Spring-Summer Travel

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SPRING & SUMMER TRAVEL

ADVENTURES

BY WATER, LAND & SKY Exploring Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, South Dakota and Wyoming

SPECIAL SECTION • APRIL 29, 2018

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SPRING & SUMMER TRAVEL

• Sunday, April 29, 2018

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

LARRY PORTER

A yellow-headed blackbird at a marsh near Goehner, Nebraska. Photographic opportunities in Nebraska and its border states can’t be exhausted.

A LIFETIME OF INTRIGUE

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ildlife, especially large animals such as deer, elk, moose and bears, have always intrigued me. But I never considered using a camera to capture them until I became The World-Herald’s outdoor writer.

The camera I was given in 1990 required film. In fact, I still have several rolls of film in the freezer.

When the photo department switched to digital cameras, my interest — and success — in wildlife photography began to soar. I didn’t have to be frugal with film. I could shoot photos until my shutter finger gave out.

Photo gluttony was a perfect fit for my photographic ability. On every outing, I shot dozens and dozens of photos and hoped one would turn out. That cross-my-fingers •

method carried me through 16 years of writing about the outdoors.

The turning point came four years after I retired when Sam Swartz, a Lincoln wildlife photographer, led three of us on a winter photo excursion to Yellowstone National Park. Sam patiently explained why camera settings had to be changed throughout the day. He prodded us out of bed way before dawn so we could catch that perfect morning light. It proved to be an extensive, upper-level photography class.

Back home, I found that my wife, Ruth, was an eager partner whenever I wanted to search for wildlife. In fact, I learned she had an uncanny ability to spot photo subjects in fields and woods.

We began to plan photo excursions throughout eastern Nebraska. Then our trips expanded to neighboring

states. My focus remained on animals until I had coffee one afternoon with longtime friend Jack Higgins of Lincoln.

Higgins suggested that I widen my subject matter to include birds. Until then, every bird I saw was a robin, a blue jay, a blackbird or a sparrow. I never took the time to look closely at them.

My attitude has done an about-face. Birds now are as important to me as elk, moose and bears. And I have discovered that the photographic opportunities in Nebraska and our border states can’t be exhausted.

I will spend the rest of my life exploring the Sand Hills of Nebraska, the mountains of Colorado, the Flint Hills of Kansas, the Badlands of South Dakota, the Ozarks of Missouri and Yellowstone — the crown jewel of Wyoming. See why on the following pages.

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By Larry Porter WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

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Mullen, Nebraska: Grassland courtship There were occasional squabbles, punctuated by fluttering leaps into the air.

I was completely blown away by the grassland courtship dance.

I have since watched prairie chickens on their leks — or booming grounds — in Kansas, Nebraska and South Dakota. I have taken photos at several locations. But I never got the images I wanted until Ruth and I were guests of Mitch and Patty Glidden at their Sandhills Motel in Mullen, Nebraska.

Mitch uses a school bus as a viewing blind. It is parked to provide the best angle for the sun — a huge advantage for photographers. Good weather is a plus, of course, and our day was perfect.

Watching the courtship dance of prairie chickens on their booming grounds is a must for every outdoor enthusiast. I love to recall the haunting moans that celebrate life on the prairie. I close my eyes and imagine the sound is coming from an old Indian softly blowing two notes on his flute to honor a prairie chicken that is roasting on a spit over an open fire.

LARRY PORTER

A male prairie chicken on his lek — “or booming grounds” — near Mullen, Nebraska.

White-tailed deer near Junction City, Kansas.

Several in the regal category were spotted.

LARRY PORTER

A great blue heron at the Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, Missouri.

Loess Bluffs, Missouri: Grand slam

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fter church one Sunday, Ruth and I ate lunch at a Chinese restaurant. While in the U.S. Army, I spent 13 months in South Korea. I tried, but I never mastered the art of eating with chopsticks.

As we ate, I noticed with envy a young couple a few tables away. They were exhibiting great dexterity while eating with chopsticks.

I was reminded of a photo I took last spring at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge (formerly Squaw Creek NWR) near Mound City, Missouri. It was of a great blue heron that had plucked a crawdad (more genteel folks call them crayfish) from the bottom of a shallow stream.

The great blue heron stands about 4 feet and is the largest heron in North America. Its graceful neck is S-shaped much of the time — until in a lightning-fast move, its head snaps downward and disappears beneath the water. That’s when the chopsticks are employed and the dagger-like bill snatches another crawdad or a succulent fish.

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LARRY PORTER

Junction City, Kansas: Nature’s oddity

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have always wanted to capture an image of one of those trophy white-tailed deer for which Kansas is famous.

Rick Dykstra of Junction City, Kansas, is with the Geary County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and his job enables him to feed his love of wildlife photography. He knows quite a few secret locations favored by wildlife and has shepherded me around on several occasions.

The rut was in full swing one fall and, after Rick called with an invitation, thoughts of huge bucks swirled in my mind during the drive to Junction City.

We set up our cameras, and there was a constant parade of bucks. I never saw a monster buck, but several were adorned with racks that put them in the “regal” category.

Then out of the woods stepped the Emmett Kelly of the whitetail world. Emmett Kelly, of course, was among the circus world’s most recognized clowns. This buck also had a clown-like appearance. Instead of having two antlers protruding from his head, he had at least eight. Some were nubbins, and others were spikes.

I still thank Rick for the opportunity to photograph the weirdest whitetail I’ve ever seen.

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had no idea what I was hearing the first time the hollow booming of ready-to-mate prairie chickens reached my ears. I was on a houseboat on South Dakota’s Lake Francis Case when I heard those awesome sounds before daybreak.

At first, it sounded like wind moaning through the trees. But the wind that morning was still.

And there were no trees. I grabbed my binoculars and finally located the source of the sound.

We had unwittingly moored the houseboat near a lek — the gathering place for prairie chickens that had woo on their minds.

I was mesmerized as I watched the dance of male prairie chickens. Orange air sacs — the source of those hollow moans — filled like helium balloons on each side of the neck. Neck feathers were extended and appeared to be horns. Orange eyebrows glowed in the early-morning light.

Males furiously stamped their feet and made short, little runs, displaying their beauty to any appreciative female watching. Their wings were extended a bit and curved downward, much like a tom turkey holds his wings when he struts.

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SPRING & SUMMER TRAVEL

• Sunday, April 29, 2018

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

LARRY PORTER LARRY PORTER

A bull elk in Estes Park, Colorado. Rocky Mountain National Park offers some of the best viewing in America.

Grand Teton National Park: Magic light

Rocky Mountain National Park: Elk thrill hicle, and I moved my tripod to keep the vehicle between me and the bull.

I ended up making a 360-degree move around the vehicle.

None of the elk gave me a sniff, but I certainly was aware of their presence as they trundled past me while I crouched behind the vehicle.

There were some pine trees just off the road. I snapped this image as the bull walked past one of the trees. Because I was using a 400 lens with a 2x extender, the bull is not as close as it appears to be. But I had already determined that I was going to join Ruth in the vehicle and that the camera equipment would have to fend for itself if the bull even turned its head in my direction.

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hen Ruth and I began planning a trip to the Yellowstone National Park area, a visit with Lincoln photographer Sam Swartz was a requirement. Two years earlier, Sam led a winter trip to Yellowstone for me and two others who wanted to sharpen our camera skills. It proved to be a photography course on steroids.

