I stayed at Natick while doing a cross-country road trip. I was drawn to the Nebraska National Forest because of its remoteness and solitude. There was only one campground listed on my atlas, which was the Bessey Recreational Complex, which is situated on the Middle Loup River and has lots of sites, but is full of RVs and mosquitoes.
Natick is located about 7 miles from Bessey along a rough road that is sometimes dirt. The drive is difficult but the campground is worth it. I was lucky enough to be the only occupant that night, which brought total serenity and peacefulness.
The campground is fairly small, about 17 sites. They all have picnic tables and fire rings, and there is one pit toilet. There's also a pump for potable water, as well as a windmill with a trough for horses nearby. There is no garbage service, so you'll have to pack it out. Some of the campsites are close to one another, but most are spread out. The campground has corrals for horses and there are additional corrals next to the windmill. This would be the perfect campground to bring your horse, ride out all day, and then return for the evening. The parking spots are big enough to accommodate large trucks, and you can park your trailer there or in the adjacent lot.
I was very happy camping here. The scenery is incredible and affords priceless views of the sandhills and the stars at night. The ground under the campsites is all sand, which really brings you in to the fact that you're in the Nebraska Sandhills. I arrived just before sunset and took some excellent pictures of the windmill and the rolling hills, as well as some birds that were drinking from the windmill trough. Just after the sun went down the wind started whooshing and the tall pine trees swayed and creaked - it was incredible.
There aren't many services nearby. You can buy firewood in Halsey, but that's about it. Many of the towns in the sandhills are dying, and Halsey is no exception. You're best bet is to stock up in Broken Bow if you're coming from the east, or Thedford if you're headed from the west.
I wish I could have spent more time here, it was definitely worth it. If you have horses and are looking for a good campground, you'll be very happy here. read more