Sandy Beaches of Central Nebraska

For the price of some sunscreen, bug spray, and a little bit of gas, central Nebraskans can walk our own sandy beach in the form of the nearly empty Platte River in late August and early September. The Alda Crane Viewing Site provides a perfect parking spot that allows easy access to the riverbed with only a slight climb down. There you will find tracks of various animals including deer, raccoons, birds, and even humans. The view seems to go on forever and realistically, the walk can be as short or long as you wish. We spent a couple of hours exploring, picking up walking sticks from those who had walked before us and left them on the bank. Streams of tiny fish still swim in what is left of the Platte are surely hoping for rain soon to save them from a dry end. I imagine deer bedded down in the surrounding vegetation wait for dusk before venturing out into what’s left of the open river to drink. This year, 2022, is Nebraska’s 15th driest on record in the past 128 years which has become a problem for not only farmers but wildlife as well. However, there are still beautiful wildflowers and cattails that line the river, and our own Nebraska driftwood is good for bonfires on cool nights.