Still eager to teach, Sam provided Ruth and me a list of the area’s best photography sites, along with directions to each. At the top of his list was Schwabacher Landing in Grand Teton National Park.

Sam’s message was simple. If we wanted to fully experience the beauty of the Tetons, we had to see them bathed in the rays of a rising sun and reflected in the waters of the Snake River.

The landing is about 16 miles north of Jackson off U.S. Highway 89. We arrived well before sunrise, but the parking lot was already bustling with photographers eager to capture this iconic landscape image. Most of the folks, tripods over shoulders and cameras in hand, headed up the 1.8-mile path in search of the perfect spot.

I wasn’t being lazy, but it seemed to me that the promise of unfolding beauty was just a short walk from the parking area to the water. An industrious

family of beavers had created a backwater pond.

There were no ripples on the water from the current or rock rubble, which meant Grand Teton and its accompanying peaks would be reflected perfectly on the calm surface. At 13,775 feet, Grand Teton is the highest peak of the Teton Range and the second-highest in Wyoming.

I set up my tripod, attached the camera and waited for the sunrise to shower the Tetons in the early-light colors of purple and pink. The gradual awakening began. Then for just a few short moments the perfect light rained down. Images of mountain peaks and trees were mirrored on the still surface, and the water enhanced their features. Ruth was so awed that she spoke in a whisper, almost as if afraid that a harsh consonant would shatter the still beauty.

We lingered in that spot long after the magic light evaporated. Photographers who had hiked up the path filed past us, and some stopped to chat about their Schwabacher moment. Most were a bit disappointed because the water surface in their areas upstream was rippled, and the reflections of mountain peaks were distorted.

I blew a kiss of thanks to a beaver that swam past just as we were leaving.

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hen you can’t get the entire head and antlers of an elk into a frame, you know you’re pretty close. Few places in America offer better viewing of elk than Estes Park, Colorado. They even meander along the streets and sidewalks of the town.

Rocky Mountain National Park is near Estes Park. Ruth and I love to go there each fall and listen to the haunting sounds of bugling bull elk as they compete for cows during the mating season.

We were watching this bull elk and some cows in a meadow. Soon the entire herd started walking slowly in our direction. I had set up my tripod on the road near our vehicle. As the elk moved closer, Ruth climbed back into the ve-

The Teton Range at sunrise. No ripples marred the photo.

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Nebraska National Forest: Wide sky

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have always been a sucker for unusual cloud formations.

I climbed the stairs of the observation tower at the Nebraska National Forest near Halsey in anticipation of shooting a typically spectacular Nebraska sunset. Instead, I discovered this aerial waterfall.

I have stared at this image many times. Each time my mind transports me to the rim of a canyon where a wide river is running east to west. I can feel the cool vapor and hear the roar of the water as it thunders over the falls.

When I was a kid, my brothers and I would lie on our backs and turn clouds into animals, birds and fish. I still do that. Being able to imagine is a wonderful gift.

This sunset in Halsey, Nebraska, was like an aerial waterfall.

LARRY PORTER

South Dakota Badlands: Magnificent desolation

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here are places where you never want to live, but you never tire of visiting.

For me, the South Dakota Badlands is such a place. The 244,000-acre Badlands National Park is a prime example of magnificent desolation. Here is how the National Park Service describes the Badlands: “This land has been so ruthlessly ravaged by wind and water that it has become picturesque. (It is) a wonderland of bizarre, colorful spires and pinnacles, massive buttes and deep gorges. Erosion of the Badlands reveals sedimentary layers of different colors: purple and yellow (shale), tan and gray (sand and gravel), red and orange (iron oxides) and white (volcanic ash). …

“The skeletons of ancient camels, threetoed horses, sabertoothed cats and giant rhinoceros-like creatures are among the many fossilized species found here. … Prehistoric bones are still being uncovered today by park officials.”

The landscape becomes awash in those colors whenever the sun bursts through the clouds after rain. Early-summer greenery is provided by the largest protected mixedgrass prairie in the United States. But in the fall, when the grass turns to brown, visitors must look past the obvious desolation to find the life that flourishes there.

The wildlife soon becomes obvious.

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tiny shrews to 2,000-pound buffalo, strive to scratch out a living here. Prairie dog towns stop a lot of human traffic — and also draw predators such as badgers, bobcats, coyotes, swift foxes and rare black-footed ferrets, which were reintroduced into the Badlands in 1994. Antelope, mule and white-tailed deer and bighorn sheep also live here. Hikers should be aware that prairie rattlesnakes also are residents.

Golden eagles and prairie falcons nest on the high, steep cliffs. Also soaring overhead, searching out those inevitable creatures that succumb to the harsh conditions, are turkey vultures, to which I am inexplicably drawn.

A roadside sunflower captured my attention when Ruth and I visited the Badlands last fall . It offered such a stark contrast to the landscape that I had to shoot a photo of it. While I was flat on my belly, with my legs extended onto the road, I heard a vehicle approaching. It was a bus filled with tourists, who stared out their windows at an old guy face-down in this place that smacked of desolation, yet gave life to this colorful sunflower.

Fortunately, no turkey vultures were circling overhead. Later, however, I did manage to capture one with my camera as he was about to leave his perch on a fence post and take a look-about for lunch.

LARRY PORTER

Badlands National Park in South Dakota is home to the largest protected mixed-grass prairie in the United States.

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We don’t fix ‘em ...We bury ‘em

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Where are automobiles buried in the same manner as in ancient times?

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SPRING & SUMMER TRAVEL

• Sunday, April 29, 2018

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

A Destination Unto Itself

Award Winning Historic Hotel built in 1913 Nestled in Perry, Iowa – Two hours from Omaha, North of Des Moines LARRY PORTER

An elusive mandarin, far left, and wood ducks at Holmes Lake Park in Lincoln. The birds are related.

Holmes Lake, Lincoln: World-class beauties

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here are times when a favorite photograph is the result of someone else, not the photographer.

It was 6:30 a.m., and Ruth and I were leaving Lincoln for Armstrong Station, Ontario, to visit the Brodhagen family. Dusty now operates Bear Creek Outfitters, an archery bear hunting camp, but his parents, Rob and Sandy, still have an active role. I’ve hunted with the Brodhagens for 13 years, and the reason for the trip was to show Ruth the area.

We first had to pick up some dry ice for the cooler, and Holmes Lake was on the way to the grocery store. As we approached the lake, Ruth suggested we drive through the park to check out any birds that might be on the water or in the trees. We pulled into a parking spot, and there was an excited Steve Kruse, a Lincoln birder.

“You just missed seeing a mandarin drake,” Steve said. “He flew down the lake.

But maybe he’ll come back. He likes this part of the lake.”

Male mandarin and wood ducks are two of the most beautiful ducks in God’s creation.

Mandarins are natives of the Far East — China, Japan, Korea and southeast Russia.

Wood ducks are North America’s entry in the waterfowl beauty contest. Although they normally are a world apart, mandarin and wood ducks are related. Both have claws on their webbed feet to help them climb into hollow tree nests or to cling onto logs or branches.

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been imported into countries around the world. Some, however, have escaped captivity and exist in the wild. There are small populations in California and North Carolina. Although mandarins prefer to keep their distance from other duck species, they do associate with wood ducks — their North American cousins.

Ruth and I spent an unfruitful hour waiting for the mandarin drake to return, and I finally told Steve we had to get on the road.

