Lake Minatare State Recreation Area

Lake Minatare State Recreation Area is a 2,158-acre reservoir in Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska, built as an irrigation reservoir under the Bureau of Reclamation's North Platte Project and now jointly managed as part of the North Platte National Wildlife Refuge. Known as "the Panhandle's largest body of water," it offers boating, camping, swimming at Sunrise Beach, and fishing, and is home to the historic Plains (Lake Minatare) Lighthouse, a 55-foot native-stone tower built 1937–1939 by the Veterans Conservation Corps. The lake closes seasonally (October 15–January 15) for wildlife protection.