The Nebraska National Forest is a United States National Forest located in the U.S. state of Nebraska. The total area of the national forest is 141,864 acres (574 km2).
The national forest comprises two ranger districts. The 90,000-acre (364 km2) Bessey Ranger District is located in the Sandhills of central Nebraska. Encompassing about 63.9% of the forest’s total area, it lies in parts of Thomas and Blaine counties. It was established in 1902 by Charles E. Bessey because he believed forests could be recreated in treeless areas of the Great Plains for use as a national timber reserve. This resulted in a 20,000-acre forest, the largest human-planted forest in the United States. The Bessey Nursery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and the nursery supplies upto 3 million seedlings per year.
Great camping, atv, horseback riding, hiking and biking. This park offers a variety of activities for young and old. A climb up the firetower offers a spectacular view of the surrounding area.