“Just a minute,” he said. “I’ll run up to the next cove and see if he’s there.” I never expected Steve’s search to be successful, so we returned to the truck, and I began to stow my camera gear.

Then I saw Steve frantically waving us his way. We hopped into the truck and pulled up next to him.

“He’s here,” Steve said, flashing a huge grin. “And he’s with a drake wood duck and two wood duck hens.” I was stunned. I had never seen a mandarin duck. Now the two world-class beauties were together on a log, along with two hens and several red-eared sliding turtles.

My camera was fairly smoking as I snapped photos as fast as I could. The mandarin left the log at times and took solitary swims. He was as beautiful in the water as he was on the log. But I would have never had the opportunity for those shots if Ruth hadn’t insisted on driving through the park and if Steve hadn’t persisted in his search for the mandarin.

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LARRY PORTER

A saw-whet owl in Ida Grove, Iowa. The tiny bird spends daylight hours in conifer trees.

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Ida Grove, Iowa: A hoot to behold

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owl species, Poggensee said. They spend daylight hours in conifer trees — spruce, pine and cedar. Scotch pines are their tree of choice in Moorhead Park. Since scotch pines live only about 20 years, Poggensee has begun to plant new trees so the saw-whets will keep coming to Ida Grove.

Since Nov. 1, Poggensee has shown sawwhets to nearly 400 people. More than 1,000 people from 15 states and three foreign countries saw the tiny owls from 2015 through 2017.

“I want people to see them,” Poggensee said. “It helps (tourism) a little bit. Some people stay in town or buy dinner and gasoline. I just have an interest to share them with people. I’ve spent untold hours trying to help people see them.”

When visitors come to see the owls, Poggensee first spends two hours alone each morning pushing aside branches and peering into trees in search of the little birds. He seldom strikes out. But it’s a tedious search.

“When the weather is not really good, they go into deeper cover,” Poggensee said.

“Then they’re almost invisible. You have to know what you’re looking for — the whitewash (droppings) and pellets on the ground if they’re in that tree more than one or two nights.”

The tiny owls migrate from Canada’s boreal forest in early October and begin to return north about mid-March. Females migrate farther south because they can’t hunt as efficiently as males do in deep snow.

Poggensee has helped band owls in the park for five years. All banded birds have been females, and all were first-time visitors to Moorhead Park.

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iz Garcia, the owl whisperer from Utica, Nebraska, told me in February that she was planning a trip to Ida Grove, Iowa, to see and photograph a northern sawwhet owl. I had never heard of a saw-whet owl, but my curiosity certainly was aroused.

My old fishing partner, Kent Hutcheson, and his wife, Francie, live in Ida Grove during the winter months when he is not guiding at Lake Oahe near Pierre, South Dakota. I decided to pay them a visit. But first I called Hutch and asked whether he knew anything about saw-whet owls. He was in the dark as much as I was, but he said he would make a few calls to some friends around town.

A few minutes later, my phone rang.

“You’re in luck,” Hutch said. “There’s a guy who has been taking people to see those owls for years. His name is Don Poggensee.

I knew him when we were kids in Denison.

He said he’d meet us tomorrow morning at 10 o’clock.”

Poggensee, a retired corporate pilot and a skilled outdoor photographer, has been keeping track of saw-whet owls in Ida Grove’s Moorehead Park for 29 years. He saw his first saw-whet there in 1989 and delights in giving visitors a look at America’s second-smallest owl.

A saw-whet is only 6½ inches in length from the top of its head to the tip of its tail.

The smallest owl in the U.S. is the 5½-inch elf owl that lives in the Southwest. Screech owls, common in the Midlands, are 7 to 10 inches tall. Burrowing owls are of similar size.

During the winter months, there are more saw-whets in the U.S. than any other small

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SPRING & SUMMER TRAVEL

• Sunday, April 29, 2018

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Alda, Nebraska: Rays of red

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y perch in the Crane Trust blind along the Platte River near Alda, Nebraska, allowed me to embrace a truly spectacular

LARRY PORTER

Sandhill cranes at the Crane Trust near Alda, Nebraska. The sandbars and braided channels offer protection from predators.

sunrise.

That sunrise was dessert. The meat and potatoes of the morning was being allowed to peek in the bedroom of thousands of sandhill cranes that roosted on the ribbons of sandbars in this portion of the Platte. These sandbars and braided channels offer protection from predators such as coyotes for the cranes, who roost in relative safety from dusk to dawn.

As we watched night change to morning, we marveled at the cranes as they took flight and headed to adjoining fields to feed on leftover grain.

An estimated 500,000 lesser sandhill cranes — 80 percent of the world’s population — funnel through this portion of the Platte.

As dawn provided more light, we saw a small, low-flying plane wending its way west above the river. Andrew Caven, lead biologist for the Crane Trust, was in that plane helping to count the number of cranes.

I waited for several minutes for a crane to fly into the red sky above the river, while other cranes lounged on a sandbar while waiting for full light.

A bit later, quirky lighting from the brilliant sunrise gave a flock of cranes a ghostly look as they left their roost and headed out to feed.

The sun had just popped out, and the entire Platte River Valley was awash in a reddish hue.

The wings of these cranes caught rays of red as they dipped and raised.

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HANDOUT

Iowa’s Covered Bridges Scenic Byway includes this historic bridge in Madison County. Every state has designated scenic byways.

TA K E T H E S C E N I C R O U T E Following one of America’s “scenic byways” offers boundless flexibility for choosing one’s getaway plan.

They’re the miniature versions, if you will, of the ambitious nationwide “auto tour routes” like those that follow the Oregon Trail or Route 66. Every one of the 50 states has designated scenic byways within its borders, offering trip lengths, themes and features for virtually any vacationer.

Some byways are short enough to drive in a day; others can take a week or more (if one lingers long enough). They’re organized along historic, cultural, natural or geographical lines.

Regardless of their length, routes like Kansas’ Flint Hills and Iowa’s Covered Bridges byways help travelers to explore a given state’s most famous or even little-known aspects as quickly or as intimately as they please.

A few state byways fit into the longer national touring routes, such as Nebraska’s portions of the Lincoln Highway and the Lewis and Clark Trail. Iowa’s byways include its segments of the Great River Road along the Mississippi River, which marks its 80th anniversary in 2018, and the Jefferson Highway, which includes central Iowa in its north-south run from Winnipeg to New Orleans.

Certain drives, like Wyoming’s Black Hills Scenic Byway, remind visitors that some nationally famous tourist areas cover more than one state. Colorado’s Peak to Peak Scenic Byway, established in 1918, offers a day’s worth of fun experiences and spectacular views of the Rockies within easy reach of Denver.

As for the sites and activities that follow?

Consider them mere appetizers. There’s much more to help you plan your trip at the state byways web pages included here.

