Keith County: Lakes, Nature and History
Accommodation in Keith County
Keith County combines vast expanses of water with impressive Western history and distinctive landscape experiences. With 30,000 acres of water, Lake McConaughy is Nebraska’s largest reservoir. The smaller Lake Ogallala offers a different setting: Its 320-acre shoreline, protected from the wind, provides the backdrop for fishing experiences, a short path along the dam and winter nature observation. Those looking for a holiday apartment in Keith County can therefore choose between a stay focused on the lake and nature, historical discoveries in Ogallala or a combination of both.
Lakes, Trails and Nature Observation
The fish species named for Lake McConaughy include walleye, channel catfish, northern pike, wiper, largemouth bass and white bass. For orientation on site, the Lake McConaughy Visitor and Water Interpretive Center offers two aquariums, each with a capacity of 1,000 gallons. Interactive exhibits focus on Nebraska’s water, the North Platte River Valley and Lake McConaughy. There is also a park office, public restrooms, permits and visitor information.
Lake Ogallala has two boat ramps and two boat docks; the northern boat ramp also has a dock for launching kayaks. The lake is a destination for trout fishing and is known for its fast-growing rainbow trout. Those who prefer to travel on foot can find a two-mile route on the northern dam along the Lake Ogallala Hike-Bike Trail. It ends at the Diversion Dam of the Nebraska Public Power District. In winter, migrating eagles can be observed below Kingsley Dam in a heated eagle-viewing facility. Keith County lies along the Central Flyway, and its proximity to large bodies of water creates good conditions for birds.
Historic Places in and around Ogallala
The town’s history can be discovered in different ways. Mansion on the Hill is a three-story Victorian house from 1887 with nine rooms, two bathrooms, ten-foot ceilings and 16-inch-thick walls. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 3, 1973. It is open from the Friday before Memorial Day through the Sunday before Labor Day: Tuesdays through Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and Sundays from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. It is closed on Mondays. Admission is free for small groups, and donations are welcome.
In Keystone, the Little Church, completed in 1908, tells the story of an unusual religious connection. A Catholic altar and a Protestant altar stand at opposite ends. Folding church pew backs allowed 75 worshippers to sit facing the respective altar, depending on the service. Regular services ended in 1949. The Petrified Wood Gallery also has its own focus: It is dedicated to natural history and displays petrified wood and fossils from around the world, as well as Native American arrowheads and artifacts. Many of these pieces come from within a 25-mile radius of Ogallala, Nebraska.
Ogallala as a Starting Point for Discoveries
Ogallala is located directly on Interstate 80, Exit 126, and offers a clear cultural focus with its historic sites. Tri-Trails Park lies at the geographical intersection of the Oregon Trail, the Pony Express Trail and the Great Western Cattle Trail, also known as the Texas Trail, which crossed Keith County in Nebraska in the 19th century. Front Street features a recreated Old West town that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Cowboy Museum at Front Street displays memorabilia from Ogallala’s original jail as well as an authentic horse-drawn hearse.
The Historic Walk of Fame is a self-guided tour through downtown Ogallala with outdoor markers about the history of Keith County. Boot Hill additionally commemorates the first burial ground of the original Ogallala settlement, which became known by this name during the Texas Trail era of the 1880s. The Spruce Street Station and the adjacent 1937 service building serve as the Spruce Street Visitor Center. Built in 1922, the station is one of the best-preserved of fewer than 20 former Standard Oil stations still standing. The mural in the Ogallala post office depicts the town’s heritage as a railroad head at the end of the Texas Trail.
Travel Ideas for Choosing Your Accommodation
Those who place water, fishing and nature observation at the center of their trip will find the defining themes for travel planning at Lake McConaughy and Lake Ogallala. For historical impressions, Ogallala offers a different way to spend the day with Front Street, museums, the Walk of Fame and traces of the trails. The Crystal Palace Revue returns to Front Street every summer and has been a tradition of the Cowboy Capital since 1964. The annual Ogallala Round-Up Rodeo is also part of the town’s cultural calendar. A holiday apartment or vacation home in Keith County can therefore be selected to suit the desired focuses, without every trip having to follow the same rhythm. For further orientation, the direct route leads to Ogallala.
For the higher-level travel overview: Nebraska.
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