NEBRASKA'S LARGEST PANHANDLE LAKE
Lake Minatare State Recreation Area covers 2,158 acres in Scotts Bluff County, making it the largest body of water in the Nebraska Panhandle. Managed by Nebraska Game and Parks and overlapping the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge, the lake draws anglers, campers, water skiers, and swimmers each year. A historic 55-foot limestone lighthouse, built by the Veterans Conservation Corps between 1937 and 1939, overlooks the water and is one of the area's best-known landmarks. The park offers multiple campgrounds with electric and primitive sites and boat ramps, and sits close to Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock National Historic Site. The area closes to public entry from October 15 to January 15 each year for wildlife protection.