Spring is here! With the warmer temps and longer days of sun, many are gearing up for outdoor activities in the months ahead. The Upper Big Blue Natural Resources District operates six recreation areas in the district with a variety of amenities from boating and camping, to archery and hiking.  

Two of these recreation areas feature enhanced campgrounds with RV hook-ups: Pioneer Trails (Aurora) and Bruce L. Anderson (York) Recreation Areas. Camping season at these locations begins Monday, April 10, and will run through October. Camping is on a first-come, first-served basis, and no advance reservations are available for RV spots. RV camping at these locations is $15/night and tent camping is $5/night.  

Camping is also available at Smith Creek (Utica) and Oxbow Trails (Ulysses) Recreation Areas at no charge; however, these are undeveloped camping areas with no RV hook-ups. All of these campgrounds have a 14-day maximum stay in any 30-day period for RVs and tent camping.

There is no cost for day use of any of the recreation areas owned by the Upper Big Blue NRD.

Bruce L. Anderson Recreation Area has recently been upgraded with the addition of new playground equipment. The NRD invites the public to an open house event on April 13, from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the recreation area to see the new equipment and enjoy a hot dog supper. The event will also be a time to honor three board members for their years of service: Micheal Nuss (20 years), Roger Houdersheldt (30 years), and Doug Dickinson (40 years). This event is weather dependent. In case of inclement weather, it will be re-scheduled. 

One more reason to visit: Nebraska’s NRDs are challenging outdoor enthusiasts to visit as many of the state’s 80 NRD recreation areas as they can between March 1, 2023, and Sept. 15, 2023. Visit an NRD recreation area and submit a photo for a chance to win prizes! There are monthly drawings as well as a grand prize drawing. Full details at https://www.nrdnet.org/recreation.