It’s no secret that Nebraska is home to some truly incredible sights. But one feature dominates the state, covering more than one-quarter of Nebraska and disproving the notion that the entire state is flat. The Sandhills stretch across north-central Nebraska, dotted here and there by towns, ranches, lakes, and recreation areas…but for the most part, this is the most isolated part of the state.
The Sandhills region is, without a doubt, one of Nebraska’s most breathtaking features.
By Ammodramus (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
It’s also one of the most surprising to those who don’t live here.
flickr/Hilton Lieberum
People seem to expect Nebraska to be one big, flat prairie - or perhaps one big corn field.
flickr/Ben Christen
In fact, Nebraska was once called “The Great American Desert” because of these grass-anchored sand dunes. Attempts to farm the area failed over and over.
flickr/Overduebook
But then ranchers discovered that the Sandhills are the perfect place to raise cattle. And it’s the ranches in the Sandhills that produce some of the best beef in the country.
flickr/Chris
These ranches are an invaluable part of our state’s economy and the country’s food supply.
flickr/Marion Patterson
But towns and ranching communities are relatively few and far between out here.
flickr/Chris
You can drive long distances without seeing another vehicle. And don’t expect street lights out here, either.
flickr/pfly
The sky is wide open, and the road ahead is obscured by these huge rolling hills, some rising up as far as 300 feet.
flickr/Erin Kinney
Ecologically speaking, the Sandhills region is an absolute treasure.
flickr/Ben Christn
Most of the land in the region has never been plowed or farmed, meaning it remains in largely the same condition as it has since long before any of us were alive.
flickr/Chris M Morris
This is an important ecological region housing large numbers of plant and animal species.
flickr/Marshal Hedin
The concentration of towns and cities in “The Nebraska Outback” is quite low, meaning that you will rarely encounter annoyances like traffic and light pollution.
Runner1928 at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
In fact, the area is so remote and so dark at night that there is an annual stargazing party in the Sandhills. It’s both an event to view the incredible night sky (which, out here, is stunning even without a telescope) and a celebration of the Sandhills as the perfect place to get away from the rest of civilization.
By Ammodramus (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
flickr/Hilton Lieberum
flickr/Ben Christen
flickr/Overduebook
flickr/Chris
flickr/Marion Patterson
flickr/pfly
flickr/Erin Kinney
flickr/Ben Christn
flickr/Chris M Morris
flickr/Marshal Hedin
Runner1928 at English Wikipedia [CC BY-SA 3.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0) or GFDL (http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/fdl.html)], via Wikimedia Commons
It may seem odd to characterize such a large portion of the state as remote and isolated, but take a trip through the Sandhills and you’ll see what we mean. Other than the occasional town or ranch, being out here truly feels like being all alone in the wilderness…and it’s an altogether magical feeling.
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