10 Perfect Places In Nebraska For People Who Hate Crowds
By Delana Lefevers|Published January 14, 2017
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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.
Sure, we talk a lot about how the people in Nebraska are wonderful and friendly. But sometimes you just really want to go somewhere without having to contend with lines and crowds and just other people in general. Of course, with such a large part of the state being so sparsely populated, there are plenty of places to go where you won’t have to throw elbows to enjoy yourself.
This ghost town was once a boomtown, but when the need for potash dried up so did Antioch's usefulness. Today remnants of some of the buildings are still on site and look like eerie alien structures. (Visit at your own risk and always be careful around old buildings.) Read more about Antioch here.
In the extreme southwestern corner of Nebraska is the state's highest point - but you won't find a dramatic summit here. Just a gentle road that leads up to this modest marker. The market is on private property and there is a $3/person entry fee. Also, visitors are asked to be respectful of the bison that live there. Panorama Point made our list of unique attractions.
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3. Scott Lookout Tower, Nebraska National Forest, Bessey Ranger District
The only functional fire tower in Nebraska is about as secluded as you can get from both humans and animals. Rising 50 feet into the air, the lookout tower offers an amazing vantage point of the forest, which in itself is a beautifully uncrowded place. Read more about the tower here.
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4. Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge, 30 miles north of Oshkosh
This delightfully uncrowded refuge is just unlimited beauty everywhere you look. There's a very good chance that, even if you visit over and over, the only other people you'll ever see will be far from you. Read more here.
This recreation area hasn't been as built up and tamed as some others, so there's a delightfully natural feel to it. You probably won't be alone there in the summer, but it's definitely far less crowded than many other lakes. Enders Reservoir was on our list of 14 magical lakes in Nebraska.
This 272-mile journey will take you through the Sandhills, a region that is both breathtakingly beautiful and unique to Nebraska. Get out and explore the towns along the way or just stay in the car and enjoy the scenery.
It may seem unusual to include an Omaha location, but Chalco is so big that there's plenty of room for everyone. The recreation area spans 1,186 acres, including the 246-acre Wehrspann Lake, and there are trails and green spaces everywhere.
8. Sandy Channel State Recreation Area, near Elm Creek
On the Steamboat Trace Trail, the soft sandstone cliffs bear some truly incredible sculptures that were (almost) all created by area resident Roland Sherman beginning in the 1960s. Read all about the carvings here. You may not be alone on the Steamboat Trace Trail, but it's not the most crowded trail you could find...and getting up close to this art is worth seeing a few people.
10. Victoria Springs State Recreation Area, near Anselmo
This is one of the lesser-frequented recreation areas, but it definitely shouldn't be. This gorgeous natural space is just perfect for getting out and enjoying Nebraska. Read more about it here.
At many of these places, you’ll be hard-pressed to see another soul at all. At others, you’ll have some company – but you’ll most likely never be uncomfortably crowded. What are your favorite places to get away from civilization for a while? Tell us about them in the comments!
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