Nebraska Official State Travel Guide - Nebraska 2026 Official State Travel Guide
Scenic Byways
2025-11-18 06:10:58
Scenic Byways
Chart Your Adventure
Follow these scenic byways to all kinds of Nebraska adventures, including roadside attractions and hidden gems worth veering off for. Our state is full of unique opportunities. Come and find them!
WESTERN TRAILS
144 MILES | 2 HOURS
The Route: U.S. 26 and State 92 from the Wyoming border to Ogallala
Pioneers would have come across the same towering formations and pine-shaded bluffs on this route as drivers encounter today. Get out of your “wagon” and explore. Storied sites, picturesque trails and sparkling lakes await your discovery.
4 THINGS THAT MAKE THE WEST THE BEST
- Hike or mountain bike Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area and Nature Center in Gering. The views of rocky bluffs, evergreen-studded canyons and the North Platte River Valley are epic at this site, too.
- Book a relaxing stay at Hotel 21 & Co. in Gering. This elegant property features spacious guest rooms with scenic views of Scotts Bluff National Monument. Be sure to order a nightcap from the onsite 21 Bottles spirits room. Then, sit back, relax and sip your beverage in the sophisticated Two-One Saloon.
- In Gering, The Mixing Bowl serves breakfast and lunch favorites, from eggs Benedict and breakfast burritos to burgers and BLTs. Be sure to bring your appetite.
- Browse local artifacts, like farming tools, quilts, pioneer implements and a 100-year-old cookie, at the Bayard Depot Museum, which is located in a former Burlington Northern Railroad Depot.
NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY SANDHILLS JOURNEY
272 MILES | 4 HOURS, 30 MIN.
The Route: State 2 from Grand Island to Alliance
World-class natural wonders await along this rural route. Sand dunes and the Nebraska National Forest rise from the plains. In spring, migrating sandhill cranes fill the sky. By night, the stars put on an incredible show.
4 GREAT REASONS TO HEAD FOR THE HILLS
- Create woodblock decorations, join a painting party or see what artists are exhibiting at the Carnegie Arts Center in Alliance. The center repurposes the town’s original library, which opened in 1912.
- Stop in Ellsworth to visit Morgan’s Cowpoke Haven, also known as the Old Spade Ranch Store. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this general store has been serving area ranchers since 1898, specializing in hunting and fishing gear, guns, boots, saddles and more.
- The Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway Visitor Center in Broken Bow welcomes road-trippers. Learn from exhibits inside and out, or chat with the friendly staff for area info.
- Take a quick detour to Loup City for a day on the water at Sherman Reservoir State Recreation Area. Boaters, anglers and water-sports enthusiasts alike are drawn to the 2,854-acre lake. With three boat ramps and docks, the lake can accommodate all types of boats and watercraft. Anglers can drop a line for walleye, catfish, white bass, northern pike and crappie.
LEWIS & CLARK
98 MILES | 1 HOUR, 45 MIN.
The Route: U.S. 75 North between South Sioux City and Omaha
Follow in the footsteps of the famous explorers. Through bountiful cropland and beautifully wooded bluffs framing the Missouri River, you’ll discover Native American culture and bustling Omaha, home to Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.
4 WAYS TO BE LIKE LEWIS OR CLARK
- The last full weekend in July, visit the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s annual Homecoming Celebration Powwow. Year-round, visit the pasture of the nation’s bison herd, also located in Winnebago.
- Visit the Washington County Museum in Fort Calhoun to discover the history of the county and surrounding region, from prehistoric artifacts to Native American languages to a display on Lewis and Clark.
- A quarter of the U.S. Army was once stationed at Fort Atkinson State Historical Park in Fort Calhoun. Visit to experience life in an 1820s military fort and see periodic living-history demonstrations from May through October.
- While you’re in Fort Calhoun, wander the vast floodplains of the Missouri River at Boyer Chute National Wildlife Refuge. These wetlands shelter migrating birds in spring and fall.
NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY LINCOLN HIGHWAY
450 MILES | 6 HOURS, 30 MIN.
The Route: U.S. 30 across the state
What’s your rush? Get off the interstate and experience the history of pioneers, cowboys and Pony Express riders — plus cultural and natural treasures — as you cross the entire state of Nebraska.
4 AMAZING HISTORIC DISCOVERIES
- What is now the Fort Sidney Museum ceased operation in 1899, but its post commander’s home, officers’ quarters and powder-magazine building remain. Visit to learn the history of Sidney’s days as a railroad town.
- Learn about the Pony Express Trail and the brave riders who made deliveries along this route stretching from Missouri to California at the Pony Express Station in Gothenburg. Inside this free attraction, you’ll find exhibits and artifacts detailing the historic trail.
- Visit the Andrew Jackson Higgins National Memorial in Columbus to see a full-size replica of the Landing Craft, Vehicle, Personnel (LCVP or “Higgins boat”), designed by the native Nebraskan, which helped American and Allied forces storm the beaches of Normandy on D-Day in WWII.
- Originally built by Mormon pioneers in 1846, the restored Florence Mill in Omaha now houses the Winter Quarters Mill Museum and ArtLoft Gallery.
LOUP RIVERS
150 MILES | 2 HOURS, 30 MIN.
The Route: State 11 and State 91 between Dunning and Wood River
From far-stretching farmlands, red barns and silos to the nature-scapes of the Sandhills and Calamus River, this byway is a treat for photographers and those willing to just sit back, relax and take it all in.
