60 Nebraskaland • August-September 2025
Cottonwood-
Steverson
Tw o n a m e s .
Th r e e l a ke s .
C o u n t l e s s
o p p o r t u n i t i e s .
n a region of more than 1,500 lakes, it can be a challenge
to find anything distinct to say about just one — or, in this
case, three — of them.
Perhaps what makes these Sandhills lakes stand out is how
remote, yet accessible, they are. One need not travel a long
stretch of bumpy road to experience Cottonwood-Steverson
Wildlife Management Area. The 2,902-acre property with
more than 1,000 acres of water is centrally located on the
67-mile stretch between Hyannis and Merriman, just off the
asphalt of Nebraska Highway 61.
Because of the name of the WMA, two of the lakes often
get lumped together in descriptions, and the third is rarely
mentioned. On the south end of the property, along Carver
Road, is Steverson Lake, the largest and most-accessible
of the three at about 540 surface acres. The 230-acre
Cottonwood Lake is just north of Steverson and connected
by a narrow channel. Northeast of the two, standing alone, is
I
Story and photos by Justin Haag
An angler in a boat at Cottonwood-Steverson Wildlife
Management Area.
