There is a place in America virtually untouched by the hand of man. It is the Nebraska Sandhills, the largest area of stabilized sand dunes in the northern hemisphere, occupying nearly 20,000 square miles. In this wind blown ocean of undulating dunes, native grasses, wildflowers and vivid blue lakes abound. Nature is still the master of the land. Nebraska Highway 2, the Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway, (SJNSB) bisects this ancient ground, leading travelers to treasures undiscovered anywhere else.
Grand Island, the eastern portal of the byway, has the largest gathering of Sandhill Cranes on earth descend upon the nearby Platte River for a stopover on their annual migration northward every spring. Over 500,000 of these birds make brilliant morning eruptions into the sky as they leave their nighttime river roost to feed. Their evening return ritual is no less breathtaking as backlit by pink, orange, and amber sunsets, they settle onto the river, their distinctive vocals provide a concert like no other. April birding enthusiasts can view the mating ritual of the prairie chickens or sharptail grouse on leks, which is called 'booming'. Those who have seen both of these century old rituals, the cranes and the booming call it spiritual, awe inspiring.
Farms of corn and soybeans dot the viewshed from Grand Island west until just past Anselmo, where the Sandhills start gently rolling. One is now entering ranch country, where some of the best beef in the world is raised. Farms and ranches on this byway have been home to multigenerational families. Small towns punctuate the road every few miles and friendly residents are always ready for rich conversation or give one an unique, friendly 'steering wheel wave' as they pass you on the road. Visits to out-of-the-ordinary shops and hometown cafes with some of the finest dining in America are musts for any traveler. Along the byway travelers can see in Alliance, the western portal, a replica of a tribute to England's Stonehenge made of classic American cars, or enjoy a drive-in movie in the summer at one of the few remaining outdoor theatres in the United States.
Trains are a constant companion while traveling the SJNSB. The highway and railroad tracks follow the same route through this hardy country and both parallel the trails blazed by the pioneers. Many residents from the area are descendants of those iron-willed homesteaders and harbor that same determination and work ethic today. Here are the original environmentalists, for if they have not cared for the land and the livestock that is their business, they would not be here for 5 or 6 generations. Here man adapts to the land and Mother Nature.
In the center of the byway, the largest hand-planted forest in the northern hemisphere is found, where hiking, river recreation, birding, or horseback riding can be enjoyed as well as the largest public ATV area in the state is found.
Part of the largest underground aquifer in the world is under the Sandhills. The Ogallala Aquifer percolates into ponds and marshes providing habitat for a myriad of fish, reptile, amphibian, and bird species, as well as watering holes for deer, antelope, coyote and other creatures. Wildlife and wildflowers abound because of the water beneath.
Explore Nebraska Highway 2, the Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway. You'll leave with an immediate desire to return, a sense of rejuvenation and the comforting feeling of knowing that there is still a wild place in the world right in the heart of Nebraska.