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Nebraka LINCOLN HIGHWAY SCENIC & HISTORIC BYWAY Distance: 467 miles Route: U.S. Highway 30, Blair to Kimball Things to see: Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer, Grand Island; The Archway, Kearney; Buffalo Bill Ranch State Historical Park, North Platte Things to do: Gottberg Brew Pub, Columbus; Crystal Palace Revue, Front Street, Ogallala (May-August); Potter Sundry, Potter

LEWIS & CLARK SCENIC BYWAY Distance: 82 miles Route: U.S. Highway 75, Omaha to South Sioux City Things to see: Durham Museum, Omaha; Fort Atkinson State Historical Park, Fort Calhoun; Honoring-the-Clans Sculpture Garden and Cultural Plaza, Winnebago Things to do: Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, Omaha; DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge, Blair; Serendipity Chocolate Factory, Tekamah

Iowa IOWA GREAT RIVER ROAD NATIONAL SCENIC BYWAY Distance: 328 miles (Iowa), 2,069 miles (total) Route (Iowa): Various federal, state and county roads near Mississippi River, Minnesota border to Missouri border Things to see: National Mississippi River Museum and Aquarium, Dubuque; Buffalo

Bill Museum & the Lone Star Steamer, Le Claire; George M. Verity Riverboat Museum, Keokuk Things to do: Picket Fence Café & Clayton Ridge Farm Market, Guttenberg; Felix Adler Children’s Discovery Center, Clinton; Mississippi River Ecotourism Center, Camanche

Things to see: Gilpin History Museum, Central City; Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Golden; Rocky Mountain National Park, Estes Park Things to do: Central City-Black Hawk Historic District; Carousel of Happiness, Nederland; Open Air Adventure Park, Estes Park

COVERED BRIDGES SCENIC BYWAY

Wyoming

Distance: 82 miles Route: Iowa Highway 92 and county roads, Madison County, including Winterset, Bevington and St. Charles Things to see: John Wayne Birthplace Museum, Iowa Quilt Museum and the Bridges of Madison County, Winterset Things to do: White Lions B&B and Covered Bridges Winery, Winterset

JEFFERSON HIGHWAY HERITAGE BYWAY Distance: 220 miles Route: Primarily U.S. Highways 65 and 69, Northwood to Lamoni Things to see: The Music Man Square & Meredith Willson Boyhood Home, Mason City; Iowa River Water Trail, Hardin County; National Balloon Museum and U.S. Hall of Fame, Indianola Things to do: Berry Patch Farm, Nevada; Living History Farms, Des Moines; Amish Country Store, Lamoni

Colorado PEAK TO PEAK SCENIC BYWAY Distance: 55 miles Route: Colorado Highways 119, 72 and 7, Central City-Black Hawk to Estes Park

BLACK HILLS SCENIC BYWAY Distance: 78 miles Route: U.S. Highways 16 and 85, including Upton, Osage, Newcastle and Four Corners Things to see: Anna Miller Museum, Newcastle; Cambria and Tubb Town ghost towns; Thunder Basin National Grassland Things to do: Black Elk Pond, Serenity and Flying V Trails and The Antlers restaurant (Kilpatrick Brothers & Collins Commissary), Newcastle

Explore other regional scenic byway routes: Nebraska: visitnebraska.com/trips/byways Iowa: www.traveliowa.com/getinspired/thescenic-route/12 Missouri: www.modot.org/scenicbyways/ Contacts.htm Kansas: www.travelks.com/ksbyways Colorado: www.codot.gov/travel/scenicbyways Wyoming: www.travelwyoming.com/thingsto-do/scenic-byways South Dakota: www.southdakota.com/ scenic-byways •

By Todd von Kampen WORLD-HERALD CORRESPONDENT

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OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Sunday, April 29, 2018 •

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THIS IS A WEEKEND YOU WON’T WANT TO END.

TRAVELIOWA.COM

CEDAR RAPIDS

COUNCIL BLUFFS

MARSHALLTOWN

Visit Cedar Rapids for newbo evolve, a multidisciplined celebration of the bohemian creative spirit, August 3–5. Featuring Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, fashion phenom Christian Siriano, stylist Carson Kressley and more!

Come discover, explore and connect through art, entertainment and well-being.

The Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs is “Unlike anywhere else. On purpose.”

This railroad museum is top-notch – handson, high tech, interactive and fun for all ages.

Open Thursday–Saturday, 10 am–4 pm.

All aboard!

“Meet in the Middle” – a friendly and exciting place on the Lincoln Highway. Enjoy our annual events, art, history, recreational trails, a nature playscape, 30’ observation tower, historic downtown, famous Iowans exhibit including Jean Seberg and diverse local eateries.

uprrmuseum.org | 712.329.8307

marshalltown.org/visit | 800.697.3155

CHARLES CITY WHITEWATER

CRESTON / UNION COUNTY

MATCHSTICK MARVELS

Experience thrills at Iowa’s first whitewater park – great for kayaks, canoes, SUPs and inner tubes. Join the “Challenge” June 23rd – fun events on water and shore! Relax at Riverfront Park – picnic shelters, amphitheater, play area, disc golf, trails, fishing and much more!

Enjoy Three-Mile Lake and Twelve-Mile Lake, Green Valley State Park, the trails and shooting range – plus our July 4th celebration and annual Hot Air Balloon Days (3rd weekend in September).

Creston and Union County: Your Southwest Iowa destination for outdoor fun and relaxation.

The Matchstick Marvels display is wood art at its best. Patrick Acton turns ordinary wooden matchsticks into detailed works of art. Since 1977, he has used over six million matchsticks to create models both large and small such as the U.S. Capitol and the USS Iowa.

unioncountyiowatourism.com | 641.782.7022

matchstickmarvels.com | 641.473.2410

CLARINDA

DES MOINES

PELLA

“Home of Great Beginnings” – Glenn Miller Birthplace Home & Museum, Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum and Nodaway Valley Historical Museum. Enjoy our annual events: Iowa’s Largest Craft Carnival, Cruzin’ Clarinda, Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree, shopping, unique dining and more!

Des Moines is emerging and progressive.

From selfies at the Sculpture Park, snacking at the Downtown Farmers’ Market, shopping in Historic East Village or sampling an award-winning craft beer or wine, we are the perfect getaway; located at the intersection of practical and aspirational.

Visit Pella – America’s Dutch treasure!

Experience our cultural museums and windmills, taste our authentic Dutch bakeries and meat markets, and explore Pella’s charming downtown. Just minutes away, Lake Red Rock is Iowa’s largest lake featuring boating, fishing and trails.

clarinda.org | 712.542.2166

catchdesmoines.com | 800.451.2625

visitpella.com | 641.628.2626

CLEAR LAKE / MASON CITY

IOWA STATE FAIR

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY

Experience rare Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, magnificent art, sprawling gardens and extraordinary events. After a relaxing day on the lake, explore The Music Man Square and the Surf Ballroom – sites that bring music and history together like nowhere else.

Nothing Compares to State Fair Moments. The moment you ride the big slide, the moment you share a corn dog or the moment you earn a ribbon. Nothing Compares to the Iowa State Fair, August 9–19, 2018.

Float away for an unforgettable weekend!

Explore the West Nishnabotna River Water Trail in PottaWATTAmie County. Log onto wattawayiowa.com, click on Things to Do & the West Nishnabotna Water Trail Map for details.

WATTA WAY to get away!

newboevolve.com | 319.398.5009

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ccwhitewater.com | 641.228.4234

iowastatefair.org | 800.545.FAIR

travelnorthiowa.com | 800.423.5724

PLAN YOUR TRIP

wattawayiowa.com | 844.271.6909

TRAVELIOWA.COM

2080546-04

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• Sunday, April 29, 2018

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

Sunday, April 29, 2018 •

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THIS IS A WEEKEND YOU WON’T WANT TO END.

TRAVELIOWA.COM

CEDAR RAPIDS

COUNCIL BLUFFS

MARSHALLTOWN

Visit Cedar Rapids for newbo evolve, a multidisciplined celebration of the bohemian creative spirit, August 3–5. Featuring Maroon 5, Kelly Clarkson, fashion phenom Christian Siriano, stylist Carson Kressley and more!

