About Samuel R. Mckelvie National Forest
Located south of Nenzel in Cherry County, this 116,000-acre national forest is a fantastic representation of the unique Nebraska Sandhills prairie ecosystem. Popular uses of the forest include hunting, fishing, horseback riding, camping and bird watching. There is one small campground located on the southwestern edge of the forest. [Steer Creek Campground](http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nebraska/recarea/?recid=10611) has 23 campsites, 8 horse corrals, potable water, and the 1-mile Blue Jay hiking trail. The [Niobrara River Canoe Launch](http://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/nebraska/recreation/recarea/?recid=10613) day use site on the Niobrara River for launching small water craft. Fishing is available in the nearby Merritt Reservoir. The Lord Lakes wetland complex has been recognized for its outstanding fishing.
- Managed by: Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands, FS
- Where: 19 mi southeast of Cody, NE · 42.719, -101.0248
Things to do:
Weather by month
Typical daily highs and lows (°F), 1991–2020 NOAA normals. Best months: May–Jun & Aug–Sep (comfortable days, mild nights, little rain). Nights below freezing: Nov–Mar.
Fly over it in 3D, check today's weather and fire news, plan the drive and print a trip plan.
Trails near camp
| Trail | Open to | From camp | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steer Creek Valley | ATV road | 0.3 mi | 22.0 mi |
| Steer Creek West | ATV road | 0.5 mi | 5.9 mi |
Straight-line distance from camp, from Forest Service, BLM, state and OpenStreetMap trail data.
Good to know
Verizon 4G · AT&T 4G · T-Mobile 4G
From the carriers' FCC coverage maps, which tend to be generous.The Milky Way casts shadows and the sky is crowded with stars.
Class 1 of 9, from NASA/NOAA night-light data.Camps nearby
- Steer Creek Campground 7 mi
- Merritt Trading Post 10.3 mi
- Campsite · 26 mi SW of Valentine 10.6 mi
- Campsite · 26 mi SW of Valentine 11.1 mi
- Fishberry Campground 27.9 mi
- Campsite · 12 mi E of Valentine 39 mi