“itching for a chance to play in the water”
Lake Minatare is a feature of the North Platte Project. Managed as a State recreation area by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. Lake Minatare, with a surface area of 2,158 acres and about 12 miles of shoreline is a part of the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge. Available species include channel catfish, crappie, small mouth bass, white bass, walleye (15 inch minimum), wipers, and yellow perch. Walleye, channel catfish, and gizzard shad are stocked in the reservoir annually. Motorized boats are permitted. The area is open to the public from Jan. 15 to Sept. 30. A number of Civilian Conservation Corps structures dating to the 1930's exist at Lake Minatare. Included among them is a stone picnic shelter designed to look like a lighthouse. Minatare Dam, constructed between 1912-1915, is a historic structure determined eligible for the National Register of Historic Places. If being indoors during the winter has got you itching for a chance to play in the water, Lake Minatare State Recreation Area won’t let you down. With more than 2,000 acres of water, there’s plenty of room for exhilarating water sport fun. Jump in your speedboat and pull skiers around in the refreshing water, or settle onto the beach for an afternoon of sun tanning and swimming. Or, bring the fishing boat and drop a line into one of the area’s most popular fishing spots. You could catch any variety of fish, from walleye to wipers to yellow perch to white bass. Modern fish-cleaning stations are available, and you’ll find four boat ramps located around the lake for your convenience. When you’re ready for a break, visit one of the lake’s picnic table and shelter areas for lunch or dinner. Also, don’t miss the lake’s lighthouse, one of only seven inland lighthouses in the nation, and the only one in Nebraska. The 55-foot stone structure is open to the public, and you can climb the stairs to the top for a unique view of the lake and valley.
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Lake Minatare State Recreation Area
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Parking
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
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