Come discover, explore and connect through art, entertainment and well-being.

The Union Pacific Railroad Museum in Council Bluffs is “Unlike anywhere else. On purpose.”

This railroad museum is top-notch – handson, high tech, interactive and fun for all ages.

Open Thursday–Saturday, 10 am–4 pm.

All aboard!

“Meet in the Middle” – a friendly and exciting place on the Lincoln Highway. Enjoy our annual events, art, history, recreational trails, a nature playscape, 30’ observation tower, historic downtown, famous Iowans exhibit including Jean Seberg and diverse local eateries.

uprrmuseum.org | 712.329.8307

marshalltown.org/visit | 800.697.3155

CHARLES CITY WHITEWATER

CRESTON / UNION COUNTY

MATCHSTICK MARVELS

Experience thrills at Iowa’s first whitewater park – great for kayaks, canoes, SUPs and inner tubes. Join the “Challenge” June 23rd – fun events on water and shore! Relax at Riverfront Park – picnic shelters, amphitheater, play area, disc golf, trails, fishing and much more!

Enjoy Three-Mile Lake and Twelve-Mile Lake, Green Valley State Park, the trails and shooting range – plus our July 4th celebration and annual Hot Air Balloon Days (3rd weekend in September).

Creston and Union County: Your Southwest Iowa destination for outdoor fun and relaxation.

The Matchstick Marvels display is wood art at its best. Patrick Acton turns ordinary wooden matchsticks into detailed works of art. Since 1977, he has used over six million matchsticks to create models both large and small such as the U.S. Capitol and the USS Iowa.

unioncountyiowatourism.com | 641.782.7022

matchstickmarvels.com | 641.473.2410

CLARINDA

DES MOINES

PELLA

“Home of Great Beginnings” – Glenn Miller Birthplace Home & Museum, Clarinda Carnegie Art Museum and Nodaway Valley Historical Museum. Enjoy our annual events: Iowa’s Largest Craft Carnival, Cruzin’ Clarinda, Southwest Iowa Band Jamboree, shopping, unique dining and more!

Des Moines is emerging and progressive.

From selfies at the Sculpture Park, snacking at the Downtown Farmers’ Market, shopping in Historic East Village or sampling an award-winning craft beer or wine, we are the perfect getaway; located at the intersection of practical and aspirational.

Visit Pella – America’s Dutch treasure!

Experience our cultural museums and windmills, taste our authentic Dutch bakeries and meat markets, and explore Pella’s charming downtown. Just minutes away, Lake Red Rock is Iowa’s largest lake featuring boating, fishing and trails.

clarinda.org | 712.542.2166

catchdesmoines.com | 800.451.2625

visitpella.com | 641.628.2626

CLEAR LAKE / MASON CITY

IOWA STATE FAIR

POTTAWATTAMIE COUNTY

Experience rare Frank Lloyd Wright architecture, magnificent art, sprawling gardens and extraordinary events. After a relaxing day on the lake, explore The Music Man Square and the Surf Ballroom – sites that bring music and history together like nowhere else.

Nothing Compares to State Fair Moments. The moment you ride the big slide, the moment you share a corn dog or the moment you earn a ribbon. Nothing Compares to the Iowa State Fair, August 9–19, 2018.

Float away for an unforgettable weekend!

Explore the West Nishnabotna River Water Trail in PottaWATTAmie County. Log onto wattawayiowa.com, click on Things to Do & the West Nishnabotna Water Trail Map for details.

WATTA WAY to get away!

newboevolve.com | 319.398.5009

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ccwhitewater.com | 641.228.4234

iowastatefair.org | 800.545.FAIR

travelnorthiowa.com | 800.423.5724

PLAN YOUR TRIP

wattawayiowa.com | 844.271.6909

TRAVELIOWA.COM

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• Sunday, April 29, 2018

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

WHERE PIONEERS TROD Flint Hills byway takes a glorious winding route through tallgrass prairie

By Chris Christen WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

CHRIS CHRISTEN/THE WORLD-HERALD

The Chase County Courthouse in Cottonwood Falls, Kansas. Made of native limestone, it is the longest-continuous operating courthouse in the state.

The town sits along the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway.

VISITKEARNEY

Iowa Tourism 2017 Attraction of the Year

DISCOVER U.S. HISTORY THROUGH THE EYES OF THOSE WHO LIVED IT.

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A celebration of German cultural and agricultural heritage, this 10-acre park features an authentic 1660 German Hausbarn, the Leet-Hassler Farmstead that was home to a progressive early twentieth century Poland China purebred hog operation, century-old Trinity Church and is the site of the Carroll County Freedom Rock.

MUSEUM OF NEBRASKA ART visitors bureau

NEBRASKA

EXPERIENCE. EXPLORE. ENJOY!

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Hwy. 141, Manning, Iowa | germanhausbarn.com 712.655.3131 | Open daily May-Oct Just 90 minutes from Des Moines & Omaha

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EARNEY

The tallgrass prairie alone is worth the drive. But the small ranch towns steeped in history and charm enhance the allure of the Flint Hills National Scenic Byway in east-central Kansas.

The route rambles 48 miles on two-lane K-177 from Council Grove in the north to Cassoday in the south with a handful of towns and expansive views of rolling land in between. The region’s hand-cut limestone houses, barns and fences add to the visual treat.

Stop for a long look at the majestic rolling hills, suggests Patty Reece, a lover of the region as both a landowner and preservationist. Now, catch your breath and wrap your brain around the fact that the tops of the hills were once the floor of a vast ocean. And

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pioneer wagons once crossed this historic tallgrass prairie — today the largest remaining region in North America.

Plan to devote an entire day to the Flint Hills scenic byway. Vistas, historical markers, homesteads and small-town main streets will keep you fascinated and provide a wealth of photo ops. Sweeten your adventure by leaving the highway and venturing down a named side road. “If it has a street sign, it’s OK to wander down it — even though it might look like a private road,” Reece says.

SPEND A NIGHT

» Anderson Bed & Breakfast, near the Kansas State University

» Council Grove, the final stop on the Santa Fe Trail, boasts

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to view the interactive geology, ecology, culture and history exhibits. A must-see: the Immersive Experience Theater.

The presentation demonstrates the resilience of the prairie, complete with smoke from grass fires, prairie winds and rain, rivaled only by a Disney production. www.flinthillsdiscovery.org

BYWAY HIGHLIGHTS, FROM NORTH TO SOUTH

24 historical sites. Take a self-guided tour and then grab some chow at the bakery and café inside the 1861 Terwilliger House or The Hays House (try the fried chicken), the oldest continuously run restaurant west of the Mississippi. » Next stop, Strong City, gateway to the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve and adjacent Spring Hill Ranch with its 1881 limestone mansion and massive barn. Explore the property on your own for free (donations appreciated) and then skip over to the preserve for a 1.8-mile nature trail hike to a scenic overlook. » Kansas’ oldest-working — and arguably most picturesque — courthouse is the star attraction in Cottonwood Falls. Peek inside the Grand Central Hotel and Restaurant and drop by the art gallery/headquarters for Symphony in the Flint Hills, the signature event of the Kansas City Symphony combining art, music and magic under the prairie sky each June. www.symphonyintheflinthills.org » Continue on to Matfield Green and Pioneer Bluffs, an historic ranch with a 1908 farmhouse as art gallery and a mile-long limestone fence. » Cassoday, at the end your tour, is the Prairie Chicken Capital of the World. Inquire here about Prairie Chicken Booming, the springtime mating ritual that draws spectators from around the world.

