Yes, You Can Surf in Nebraska — and I Tried It Out With a Hydrofoil on Lake McConaughy

You don't need the ocean to catch perfect waves this summer. Here's everything you need to know about the new sport of hydrofoil surfing, and where you can try it.

From my perch on the front of the powerboat, I gazed out at an expanse of turquoise water. Neon-hued kites were sprinkled throughout the sky, and boat sails dotted the horizon. The scene could almost pass for the Caribbean — if it weren’t for the emerald-green John Deere tractors parked along the powdery shore.

I was on a surf mission in the most unlikely of places: Nebraska. America’s heartland is better known for farming and football than watersports, but that’s quickly changing in places like Lake McConaughy State Recreation Area, thanks to new wake boats that can create surfable waves.

Lake Mac, as locals call it, is a bit of a regional secret. Located a three-and-a-half-hour drive northwest of my home city of Denver, and 275 miles from Lincoln, Nebraska, the state’s largest reservoir spans 30,000 surface acres and over 100 miles of shoreline. With the construction of the Kingsley Dam in 1941, the reservoir was intended to turn the parched soil of the state’s Central Platte Valley into fertile agricultural land. Today, the lake still helps irrigate more than 500,000 acres, but it’s also turned the area, including the gateway town of Ogallala, into a seasonal recreational hub. From May through September, you can learn to master watersports like foil surfing and kitesurfing here.

Beach camping is allowed along the lake, but if sleeping in a tent isn’t your thing, hotel owners who grew up summering at Lake Mac have recently spruced up old shorefront lodges. This season, Kingsley Dam Resort is renovating its cabins and adding a food truck, while the 18-room Admiral’s Cove Resort has opened a pub, Boxcar, just up the road. You can even get a solid bowl of pho and homemade lavender ice cream at the new restaurant at Lakefront Express campground.

Related: 7 Best Midwest Road Trips in the U.S.

But no one comes for fancy amenities or gourmet food. They come for the lake. I grew up on the ocean and have surfed since I was a teen. But now, living in land-locked Colorado, I have to get my ocean fix by surfing in the wake of boats on lakes. Traditional ocean surfing requires tedious paddling and battling crowds. Wake surfing removes those challenges, making it more accessible, even if you’ve never surfed before.

My coastal friends were raving about a fast-growing  watersport called “foil surfing.” Popularized by pro surfer Kai Lenny, it’s been adopted by everyone from Orlando Bloom to Mark Zuckerburg. It involves a surfboard attached to a winglike structure called a foil; the foil dips below the water to create lift, so your board floats one to two feet above the surface, moving with the momentum of the waves. You’re essentially surfing on air.

"The foil dips below the water to create lift, so your board floats one to two feet above the surface, moving with the momentum of the waves. You’re essentially surfing on air. "

I enlisted Jeff McKee, co-founder of Adventure io — a new mobile platform that curates experiences led by professional athletes — to come out to Nebraska to teach me. A professional wakeboarder based in Charleston, McKee, 37, has watched surf culture take off in landlocked states like Missouri and Nebraska thanks to things like foil boards. To get me foil surfing on Lake Mac, we jumped in a Super Air Nautique G25 boat, which requires just a press of a button to adjust the shape of its wake into a perfect, rideable wave. Our captain, Ryan Zehe, kept the boat steady at 12 miles per hour while McKee coached me from the back of the boat, and I hopped onto the foil board.

To get up out of the water, I’m instructed to float on my back (aided by my life vest), place my heels on the board, hold a tow rope and let the speed of the boat pull the board to my feet. When I let go of the rope I pump my legs to glide up and down the wave. My first few attempts felt like I was riding a bull — the board would rise off the water’s surface only to slam back down and throw me off. But by day’s end I was surfing effortlessly, hooked on the feeling of riding a flying carpet above the water. A successful surf trip to a place like Maui or Southern California relies on Mother Nature to bring consistent waves. But with a wake boat and foil board, waves were guaranteed, and I could sit back and enjoy the ride.

Where to Go Foil Boarding This Summer

Table Rock Lake, Missouri: With 800 miles of shoreline, this popular Ozarks vacation getaway has dedicated beaches for swimming and boating. Chateau on the Lake Resort Spa is a family-friendly stay that rents everything from boats and fishing equipment, to WaveRunners and waterskis.

Lake Eufaula, Oklahoma: The state’s largest lake is a haven for boating and fishing. Calico Heights’ nine treetop cabins have water views and complimentary amenities, including kayaks and paddleboards.

Tellico Lake, Tennessee: Nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, this pristine lake has 373 miles of shoreline and is a popular spot for foiling. Blackberry Farm resort has a partnership with MasterCraft boats and can arrange wake surfing lessons (a great precursor to foiling) taught by pro athletes.

A version of this story first appeared in the July 2023 issue of Travel + Leisure under the headline "Surfin’ USA."

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