Lake Maloney SRA – North Platte (NEGPP#5)

Just south of North Platte, NE, lies Lake Maloney. This was the next stop on our vacation, and a GPP location as well.

With lots of camping areas and room for boating, fishing, and swimming, this lake is a popular stop. Water pours into this lake via a canal on the northwest corner and flows out on the east. Though these two areas are a little rough, the rest of the lake is smooth and friendly. On the south shore of the lake there is a swimming beach. With water levels being low, there is probably more beach there than usual.

We decided to get our rubbing first. It took a little while to find (as we drove right past it the first time) but eventually, we found the trail and followed it to the marker.

The marker was near where the water runs into the lake. This inlet flowed rapidly and had us concerned about whether this would be a good swimming lake or not.

However, we talked to the guy running the park permit booth and he directed us to the swimming beach. The best part about this beach (for our family) was that the water 50 feet from shore was barely knee deep. Our girls enjoyed a nice swim in the lake and we enjoyed wading. They weren't sure about swimming in the dirty water at first, as this was their first time swimming in a lake, but they got over their fear quickly

This was the cove where the swimming beach was located.
Note Papa, Clare, and Gabriella on the right side just wading in.

About 15 feet from shore and it didn't come to Papa's knees.

The girls were nervous about the muddy water at first,
but then they had a great time.

The girls were probably 75 feet from shore here. They are the little heads in the background. Please don't worry though as they were crawling on their bellies. When we told them that they were getting far enough out, they both stood up and the water wasn't even to their waists.

Though the lake was fun, after about an hour, we had to keep on moving.