| Willow Creek, 1 1/2 miles SW of Pierce, has 1,633 acres with a 700-acre lake. Facilities include: 100 camping pads, 64 with 30 amp electrical hookups, 19 with 50 amp electrical hookups. Picnic tables and shelters, fire grates, water, showers, modern restrooms, accessible fishing pier, archery field course, unsupervised swimming, two playgrounds and an 8-mile hiking/horseback trail around the lake. Seven rock jetties provide some fine fishing access.
Attractions
Located 1 1/2 miles southwest of Pierce, scenic Willow Creek State Recreation Area draws its name from the meandering stream that feeds the Elkhorn River in northeast Nebraska. It covers some 1,633 acres, including a 700-acres flood-control reservoir. The area is particularly popular with campers, anglers, picnickers and hunters.
Begun in 1982, the $5.2 million reservoir project was built by the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District with cost-sharing by the Nebraska Natural Resources Commission.
Recreation is managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. The rec area opened in August 1984 and offers camping, fishing, boating and swimming. Picnickers will find shelters along with an ample supply of tables and fire grates. An 8-mile hiking and horseback trail winds through the area, with a limestone trail meandering from the swimming beach and proceeding to the west edge of Pierce. Park roads may also be used by horseback riders. Come winter, roads and the lake surface (ice permitting) are open to snowmobilers.
There is a designated swimming beach, but swimming is unsupervised. Since there are no lifeguards, swimmers should use care and swim with a companion. |
Willow Creek State Recreation Area Web Site
GPS Coordinates:
Decimal: 42.177426, -97.523785
Degrees: 42° 10' 38", -97° 31' 25"
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