State: Nebraska
Short Name: Oliver Reservoir SRA
Address 1: 210615 Hwy 71
City: Gering
Zip: 69341
Phone: 308-436-3777
Open: Open all year
Open all Year: Yes
Number of Sites: 175
Camp URL: http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/guides/parksearch/showpark.asp?Area_No=255
Full Hook: Yes
With 917 acres of land and a 270-acre lake, Oliver Reservoir State Recreation Area is the only waterbased recreational facility in the southwest Panhandle. Located 8 miles west of Kimball on U.S. 30, Oliver offers the same basic facilities as those found at similar recreation areas across the state.
Facilities include a campground, two boat ramps and docks, swimming beach, change houses, drinking water, vault toilets, picnic tables, shelters, grills, lighting and parking lots. Landscaping and tree plantings add beauty and shade to the area.
Nearly all of the established recreation facilities are located on the north shore of the lake and are accessible from U.S. 30 via three entrances. The south side of the lake is maintained in a primitive state for hiking, fishing and hunting.
Oliver is a multiple-use lake, with boaters, water skiers, anglers and swimmers all sharing the water. As a result, signs near the two boat ramps detail special regulations and retrictions. There is a designated swimming area on the north side.
Oliver provides good fishing opportunities, since it is a two-story lake that can support both cold-water and warm-water species. It offers action on walleye, yellow perch, largemouth bass, channel catfish, bluegill and limited numbers of rainbow trout.