Since I have started exploring, I have come across a few amazing places. One of my favorite places so far has been Devil’s Nest Ski Resort located in Crofton, Nebraska. Devil’s Nest Ski Resort was supposed to be a big deal back in the day. Devil’s Nest sits atop a hill in a beautiful, rolling landscape across from the 32,000 acre Lewis and Clark Lake. Mind you, I was not able to visit all the buildings in Devil’s Nest, so I will definitely be going back to explore even more. The name Devil’s Nest has an interesting history to it. The legend is that a government surveyor back in 1848 stated while surveying the land, "If we have to go in that, it looks as if it’s going to be the nest of a devil.” Since then, Knox County became known as Devil’s Nest. Rumor has it that Outlaw Jesse James took refuge in these hills to hide from law enforcement. In modern times, Devil’s Nest was destined to be Nebraska’s very first ski resort. It was supposed to be a luxurious getaway for all seasons. It had 5,100-foot long ski runs with a 110-chair lift, which was novel for the time, especially in Nebraska. There were over 23 miles of trails for people to hike, walk, or ride horses. There were also many model homes and plots of land so people could live on the property. Other amenities included the Devil’s Nest Inn. The Devil’s Nest Inn was going to have 60 rooms with dormitories, a restaurant, and a lounge. The Devil’s Nest Inn was going to be built adjacent to the yacht club, which was never built. There was also supposed to be an 18-hole championship golf course, which was never even started. A ski lodge and a few other structures remain up there as well. When my sister and I traveled there, we are hoping to find all these buildings. Unfortunately we only found the yacht club and the lifts. The lifts were quite a site to see: the view was a look out onto the valley and Lewis and Clark Lake. The reason why Devil’s Nest was never successful was for two main reasons: the snow machine that they used to make the slopes ski-friendly could not keep up, and the owners had a huge outstanding balance of property taxes. Since Nebraska has the most expensive property taxes in the nation, it’s no surprise that this lead to Devil’s Nest’s demise. I enjoyed getting to see some abandoned history and learning about all of the hidden secrets Devil’s Nest has to offer. Stay tuned for more adventures!
