Vacation Rentals in Brown County: Nature, Fishing, and History

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Editor's Choice

Pure Luxury

“Call me spoiled - but I love to be treated like a queen when traveling. Only the best is good enough for me. Hotels that make my vacation a dream of luxury and seduction are my choices. Pay attention to the (violet Medal) for luxury accommodation.”

Tatjana Herzegova, Kiew, Ukraine

Editor's Choice

Sustainable Travel

“There is only one earth and we should go out and see it. I like hotels, which look for sustainability. It is not only protecting the ecology, but also taking care for the local business and culture. I recommend the medal for eco accomodation. Let’s protect our earth. Sustainable travel is travelling with responsibility.”

Markus Lenk, Düsseldorf, Germany

Long Pine Creek offers two distinct ways to experience Brown County’s natural scenery. Long Pine State Recreation Area spans 153 acres on both sides of the creek. A scenic one-mile trail runs through the area. Near Long Pine, the Cowboy Trail bridge crosses Long Pine Creek; it is 595 feet long and 145 feet high. Here, a natural area and a structure stand side by side along the same creek, offering two different discoveries.

Hiking and Wildlife Watching at Keller Park

Keller Park State Recreation Area also offers several ways to spend time outdoors. There are hiking opportunities, and a rustic footbridge crosses Bone Creek. Visitors can watch songbirds, white-tailed deer, mule deer, ducks, hawks, and eagles. There are also fishing opportunities in five small lakes. Hiking, wildlife watching, and fishing each offer a different focus for a visit to the park.

Fishing Waters and Their Rules

The waters differ in their access conditions and facilities. Access to Tower Lake is limited to daytime hours. Boats with electric motors and non-motorized boats are permitted; there is also a basic boat ramp. Cozad Lake, also known as South Pine WMA, covers 80 acres. Boats are subject to a maximum speed of 5 mph, with no wake. The lake also has an improved boat ramp and primitive camping.

Public fishing is permitted at Clear Lake. At the eastern end, there is access for boats and ice fishing away from the main road. Plum Creek Valley WMA offers walk-in access to Plum Creek. The area is stocked with rainbow trout twice a year; primitive camping is also available. If you want to go out by boat, Tower Lake and Cozad Lake have different rules: at Tower Lake, the permitted boat types matter; at Cozad Lake, the speed limit and no-wake rule apply.

Exhibits and Local History

The Sellors Barton Museum was dedicated in Ainsworth in 1936. The Brown County Historical Society’s Dixon House features historical exhibits. The Society also maintains a county school in its original setting, also with exhibits. These places each offer a different focus: from the museum to the Dixon House to the school at its original location.

Another historical milestone is the opening of Hidden Paradise Resort in 1912. Along with the year the Sellors Barton Museum was dedicated, this date provides a chronological anchor for the area’s history without grouping these different places together as a single attraction.

If you are looking for a vacation rental, you can decide in advance what to focus on during your trip: nature and wildlife watching, waters and their respective rules, or local history. This helps you plan around the discoveries that interest you in Brown County.

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More Destinations

Discover more destinations: Ainsworth, Keith County, Cheyenne County, Deuel County, Sherman County, Washington County, Saunders County, Nuckolls County.

For the broader travel overview: Nebraska.