Nebraska’s darkest lake has fish, sand, and the Milky Way casting shadows

It’s 26 miles from anywhere

Merritt Reservoir sits in the middle of the Nebraska Sandhills, about 26 miles southwest of Valentine in Cherry County.

The lake covers nearly 3,000 acres with 44 miles of sandy shoreline, and the Sandhills roll away from the water in every direction, nothing but grass-covered dunes and open prairie as far as you can see.

The whole area is so empty that starlight hits the ground uninterrupted. What happens here at night is the real draw, but the daytime is no slouch either.

A dam on the Snake River started it all

The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation built the 126-foot earthen dam on the Snake River as part of the Ainsworth Unit irrigation project.

The reservoir filled and opened on Oct. 10, 1964, sitting along the southern edge of the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest.

It carries the name of J. M. Merritt, who spent years as superintendent of the Valentine Fish Hatchery with Nebraska Game and Parks. What started as a way to move water to crops turned into one of the busiest outdoor spots in the state.

The Milky Way is bright enough to throw shadows

In September 2022, Merritt Reservoir became the first site in Nebraska certified as an International Dark Sky Park, and the 200th certified Dark Sky Place on Earth.

The Sandhills location keeps light pollution almost nonexistent.

On a clear night, you can see the Milky Way so well that it actually casts shadows on the ground around you.

The park swapped in dark-sky-friendly light fixtures and adopted a full lighting management plan to keep the skies that way.

Hundreds of astronomers camp here every summer

Each summer in late July or early August, the reservoir hosts the Nebraska Star Party, a weeklong stargazing event that has been running for more than three decades.

Organizers time it to the new moon for the darkest skies possible. Hundreds of amateur and professional astronomers show up with their telescopes and gear.

You can sit in on constellation talks, enter astrophotography contests, join guided night sky tours, or try the Beginner’s Field School, where they teach you how to navigate the sky and pick a telescope.

The state record catfish came out of this water

Merritt Reservoir regularly ranks among Nebraska’s top five walleye fisheries. It also holds the state hook-and-line records for both muskellunge and channel catfish.

The state record channel catfish came out of this water in 1985, weighing 41.5 pounds.

A 50-inch minimum length limit on muskellunge, put in place in 2020, protects the big fish and builds toward trophy size.

You can also pull largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, white bass, and yellow perch.

Ninety percent of this lake holds fish

Clean water flows in steadily from the Snake River and Boardman Creek, filling the reservoir reliably every year and keeping water quality high.

The lake reaches a maximum depth of about 111 feet, with an average depth of around 25 feet.

An estimated 90 percent of the water column holds fish, which is the opposite of most lakes, where fish cluster in small zones. That spread means you can cast a line in almost any direction and find something.

Two modern fish-cleaning stations sit ready when you bring one in.

Five boat ramps and soft sand beaches

The 44-mile shoreline runs with soft sand beaches where you can swim, wade, or just sit.

All types of boating are allowed, and five boat ramps with five docks give you access from different parts of the reservoir.

If you did not bring your own boat, you can rent paddleboats, kayaks, canoes, or motorized fishing boats nearby.

Nine picnic shelters with tables and grills are scattered through the park, so you can cook what you catch with the Sandhills rolling out behind you.

Pick your campsite from more than 160 spots

Eight campgrounds are spread across the reservoir with more than 160 campsites.

You can pitch a tent right next to the water at a primitive site, or plug in at Beeds Landing, Cedar Bay, or Boardman Creek, which have electric hookups.

Modern restrooms, showers, and a dump station are all on-site. You can reserve select sites online, but many are first-come, first-served.

Every campsite comes with a picnic table and fire pit, so you eat dinner under those dark skies and watch the stars fill in one by one.

Nebraska’s biggest waterfall is three miles away

Snake River Falls sits just three miles from the reservoir along Highway 97. When the Snake River runs full, this is the largest waterfall in Nebraska by volume.

Water rushes over a 54-foot-wide rock ledge and drops into a deep canyon lined with ponderosa pines. The falls sit on private land managed by the Snake Falls Sportsmen’s Club, and they charge a small admission fee.

Trails on both sides of the canyon give you two different angles, and the sound of the water carries well before you reach the overlook.

A 72,000-acre refuge full of trumpeter swans

About 20 miles south of Valentine, the Valentine National Wildlife Refuge covers 72,000 acres of Sandhills terrain.

Established in 1935 as a breeding ground for migratory birds, the refuge is home to 270 bird species, including trumpeter swans, American white pelicans, and prairie chickens. Nine spring-fed lakes are open for fishing year-round.

A self-guided nature trail and a nine-mile wildlife drive let you explore on foot or by car, and in April and May, photo blinds go up at prairie chicken and sharp-tailed grouse viewing areas.

Float past waterfalls on the Niobrara River

The Niobrara National Scenic River runs a short drive from Merritt Reservoir, near Valentine. A 76-mile stretch east of town carries a federal National Scenic River designation.

You can tube, kayak, or canoe through canyons, past waterfalls, and alongside wildlife for hours. Smith Falls State Park sits along the route, with Nebraska’s tallest waterfall dropping more than 60 feet.

Several family-owned outfitters near Valentine rent equipment and run shuttle service, so you can float downstream and get a ride back to your car.

Cherry County has 20 times more cows than people

Merritt Reservoir puts world-class stargazing, trophy fishing, and wide-open Sandhills country all in one place.

The area around it includes Snake River Falls, a 72,000-acre wildlife refuge, and one of the best river floats in the Great Plains.

Cherry County has more than 20 times as many cows as people, so the pace out here stays slow and quiet.

Whether you come for the walleye, the Milky Way, or just the silence, this is the kind of place people drive hundreds of miles to come back to.

Visit Merritt Reservoir in Nebraska

You can reach Merritt Reservoir by driving about 26 miles southwest of Valentine on Highway 97 in Cherry County. Every vehicle needs a Nebraska State Park entry permit, which you can buy online or from local vendors.

Resident annual permits run $31, and nonresidents pay $46. A daily permit costs $6 for residents and $8 for nonresidents.

The reservoir stays open 24 hours, year-round. Valentine is the nearest town for groceries, fuel, and supplies, so stock up before you head out.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

Read more from this brand:

• Maryland’s most inspiring road trip follows Harriet Tubman’s path to freedom
• Fossil graveyard meets ghost town at this Nevada park in the Shoshone Mountains
• Nevada’s weirdest roadside stop grew from a geothermal accident in 1964