Wood Lake Nebraska Map

About Wood Lake, Nebraska

Wood Lake is a locality in Cherry County, Nebraska, United States. It is a small community with a population of 16. The population density is 86.3 people per km². Wood Lake is located at 42.6386°N, 100.2382°W. It observes the Central Time (America/Chicago) timezone. ZIP code: 69221.

Wood Lake lies as a placid reflection of the vast Nebraska sky, a broad expanse of water fringed by the tawny grasses of the Sandhills. It lies 146.7 miles north-north-west of Kearney, NE (from Kearney, NE: bearing 336°T), and is situated 22.7 miles south-east of Valentine. The land here rolls in soft, sweeping curves, a landscape sculpted more by wind and water than by human hand, where cattle graze on pastures that stretch to horizons unbroken save for the occasional cluster of cottonwoods. The air, particularly in the hushed hours of early morning, carries a clean, crisp scent, mingled with the earthy aroma of sun-baked soil and the faint, sweet perfume of wildflowers that bloom in scattered profusion. It is a place where the sheer scale of the sky dominates, a canvas of cerulean by day and a breathtaking sprawl of stars by night, lending a profound sense of quietude to the very character of Wood Lake. The history of Wood Lake is inextricably bound to the hardy pioneers who first sought to tame this seemingly wild terrain, their legacy etched not in grand monuments but in the enduring spirit of resilience that still characterizes the region. The local economy, long reliant on the gentle rhythm of ranching and agriculture, continues to draw its sustenance from the fertile, if sandy, soil and the abundant grasses that support thriving herds. This is a place where the echoes of the past are felt in the weathered barns and the enduring traditions of neighborly support, where life unfolds at a pace dictated by the changing seasons rather than the insistent pulse of modernity. The distinctive character of Wood Lake is its unpretentious beauty, a quiet testament to the enduring power of the natural world and the simple dignity of those who call it home.

About This Wood Lake Map Page

This page provides an embedded street and satellite map of Wood Lake, Nebraska — switch between views using the small square in the bottom left-hand corner of the map. Coordinates: 42.638612, -100.238182. Live weather conditions are sourced directly from the National Weather Service, with current observations and a 7-day forecast also powered by Open-Meteo. Real-time local news and world news feeds keep the page current, while a Wikipedia summary or an editorially written description provides background on Wood Lake and Cherry County.

Detailed location data for Wood Lake includes the ZIP code (69221), telephone area code (308), county seat of Cherry County (Valentine), and school district assignment (Valentine Community Schools). These are among the most commonly searched location details for any US city or town.

Location data is drawn from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) and cross-verified against 2020 US Census records by coordinate proximity — ensuring the correct Wood Lake is identified even where the name is shared across multiple counties or states. Population figures are sourced from the 2020 US Census.