Merritt Reservoir State Merritt Reservoir SRA Recreation Area (imprint here) park information: Located in a narrow valley of the Snake River, Merritt Dam was completed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation in May 1964. The dam is operated by the Ainsworth Irrigation District. The Nebraska Game & Parks Commission administers the reservoir and adjacent lands for recreation and wildlife. The reservoir has 44 miles of shoreline; 74,486 acre feet of storage, and a surface area of 2,906 acres. Merritt Reservoir offers some of Nebraska’s premiere fishing. It is a deep lake with excellent inflow from the Snake River and Boardman Creek. Walleye, crappie and white bass have long been the favorite choices of anglers. Although Merritt is remote, the locale boasts several other attractions. McKelvie National Forest lies immediately to the north, with its thousands of acres of grassy sandhills. Other attractions include the nearby Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, the beautiful Snake River Falls, the Valentine State Fish Hatchery, and Fort Niobrara Wildlife Refuge. camping amenities: 28 camping pads with electrical hookups, 190 non-pad sites without electricity, 20 - 30-amp. non-reservable campsites contact: __________________________________ activities: As you hike along the trail or around the lake, try playing some trail games. Learn more at negpp.org - Activities “Trail Games.” address: _________________________________ directions: From Valentine head south on Hwy 97 for 29 miles turn west into Cedar city: _____________________ state: __________ Bay area. zip: ___________ phone #: _________________ clue: Follow the little known trail that connects the Cedar Bay Area to the Beeds Area. e-mail: ___________________________________ mail nature impressions to: NERPA Attn: Great Parks Pursuit Distance: 45 yards 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 701 Surface: natural path Omaha, NE 68183 GPS: N42°35.652, W100° 53.648.