Sunday, April 29, 2018 •

KURT A. KEELER

If these walls could speak, they certainly would tell of railroad barons and cattle buyers who have done business here.

Linestone fences look more like walls at Spring Hill Ranch adjacent to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve. See both along the Flint Hills scenic byway.

» With advance reservations in early spring or early fall, you

can learn first-hand about the arched-roof stone cellars found in the hills. The Volland Store for art and community near Alma hosts tours. “It’s like poking around in somebody’s attic. It’s fascinating,” says Reece, who launched the program in 2016.

The cellars date to the late 1800s, and they’re in almost every farm yard, Reece says. Most visited on the tour are still associated with the homestead. Your guide is a fourthgeneration resident of the Flint Hills. “He’s a real cowboy,” Reece says. www.thevollandstore.com

BEFORE YOU HIT THE BYWAY

» Visit the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan for a

memorable introduction to the Flint Hills. Allow 90 minutes

campus in Manhattan, makes a great home base for exploring the Flint Hills region. The host couple, Phil and Dawn Anderson, have three sparkling-fresh guest bedrooms in their Dutchthemed 1910 Craftsman-style home. Spa robes, chocolates on your pillow, fresh-baked cookies at the door, scratch breakfasts (featuring eggs from backyard chickens), bicycles to borrow.

Not handicapped-accessible. www.andersonbnb.com » The Loft at The Volland Store, nera Alma. From Alta Vista, head northeast about 6 miles on Old K-10/Mill Creek Scenic Drive. This second-level guest room has its own entry, red brick walls and loads of natural light. Kitchenette, sitting area, queen-size bed and full bath. Bed linens, towels provided.

Two-night minimum. Not handicapped-accessible. www. thevollandstore.com; 785-499-3616 » Grand Central Hotel, Cottonwood Falls. Built in 1884, meticulously restored in 1995; 10 spacious, comfortable rooms with two queen-size beds in each. Tasteful western decor, ironed sheets; restaurant and bar on the premises. Petfriendly. Handicapped-accessible. 620-273-6763

GETTING THERE

» Manhattan is a three-hour drive from Omaha. U.S. Highway 50 is the most scenic route. » In the Flint Hills region, an old-fashioned road map is advised; GPS is rarely exact. And cell phone service is extremely spotty.

chris.christen@owh.com, 402-444-1094

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OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

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OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

A group of Nebraskans and South Dakotans sets out on a hike to the summit of Black Elk Peak (formerly Harney Peak) from Sylvan Lake at Custer State Park.

D AV I D HENDEE/ THE WORLDHERALD

FIND THE HIKE THAT’S RIGHT FOR YOU Looking for a scenic hike? A wildlife-spotting trek? Or maybe a challenging workout is more your thing. Parks in Nebraska and surrounding states offer it all.

Scenery INDIAN CAVE STATE PARK Shubert, Nebraska; outdoornebraska.gov/indiancave You don’t have to go to the East Coast for leaf peeping, as some call it. Just head to Indian Cave for an autumn hike as the leaves of the hardwood forest start to turn. “It’s gorgeous,’’ says Kirk Nelson, the Nebraska Game and Parks’ trail expert.

“The fall colors are fabulous.’’ There are 22 miles of scenic hiking and biking trails in the 3,052 rugged acres of the park that borders the Missouri River. If you don’t want to wait until •

fall, you can still enjoy the sweeping views of the river.

FLINT HILLS NATURE TRAIL Central Kansas, kanzatrails.org/flint-hills-nature-trail The 117-mile trail, the seventh-longest in America, stretches from Osawatomie in the east to Herington in the west, passing through several towns and five counties. Along the old railroad corridor you can immerse yourself in the Flint Hills, one of the last remaining tallgrass prairie ecosystems in the word, home to abundant plant and wildlife and spectacular views. In the east, you’ll travel along with the Marais des Cygnes River, with its rushing water and towering bluffs and through rolling farmland and riparian woodlands.

WESTON BEND STATE PARK Kansas City, Missouri; www.mostateparks.com Want to get in some exercise on your way to or from Kansas City? There are more than 10 miles of trails at the park,

but the one that Park Superintendent Matt Carletti likes to recommend is West Trail Ridge. It starts with a scenic overlook and then takes hikers along a ridge overlooking the Missouri River Valley. The trail is 1.25 miles one way but hooks into several others for more of a workout. “It’s very popular,’’ Carletti says. The park is an important stop for migrating birds, so there are lots of opportunities to see wildlife, too.

WAUBONSIE STATE PARK Hamburg, Iowa; www.iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks With seven miles of foot trails that wind along windswept ridges and down into gorges and valleys, the park offers hikers a wonderful experience with incomparable views. The Sunset Ridge Interpretive Trail is 2.1 miles long, and visitors can learn about many of the park’s important plants and trees, as well as enjoy tremendous views across the plains of Nebraska. The park is also a site on the national Lewis and Clark Historical Trail.

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Wildlife LEWIS AND CLARK RECREATION AREA Yankton, South Dakota; www.lewisandclarkpark.com Head out on the six miles of paved trails, and you’ll likely spot white-tailed deer, wild turkeys, pheasants, quails, eagles and turkey vultures.

Lots of shore birds, too. If you’ve worked up an appetite, you can continue into Yankton for dinner. A one-mile nature trail can bring you even closer to wildlife. If you want to get off the beaten path, try the four-mile multiuse trail. “There are some pretty good hills,’’ says Shane Bertsch, district park supervisor.

STONE STATE PARK

Monona and Harrison Counties in Iowa; www. iowadnr.gov/Places-to-Go/State-Parks With more than 11,000 acres and nearly 60 miles of maintained trails, you can walk for days. “The Mondamin Unit has my favorite trail and is a heck of a workout with hundreds of species of flowering plants and more critters and insects than you can shake a walking stick at,” says area forester Jeff Seago. A nature center is near Pisgah.

Workout FORT ROBINSON STATE PARK Crawford, Nebraska; outdoornebraska.gov/ fortrobinson There are no mountains, but you’ll definitely find a challenge or two in the 60 miles of hiking trails that stretch across 22,000 acres of the Pine Ridge. Need more room to roam?

There’s plenty of Forest Service land in the area, too. “Take your water along,’’ cautions Kirk Nelson, the Game and Parks’ trail expert. Head up the buttes, and you’ll likely spot some bighorn sheep. If you are really, really lucky, Nelson says, maybe you’ll see a mountain lion. “This is their home range, but

they are hard to see. There aren’t that many of them around.’’ The park has been named one of the nation’s top family reunion spots.

CHADRON STATE PARK Eight miles south of Chadron, Nebraska; outdoornebraska.gov/chadron Head farther west, and you’ll find many more adventures in Nebraska’s first state park nestled among the distinctive buttes and canyons of the Pine Ridge. Between the park and the Nebraska National Forest next door, there are more than 100 miles of trails.

“I think we have some of the best trails in the state,’’ says Park Superintendent Gregg Galbraith. “The view from the buttes and the aesthetic value of the Pine Ridge is just breathtaking.’’ Those buttes are where the challenge comes in, but there are more level opportunities around the cabin areas.

