Dormant prairie grasses are bursting with energy early in the year. After sleeping through a long Nebraska winter, they’re ready to rise up towards a warming spring sun, carpeting The Sandhills with fresh hues of green along the Loup Rivers Scenic Byway and Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway.
This green carpet covering rolling sand dunes is part of what prompted the late Charles Kuralt to call the Sandhills byway one of America’s 10 most beautiful highways. It’s a destination in and of itself; drive this nearly 300-mile route from Grand Island out to Alliance for the love of the road. For the hills and the horizon. For the blue lakes with their swans and pelicans. For the vittles of small-town cafes and opportunities for your eyes linger on herds of cattle.
The Loup Rivers Scenic Byway trends north, deeper into the ecological wonder that is the Nebraska Sandhills. The Sandhills’ 20,000-square-miles of sand dunes are covered in hardy grasses. This vegetation makes the region excellent for grazing cattle. The hills, some more than 300 feet tall, rest over a deep aquifer that feeds more than 1,500 shallow lakes and ponds.
Events adjacent to the byways include Nebraska’s Big Rodeo, the Sandhills Open Road Challenge, and Nebraska’s Junk Jaunt. Explore roadside attractions such as Carhenge and Happy Jack’s Chalk Mine. Experience the prairie in its native form at the Crescent Lake or Valentine National Wildlife Refuges.
Golf courses in the Sandhills are world renowned. The Sand Hills Golf Club is a top-ten rated course if you can find a way to play at this private club. Other options set in this expansive natural setting include the Dismal River Club designed by Tom Doak and the Prairie Club’s Dunes & Pines Course near Valentine, Nebraska.
Pull the camper into the Nebraska National Forest at Halsey or up to the clear water at Calamus Reservoir. Enjoy local flavors such Runza restaurants and the Danish Baker in Dannebrog.
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