4 WAYS CENTRAL NEBRASKA TAKES CENTER STAGE
- For Jeep tours, tanking, tubing and lodging, book a Sandhills adventure with Calamus Outfitters. Float down the Calamus River Nebraska-style, take an ecotour to explore the habitats of these grass-stabilized sand dunes and enjoy the dark-sky views overhead before retiring to your cabin or lodge for the night.
- See the most complete historical fort in Nebraska: Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park near Elyria. Hartsuff became a fortress for the friendly Pawnee nation and pioneers.
- The Happy Jack Peak and Chalk Mine in Scotia is the only publicly accessible chalk room and pillar mine in North America. Explore more than 6,000 square feet of honey-combed caves inside.
- Sample everything from freshly baked loaves of bread to cookies, kolaches, cinnamon rolls and scotcharoos to pizza at The Danish Bakery in Dannebrog.
HERITAGE HIGHWAY
238 MILES | 4 HOURS
The Route: U.S. 136 between Edison and Brownville
Traversing 10 counties, the Heritage Highway Scenic Byway transports road-trippers to communities where Nebraska’s history is preserved and worth exploring. Whether you start or end in historical Brownville, take time to explore the Missouri, America’s longest river.
4 CAN’T-MISS MUST-SEES
- Take a guided tour of the Willa Cather Childhood Home in Red Cloud. See photographs, furniture and other family artifacts at this National Historic Landmark where the famed author grew up.
- Want to stretch your legs with a tranquil view? Take an extended break at Superior Estates Winery in Superior, where vineyard views pair nicely with Nebraska wine.
- With two lakes and 55 acres to explore, Alexandria State Recreation Area near Fairbury is perfect for fishing, hiking and picnicking. Campers will find 45 electric hookup sites and eight primitive campsites.
- In Fairbury, explore the 350-acre Rock Creek Station State Historical Park. Amid prairie hilltops, creek bottoms and rugged ravines, you’ll discover deep ruts carved by wagons that traveled the Oregon and California trails.
BRIDGES TO BUTTES
197 MILES | 3 HOURS
The Route: U.S. 20 between the Wyoming border and Valentine
From the high bridges of Valentine to the high plains near the Wyoming border, this route takes you through rolling Sandhills in the east, wild prairies in the northern panhandle and scenic buttes, the Pine Ridge and Fort Robinson in the west.
4 STOPS WORTH STOPPING FOR
- Take in the awe-inspiring vistas at Toadstool Geologic Park north of Crawford, where you can hike along unusual geological structures and fossil deposits. The park also features six campsites equipped with picnic tables, grills and fire rings.
- Stargazing, hiking and many more outdoor experiences await you in the foothills of the Pine Ridge when you stay at Our Heritage Guest Ranch near Crawford.
- Cozy up with espresso drinks, cocktails and delicious food at Chadron’s Bean Broker Coffee House & Pub.
- Visit the Tri-State Old Time Cowboys Memorial Museum in Gordon to explore cowboy artifacts dating back to the 1880s.
385-GOLD RUSH
131 MILES | 2 HOURS
The Route: U.S. 385 between Chadron and Sidney
At its peak in the 1870s, more than $200,000 worth of gold (more than $7 million today) traveled this historical route daily. Today, U.S. 385 is considered one of the most scenic and historical roads in the nation, with impressive pine-covered buttes, rolling hills and lush river valleys.
4 GREAT GOLDEN MEMORY-MAKERS
- Stop by the Chadron State College campus and visit Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center to learn about the history of the region, high plains cattle ranching, Sandoz and her writings. Then, explore the Heritage Gardens, which surround the center, to see the area’s botanical history.
- You have to see Carhenge to believe it: Built as a tribute to his father, Jim Reinders’ free Alliance attraction uses 39 spray-painted automobiles to form a replica of Stonehenge. The artist studied the famed monolithic site before beginning construction.
- Relive the history of the Sandhills region at the Knight Museum and Sandhills Center in Alliance, where exhibits delve into the area’s pioneer past, Native American life, railroad heritage and the larger -than-life personalities who settled in the area.
- Two rock formations, Courthouse and Jail Rocks, signaled to pioneers that they were on the right track during a transcontinental journey west. Where the rocks rise more than 240 feet above Pumpkin Creek in Bridgeport, take advantage of epic views and photo ops.
OUTLAW TRAIL
231 MILES I 3 HOURS, 45 MIN.
The Route: State 12 between South Sioux City and Valentine
Add stops at Lewis and Clark State Recreation Area, Smith Falls State Park and Valentine National Wildlife Refuge — some of Nebraska’s top outdoor playgrounds — for a wilder outlaw experience.
4 WILD WAYS TO BE WOWED
- Hit the Niobrara National Scenic River for water recreation surrounded by dramatic bluffs, diverse wildlife and gorgeous waterfalls. Brewers Canoers & Tubers in Valentine is your outfitter for renting canoes, kayaks and tubes.
- Home to the highest waterfall in the state, Smith Falls State Park is a must if you’re traveling near Valentine. The park offers access to the Niobrara National Scenic River, so it’s the perfect destination for fishing, canoeing, kayaking and tubing.
- Grab a beer and burger from Elsie Eiler at Monowi Tavern. Tourists from all over the world travel to Monowi each year to visit Eiler, the mayor and lone citizen of the nation’s smallest town, and hear her story.
- At Ohiya Casino & Resort in Niobrara, owned and operated by the Santee Sioux Nation, play a variety of machine games, check out the evening’s entertainment and enjoy restaurant specials.
©Nebraska. View All Articles.
Scenic Byways
https://digital.milespartnership.com/article/Scenic+Byways/5065711/855850/article.html