G E T AWAY TO K A N SA S C I T Y W I T H A W E E K E N D PAC K AG E T H AT ’ S A P E R F EC T F I T !

CUSTER STATE PARK Four miles north of Custer, South Dakota; gfp.sd.gov/parks/detail/custer-state-park The 3.2-mile Sunday Gulch Trail is one of the most unusual in western South Dakota.

The trailhead is at Sylvan Lake, then it winds through some granite spires and drops down to follow a creek. You’ll need some bouldering skills as you scramble over the rocks. “It’s definitely one of our more popular hikes,’’ says trails manager Jayme Severyn.

“It’s a challenge, but it’s very rewarding.’’

Photographers will find amazing photo opportunities from the overlooks. If that sounds a little scary, Severyn says, try one of the easier trails.

Plan your visit to Kansas City soon and choose from a variety of affordable packages at

the Kansas City Marriott Downtown. You’ll love our luxurious guestrooms, elegant

amenities and our great location just steps from the Power and Light District. When

you get here you’ll find plenty to do, from Sporting KC Soccer and Royals at Kaufman

Stadium, to Worlds of Fun, the Country Club Plaza and more. Plus a fabulous line up of

concerts at Sprint Center and the Midland Theater.

marjie.ducey@owh.com, 402-444-1034, twitter.com/mduceyowh

JOIN LOUP CITY FOR SUMMER FUN!

MAY 18 - Rose Lane Golf Tourney JUNE 8-10 - Loup City Annual Polish Days

Polish food, street dances, beer garden, carnival, golf tournament, vendors. Sherman County Museum.

JULY 7 - C-4 Summer Concert Sherman County Fairgrounds.

Benefitting Loup City Fire Rescue and First Responders and tribute to Veterans. Featuring John King (from Nashville), Sheila Greenland, Prodigal Son (Concert Tickets available on Freshtix. com “C4” event); Food available. Finishing with Loup City Chamber Free Fireworks show.

JULY 7 - Citywide Garage Sales JULY 21-24 - Sherman County Fair At fairgrounds

Visit our website to choose the best package for you.

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THE WORLD-HERALD

Indian Cave State Park. It’s gorgeous in the fall.

July 21st, afternoon - Ranch Rodeo July 22nd, 3 pm - Demolition Derby July 23rd, 7 pm - Family Fun Night July 24th - BBQ in VFW Hall (4:30 - 7pm) and Bull Riding event (7 pm) 3 AUGUST - Loup City Annual Chamber Golf Tournament Contact Loup City Chamber Facebook page or 308-745-0430

200 West 12th Street Kansas City, MO 64105 816.421.6800 www.KansasCityMarriottDowntown.com

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Sioux City, Iowa; www.iowadnr.gov/Placesto-Go/State-Parks You’ll find eight miles of hiking and crosscountry ski trails at this national urban wildlife sanctuary. It has a large population of whitetailed deer, wild turkey and many varieties of birds, including turkey vultures, barred owls, rufous-sided towhees and ovenbirds. Rare butterflies, such as the Pawnee skipper and Olympia white, are found on the prairie ridges.

Visitors also can stop by the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center, which features interpretive displays, including a “walk-under” prairie, a 400-gallon aquarium of native fish and natural history dioramas.

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OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

M E G A N FA R M E R

Float trips draw 30,000 people to the Niobrara River and its canyon areas, stunning waterfalls and wildlife every year.

NO OCEAN? NO PROBLEM Midwest overflows with options for water fun

Just because there are no oceans in the Midwest doesn’t mean there isn’t any water fun to be had. There are lakes and rivers of every size in this area, with so much to do many times a day trip isn’t enough.

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IOWA GREAT LAKES Dickinson County, Iowa; www.vacationokoboji.com.

There’s a reason why Okoboji and the seemingly endless number of lakes in Dickinson County are hugely popular. The list of water activities includes parasailing, tubing, tanking, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, kayaking, white-water rafting, boating, fishing, flyboarding and other extreme water sports and water parks. There’s so much to do that a day isn’t enough — people usually plan on a weekend or longer. Because of all of those

fun-filled activities, if you are looking for more solitary pursuits on the water, one of the smaller lakes might be best.

NIOBRARA RIVER Valentine, Nebraska; www.nps.gov/niob/index.htm Beautiful canyon areas, stunning waterfalls and lots of wildlife. What isn’t there to love about this 76-mile water trail and surrounding area? Don’t be intimidated by the length; there are plenty of spots to put in and take out for a shorter day. Or plan on a multiday trip to see all the sights of the area. Outfitters provide

canoes, kayaks and tubing equipment. “If you haven’t floated the Niobrara, I would highly recommend doing it,’’ says Craig Wacker, recreation planner for the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. “It’s a little more unique for Nebraska.’’

LAKE RATHBUN 10 miles southwest of Chariton, Iowa; www.centervilleia.com/rathbun-lake If Lake Red Rock, with its large waves, is too busy for you, head an hour south to 11,000acre Lake Rathbun to stand-up paddle and kayak. You’ll find much less boat travel, and •

By Marjie Ducey WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

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there’s even a first-come, first-served primitive camping area that is accessible only from the water. When you’re done in the water, enjoy a trail hike in restored native grasslands. ”I think it has the best sunsets over the water in the state,’’ says Todd Robertson, outreach coordinator for river programs for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

DESOTO NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE LAKE Missouri Valley, Iowa; www.fws.gov/refuge/Desoto The no-wake lake is 7 miles long and 750 surface acres in size and is great for kayaking and paddling, but the wildlife viewing might steal the show. “That’s what attracts people the most, all the wildlife,’’ Robertson says.

Once you get all the pictures you want or maybe drop a line for a little fishing, you can paddle in a loop that takes you from the lake out onto the Missouri River and back.

Although it’s a great place to see wildlife, the lake is closed during migration periods to minimize the disturbance to the thousands of waterbirds that use DeSoto as a resting area.

Lewis & Clark Recreation Area in Yankton, South Dakota.

You can enjoy just about any kind of water fun on this lake.

LEWIS & CLARK R E C R E AT I O N AREA

BIG LAKE AT BIG LAKE STATE PARK water sports, and has good clean water and great crappie, catfish and white bass fishing.

Wind surfing is popular near Clinton State Park, and you’ll see quite a few sailboats, too.

Once you’re tired of the water, Clinton Lake offers nearly 100 miles of hiking, biking and equestrian trails of varying levels. There’s even a five-mile cross-country ski trail. “The trails are my favorite part, and they offer something for everyone,’’ says Samantha Jones, park manager for the US Army Corps of Engineers.

below the dam has been stocked over the years with bluegill, bass, walleye and catfish.

“There is just a little bit of everything to do,’’ says District Park Supervisor Shane Bertsch.

WEST NISHNABOTNA RIVER WATER TRAIL Avoca, Iowa; www.pottcoconservation.com The 28-mile trail is perfect for tubing, not to mention canoeing, kayaking and tanking. It’s a typical Iowa prairie stream: slow, lazy and wide. The danger factor is low, and there are few hazards. Sandbars provide perfect lunch spots. The trail starts in Avoca, but there are at least five towns with access, making it easy to put in and out. If there’s been a lot of rain, be sure to check the water levels to ensure it’s still safe to enjoy.

