Oliver Reservoir is unusual twice over: it’s managed by the South Platte Natural Resources District rather than Game and Parks, and it’s a two-story lake — deep enough to support both cold-water species (including limited rainbow trout) and warm-water ones (walleye, yellow perch, largemouth bass, channel cat, bluegill). The only water-based recreation area in the southwest Panhandle, and anglers treat it accordingly.
Camping is free — no reservations, first-come, first-served — with 48 sites that have fire pits plus overflow sites without, from March 1 through October 31. Donations keep the place up. Facilities on the north shore include two boat ramps, a designated swimming beach, 130 picnic tables, shelters with electricity, and drinking water; the south shore stays primitive for hiking, fishing, and hunting.
The honest frame: this is rustic, no-hookup, small-lake recreation eight miles west of Kimball on Highway 30 — exactly what the southwest Panhandle has and nothing it doesn’t. Kimball is the supply town. Check for burn bans before you go; Kimball County has run them in dry stretches, and they cover campfires.