Visit North Platte
(North Platte, Nebraska, March 14, 2024) – Each spring, something magical happens in the heart of the Great Plains. More than 80 percent of the world’s population of sandhill cranes converge on Nebraska’s Platte River valley—a critical sliver of habitat in North America’s Central Flyway. During this time approximately 400,000 of these Sandhill Cranes will spend that time in the North Platte and Lincoln County area.
At sunrise and sunset, the North Platte River is the perfect place to view the spectacular concentrations of sandhill cranes as they awake and take off for another day of feeding and dancing, or as they come to strategically roost for the night. The City of North Platte had previously installed a viewing wall along the riverbank at their public viewing location at 301 W 18th Street in North Platte. This location is used by both visitors and locals alike and has gained more traffic in recent years. With this spot growing in popularity, the City of North Platte felt that expanding the viewing opportunities there would be beneficial.
After looking at several funding sources, they decided to apply for a Watchable Wildlife Grant. These grants are funded through the Wildlife Conservation Fund of the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission to help develop wildlife-viewing and nature-based experiences in Nebraska. In collaboration with Visit North Platte, the City of North Platte was successfully granted the funding and was able to add two brand new, fully enclosed viewing blinds. Each blind has two windows facing the river that offer stunning views of the Sandhill Cranes.
For those looking to use the area, please read the etiquette signage at the location and please be respectful of the birds while you are there. For sunrise viewing, you will need to arrive while it is still completely dark out, so it is recommended that you first visit the location in daylight to familiarize yourself with the walking path and the blinds. For sunset viewing, please arrive before sunset begins.