At Calamus, options range from boating and fishing to hiking and wildlife watching. There are also historical destinations such as Fort Hartsuff and the Garfield County Historical Museum, as well as Nebraska’s Big Rodeo. When looking for a vacation rental in Garfield County, it helps to first decide what you want to focus on during your trip; visiting hours and seasonal offerings then provide a framework for planning.

At Calamus: Water and Nature

Calamus State Recreation Area offers camping, fishing, boating, picnicking, and hiking on a 5,123-acre lake and across 4,958 acres of gently rolling terrain. Facilities include five docks, four boat ramps, and access to the Calamus River. This lets you consider activities on the lake and river without planning every offering in the same way.

Calamus Reservoir is six miles northwest of Burwell on Highway 96. At Valley View Flat, there is a wildlife observation blind. From there, you can watch bald eagles, ospreys, pelicans, waterfowl, trumpeter swans, and occasionally sandhill cranes. If you would rather focus on an activity on the water, scenic Calamus River float and tubing trips are available in summer from Calamus Outfitters.

These differences are useful when planning your day: docks and boat ramps suit boating, the observation blind focuses on wildlife, and river trips are a summer offering. You can choose based on your interests rather than treating these options as interchangeable activities.

Fish Hatchery and Fort Hartsuff

The Calamus Fish Hatchery below the dam offers self-guided tours and exhibits on fish farming. An exhibit in the main building provides information about fish, the facility, and Nebraska Game and Parks. The hatchery is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is closed on state and federal holidays. Check these visiting hours before you arrive.

Fort Hartsuff served as an infantry outpost on the Nebraska prairie from 1874 to 1881. The historic buildings are open to visitors from May through September and year-round by appointment; the park grounds are open daily. The difference between the grounds’ opening hours and access to the buildings is important for planning, especially if the historic site is the main focus of your visit.

The Garfield County Historical Museum has more than 30 rooms of history and artifacts. Together with Fort Hartsuff’s past as a military post, the museum offers a distinct reason to visit for travelers interested in history. These visits have different practical considerations from a day on the water: Fort Hartsuff’s season and appointments matter, while the Fish Hatchery’s hours depend on weekdays and holidays.

Rodeo, Museum, and Golf

Nebraska’s Big Rodeo is held annually on the original 40-acre grounds and associated facilities, which are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The grounds include a ¾-mile racetrack and original covered wooden grandstands. The rodeo program includes bull riding, saddle bronc riding, barrel racing, team roping, wild horse racing, Canadian chuckwagon races, the Dinner Bell Derby, and trick riding and trick roping. The program may vary from year to year, so check the event dates and program for the year of your trip.

Calamus Golf Course is 2,845 yards long. Its features include irrigated bluegrass fairways, bentgrass greens, water hazards, and grass bunkers. The details about its length and design give you a concrete sense of what makes the course distinctive, without equating it with nature or history experiences.

More things to do around Burwell

In and around the host community of Burwell, Burwell City Park offers picnicking and camping. Burwell Swimming Pool has diving boards, a children’s pool, and changing rooms; Red Cross swimming lessons and water aerobics for adults are also offered. The pool is a seasonal attraction, and its opening dates may change. Check the dates before your visit.

To align your plans with your travel dates, it is worth noting the different schedules: the Fish Hatchery has set weekday hours and closes on holidays, the historic buildings at Fort Hartsuff are open seasonally or by appointment, and the rodeo is an annual event whose program may vary from year to year. This lets you plan your visits around your interests and suitable dates.

Discover more destinations

Burwell, Dakota County, Dawes County, Cuming County, Phelps County, Sarpy County, Lancaster, Holt County

For the broader travel overview: Nebraska.