USDA Forest Service · Nebraska
Bessey Recreation Complex
USDA Forest Service · Nebraska, United States
- Sites
- 51
- Hookups
- 30 electric, 4 with water, 18 no hookups
- Season
- April 1 to October 31
- Max RV length
- 50 ft
- Group sites
- Yes
- Drinking water
- Yes
- Restrooms
- Yes
- Showers
- Yes
- Dump station
- Yes
- Pets
- Yes
- Elevation
- 2,710 ft
- Dark sky
- Bortle class 1
- Cell coverage
- AT&T weak · T-Mobile good · Verizon good (carriers' 4G LTE filings to the FCC, 2025-12; not measured here)
- Access road
- DWELLING (NFSR 266) · asphalt · moderate degree of user comfort
- Lake
- Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands
- Nearest town
- HALSEY
- Address
- PO BOX 39, HALSEY, NE, 69142
- Phone
- (308) 533-2257 (NO RESERVATION INFO AVAILABLE AT THIS NUMBER)
- Activities
- Camping, Fishing, Hiking, Historic Sites, Ranger Station, Tubing, Wildlife Viewing
48 numbered sites are mapped one by one - open the site map to pick yours.
About
Overview
Bessey Recreation Complex and campground is located in central Nebraska, adjacent to Middle Loup River, offering visitors
opportunities to enjoy the scenery, relax, and recreate.
Download the Recreation.gov app from your app store to pay online for first-come, first-serve sites.
Recreation
Waterfront activities are popular and plentiful at this facility. Adjacent to the campground, Middle Loup River is shallow and steady flowing, providing good conditions for tubing and canoeing. A seven acre pond stocked with largemouth bass, blue gill, trout and catfish offers great fishing for the whole family. There is also an accessible fishing pier.
Facilities
Bessey Recreation Complex has camping sites able to accommodate tents, trailers, and RVs, including one group site and several tent-only sites.
The campground is equipped with picnic tables, campfire rings, seasonal flush toilets and drinking water. Electric hookups are available at the group site and several of the standard sites. A group picnic area is also available for use.
Restaurants, gas stations and a grocery store are available in Thedford, Nebraska, 16 miles to the west. Halsey also has a restaruant, and Dunning 10 miles east has a gas station with groceries.
Natural Features
The Nebraska National Forest, Bessey Ranger District is located in western Nebraska.
The campground within the Bessey Recreation Complex is located next to the Charles E. Bessey Nursery, oldest tree nursery in the Forest Service.
Wildlife in the area abounds. Prairie chicken, sharp-tailed grouse, mule-deer, whitetailed deer, pronghorn antelope, prairie dogs, turkeys, coyotes, bobwhite quail, eagles, hawks and falcons all find habitat in surrounding ecosystems.
Nearby Attractions
Drive or hike to the Scott Lookout Tower for a fantastic panoramic view of Nebraska's sand hills and prairies.
Weather, month by month
| Month | Typical high | Typical low | Coldest night | Hottest day | Years with a night below 32°F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 35° | 18° | -16° | 64° | 11 of 11 |
| February | 42° | 20° | -39° | 72° | 11 of 11 |
| March | 51° | 29° | 12° | 79° | 11 of 11 |
| April | 63° | 35° | 2° | 87° | 9 of 11 |
| May | 70° | 49° | 34° | 87° | 0 of 11 |
| June | 84° | 63° | 48° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| July | 88° | 66° | 54° | 101° | 0 of 11 |
| August | 85° | 64° | 55° | 99° | 0 of 11 |
| September | 83° | 59° | 37° | 93° | 0 of 11 |
| October | 63° | 41° | 22° | 79° | 5 of 10 |
| November | 55° | 33° | 10° | 77° | 9 of 10 |
| December | 38° | 24° | 7° | 64° | 10 of 10 |
Mid-month figures from 2016–2026 of daily weather at this spot (ERA5 reanalysis via Open-Meteo, CC BY 4.0), in °F. Typical is the median; coldest and hottest are the extremes seen.
Nearby campgrounds
- Whitetail Campground · USDA Forest Service · 7 mi
- Stapleton City Park · City, County & Regional Parks · 30 mi · 6 sites
- Arnold Lake Campground and Recreation Area · City, County & Regional Parks · 32 mi · 29 sites
- Victoria Springs State Recreation Area · Nebraska State Parks · 35 mi · 27 sites
- East City Park Campground · City, County & Regional Parks · 50 mi
All public campgrounds in Nebraska · Every state and province · Facts read from the operator 2026-02-25. Confirm fees, rules and current status with the operator before you go.