not very fun for kids or families. The entire lake has sandy beaches that you can take a short walk or hike to get too. If you go to some of the less known areas, you can have the entire beach area to yourself. The lake is spring fed by the Calamus River, so the water is very clear for Nebraska. The fishing here is very good too. Catfish, drum, crappie, white bass and much more can all be caught easily. I am not too proud to fish for carp, and their is an endless supply here. So fun for kids to catch. The upper portion of the lake is no wake for fishing, if you have a boat. There is a lot of boating activity, but hike to a more remote beach and you will be all alone. No much for hiking trails at all. That is about the only drawback. Burwell is a fun town and great people. I always recommend kayaking or tubing the Calamus River too.

Cmbart

Yes there are white sand beaches in Nebraska. Great campsite and the town has a great park and bar to catch some food when needing a break from cooking.

nebraskafisherman

Calamus lake offers excellant fishing almost anytime of the year. Species include walleye, white bass, crappie, perch, cat fish northern pike, muskie, wipers, trout, drum and carp. The lake is sand bottom with lots of structure. The upper five miles is no wake, this keeps the jet skis and power boats from rocking the boat. Unlike many Nebraska lakes Calamus always comes back to full pool even after the dryest years.As the lake draws down in the summer a beautiful sand beach forms all around the lake the water is relativly clear and is perfect for family fun. The lowwer five miles of the lake leaves plenty or space to boat and ski. And you can always find a spot to pull up on the beach.Unique terrain, beautiful sunsets and abundant wildlife make for great photos.

CSChalford

Beautiful area for the entire family, so much to do and everyone is so pleasant! The only thing I have any issue with is lack of signage that the state parks have posted...turn at the fish hatchery to get to the best parts of the water...could use a other sign stating what's available that way..

LaurieS754

The Calamus Reservoir is a great place to camp, boat, swim, fish and enjoy beautiful sunsets. A park sticker is required. The town of Burwell near the lake is a great little town with nice stores to provide all the basic needs. There are many nice places to eat in Burwell and the immediate area. The Calamus Outfitters is a great place to visit while in the area. Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park is a wonderful place to take a walk back in time. A charming area to visit! Very family friendly!

AlexanderDelarge

Lake Calamus has some of the best sandy beaches you will find in Nebraska. The lake is 10 miles long and 3 miles wide. There are trees located around the lake with plenty of sandy spots to pop up and umbrella and lounge. We went fishing via a boat and jet skiing on a weekend in July. The water was cool (spring fed) but we still were able to swim and have a great time. We caught plenty of white bass and had us a nice dinner. A very nice way to spend a few days. There are many people who travel 3-3.5 hrs from Omaha to enjoy Calamus. I highly recommend eating at the Pizza Palace followed by ice cream at the old fashioned soda fountain, The Hub.

JoeBagODonuts1

Our family recently purchased a pop-up camper and went with friends to the Calamus Reservoir for five days. I've lived in Nebraska my whole life and never been to this part of the state. It was a great experience. The lake is large and perfect for boats and jet skis. Water clarity was good for the most part. Storms in the area stirred up some algae one day, but it settled quickly. Since it's in the sandhills, a majority of the coastline was a beach. Most weren't very deep, but the sand quality was great, unlike a majority of the lake beaches in the southeastern portion of the state. The shower house was very clean for a campground, but cleaned from 8:30 to 9:30 every morning which seemed like an odd time to clean the bathrooms. The outhouses were clean, but very much smelled like outhouses. Just walking by let me know I didn't want to go in. The surprising thing is there weren't any bugs in the middle of July. We did get to see a couple of wild turkey and turtles and of course fish. All of which our kids loved. The trip was a total surprise and I could have stayed another four days easily. It was worth the four hour drive.

sasha11

Get off the beaten path - really off the beaten path! If you love wide open spaces and unspoiled natural scenery, a visit to the Calamus Reservoir and Burwell Nebraska are definitely a must. And if you use the Calamus Outfitters for your visit, you'll enjoy it even more.

COZYMELMIKE

If you have a boat , go to the south side of the lake, nice place to lay on beach, have a picnic. Lots of places close by for food or whatever you need.

PizzaPalaceInc

We took family out there and it was so peaceful, quiet, and enjoyed sitting on the sand while the children played in the water. The water was not cold, just perfect for the kids to play in.

ChadB121

This is the second trip my family has taken to Calamus. We love that the lake has a sandy bottom instead of dirt. It did seem a bit shallow this year...so be careful while boating. The water was fairly warm and smooth. It was pretty good for Nebraska..

MarilynR735

Great lake to fish, camp, swim, picnic, water ski or just soak up the scenery at.

GregT984

Loved the fishing and trip a great place for family fun