Sandhill Cranes

Each year several hundred thousand Sandhill Cranes will spend six weeks in the Platte River valley near North Platte on their way to their nesting grounds in the north. The Cranes will feed, loaf and dance in the crop fields and meadows. The spectacular Dance of the Sandhill Crane is something that can’t be experienced in a viewing blind on the river.

The best way to experience the Dance of the Sandhill Crane is to use your car as a mobile viewing blind along the rural roads. The best viewing times are mid-morning to late afternoon.

For those visitors who want to include a river blind experience in their adventure, there is a blind available at the North River Wildlife Management Area.

For morning and evening viewing, plan to arrive at the parking lot two hours prior to sunrise/sunset. It is a half-mile hike to the river. The blind is available on a first-come first-serve basis.

For more information on experiencing the Sandhill Crane Migration in the North Platte area, contact the Visitors Bureau at 800-955-4528.

Click this link to download the Sandhill Crane viewing guide. Sandhill Crane Viewing Guide