Everyone In Nebraska Should Take This Underappreciated Scenic Drive
By Delana Lefevers|Published November 04, 2018
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Delana Lefevers
Author
As a lifelong Nebraskan, Delana loves discovering the many hidden treasures of her state. She has worked as a writer and editor since 2007. Delana's work has been featured on more than a dozen websites and in Nebraska Life Magazine.
We’ve all got our favorite relaxing drives that we take to get out of the house and enjoy nature – but maybe it’s time to branch out. This western Nebraska drive is absolutely stunning and woefully under-appreciated.
Welcome to the Western Trails Scenic and Historic Byway.
The 144-mile byway stretches from Ogallala to the Wyoming border. It will take you around three hours to travel the entire byway, but you may want to budget some extra time to stop and explore some of the significant natural and historic landmarks along the way.
Ogallala, a city of just under 5,000 residents, marks the beginning of the byway. It was once the wildest of Wild West towns, though it has since calmed considerably. If you have the time, spend a while in Ogallala getting in touch with Nebraska's past.
The entire route is filled with lovely sights. It follows the path of the Oregon and Mormon trails, which carried so many brave travelers toward their futures out west.
The byway follows the North Platte River most of the way. Several notable bodies of water can be seen on the Western Trails Byway. Lake McConaughy, the largest lake in the state, is arguably the most remarkable.
These rock formations are some of our state's most beautiful and most recognizable features. You can't see all of them from the road - you'll need to make a detour to visit Chimney Rock, for example - but it's easy enough to hop off and hop back onto the route.
In fact, there are several places along the byway where you can get out and see the wagon ruts left by those pioneers. Ash Hollow State Park and Robidoux Pass are two particularly great spots to see them.
For more information and an interactive map of Western Trails Scenic and Historic Byway, click here. Have you ever driven this beautiful, historic path? Share your experiences in the comments!
Nebraska has nine officially designated scenic byways – click here to learn about them all.
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