LEWIS AND CLARK RECREATION AREA Yankton, South Dakota; www.lewisandclarkpark.com You can enjoy just about any kind of water fun on this lake, including an afternoon on a lily pad. The big foam mats fit a whole family and more, and you can float to your heart’s content. There’s a full-service marina to rent any equipment you need, and with the water stretching 20 miles long and two miles wide, you won’t run out of room. If you want to fish while the kids have fun, Lake Yankton just

CLINTON RESERVOIR 4 miles west of Lawrence, Kansas; ksoutdoors.com/State-Parks/Locations/ Clinton At a whopping 7,000 acres, Clinton includes a full-service marina, lots of ramp access and two beaches. It’s open to all boating and

WAGON TRAIN LAKE Lincoln; outdoornebraska.gov/wagontrain Smaller Nebraska lakes such as Wagon Train, or even Wanahoo near Wahoo, are good spots for paddle craft. There’s no motorized watercraft nor the whitecap waves you

UPPER MISSOURI RIVER Yankton, South Dakota to Ponca, Nebraska; www.nps.gov/mnrr/index.htm Step back in time as you float down this 59-mile stretch of unchanneled river from Gavin’s Point Dam to Ponca State Park in your canoe or kayak. It’s not like the Missouri you see east of Omaha, Wacker say. “It’s really a very natural area. It’s what the Missouri River looked like hundreds of years ago. It hasn’t been touched or disturbed significantly by development.’’ Any kind of paddle craft is perfect for the trip, but Wacker cautions that anyone on the water must have a life jacket.

Downed tree limbs or big holes are always a possibility on a river. marjie.ducey@owh.com, 402-444-1034, twitter.com/mduceyowh

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might find at Lake McConaughy in the Sand Hills. The smaller reservoirs provide a more controlled environment, too, for beginners. Put in and take out at the same spot, be out as long as you want and just make sure to wear a flotation device, Wacker says.

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Mound City, Missouri; mostateparks.com/ park/big-lake-state-park The largest remaining oxbow lake in Missouri at 625 surface acres is full of opportunities for water fun. Think everything from Jet Skis and stand-up paddleboards to canoes and kayaks. It’s only 4 to 7 feet deep, so the only thing it doesn’t work for is the really big boats.

But that shallow water supports wetlands that make it an excellent stopover for migrating birds, so it puts on a show with geese, ducks, eagles, swans and pelicans. If you want to make a weekend of it, camping is available at the state park, which has its own shoreline.

“It’s just nice to be out here on weekends and see people having a good time,’’ says Mark Kunkel, natural resource manager. “It’s quite a deal.’’

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OMAHA WORLD-HERALD

ADVENTURES T 0 TA K E Y O U SKY HIGH KENT SIEVERS

Thrill-seekers and adrenaline junkies — we have some ideas for you.

Google “benefits of adventure travel” and nearly 16,000 results pop up, including improved physical fitness and health, a boost in self-confidence and the development of stronger coping skills when dealing with life’s ups and downs. A sky or air adventure offers its participants a breathtaking bird’s-eye view of the world below.

That being said, if you can’t afford to charter a plane to Peru this spring or summer, there are plenty of places in Nebraska and Iowa that will give you a memorable sky or air travel adventure — and you’ll be home in time for dinner.

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Zip lining NEBRASKA CAMP FONTANELLE Fontanelle, Nebraska; www.campfontanelle.com; 402-478-4296 Riders jump off a 20-foot tower and travel 350 feet through the trees and a big ravine before landing on the other side. They zip back over to the other side before they are done. The zip line is available on weekends, for one hour prior to the start of movies on movie nights and by reservation.

CAMP CROSSED ARROWS Nickerson, Nebraska; www.girlscoutsnebraska.org; 800-695-6690 Soaring Hawk Zip Line Tour, which opened in March, is a five-line course. Located about an hour northwest of Omaha, Crossed Arrows has been buzzing since its first riders took turns on the 30 mph lines, high above the woods and creeks in the Elkhorn River Valley. A full tour spans 2,208 feet of line and a total distance, including walking, of 3,590 feet. Reservations can be made in three-hour blocks starting at 9 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Since it’s a Girl Scout camp, scouts get discounts.

GO APE TREETOP ADVENTURE Mahoney State Park, 800-971-8271 Suspended obstacles, five zip lines, amazing views. The self-guided two- to three-hour treetop adventure course will acccommodate participants of all skill levels. Friends and family can watch from trails below. It’s part of Nebraska’s new Venture Parks Complex, that will include Mahoney, Platte River State Park, Schramm Park State Recreation Area and Louisville State Recreation Area. Cost is $49 for those 16 and up, or $39 for those 15 and under.

IOWA SCREAMING EAGLE Honey Creek, Iowa; www.skicrescent.com; 712-545-3850 Located on the border of Iowa and Nebraska, the Mount Crescent Ski Area Screaming Eagle Zip Line is the longest in the Midwest, according to its website, with a 1,600-foot-long, high-flying ride. “I was really nervous,” says Jeff Fulfs of Council Bluffs, who zip lined at Screaming Eagle with his family a few years ago. “It was a little frightening at first, when you’re in the air like that.” But was it an adrenaline rush, too? “Oh, absolutely,” Fulfs says. “It was a lot of fun.”

Skydiving NEBRASKA SKYDIVING SCHOOL Holdrege, Nebraska; www.skydiveatlas.com, facebook.comSkydiveAtlasNE; 402-831-1231 At Nebraska Skydiving School, also known as Skydive Atlas, participants can choose from a variety of prices and thrills, starting with a tandem skydive at Holdrege’s Brewster Field, with 12,500 feet of freefall for $255. Student and military discounts are available.

LINCOLN SPORT PARACHUTE CLUB Weeping Water and Plattsmouth, Nebraska; skydivelspc.com; 402-326-8470 The Lincoln Sport Parachute Club is Omaha’s closest United States Parachute Association skydiving center, according to the group’s website. It operates from Brown’s Airport in Weeping Water and hosts large skydiving events at the Plattsmouth Airport. During large events, the club features one or more Twin Otter airplanes capable of carrying 23 skydivers to 13,500 feet in less than 14 minutes.

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Sunday, April 29, 2018 •

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Spring & Summer Travel A special section produced by the news division of the Omaha World-Herald.

Project editors Chris Christen, 402-444-1094, chris.christen@owh.com Shelley Larsen, 402-444-1143, shelley.larsen@owh.com

Call (402) 346-3363 to subscribe 2089784-01

Designer Kiley Cruse Copy editor Marjie Ducey Contributers Marjie Ducey, Maggie O’Brien, Larry Porter, Todd von Kampen, Kurt A. Keeler

RYA N S O D E R L I N / T H E W O R L D - H E R A L D

Mount Crescent’s Screaming Eagle Zip Line travels 300 feet in the air and is more than five football fields long.

Hot-air ballooning SCENIC WIND BALLOON TOURS Omaha; www.scenicwindballoons.com; 402-981-2048 Hot-air ballooning “is a very unique way of looking at the world,” says Steve Lacroix, who owns Scenic Wind Balloon Tours with his wife, Elane. “You are gently floating above it. When you are 1,000 or 1,500 feet above ground, you can see things, you can hear dogs barking and kids playing outside. When you get out of town, along the Platte and Elkhorn River Valleys, it’s the most beautiful view you’ve ever seen.” Lacroix offers balloon rides for up to seven people, weather permitting. He takes off at various locations throughout the metro. “We are always at the mercy of Mother

On the cover A bull elk grazes in a roadside meadow near Jackson, Wyoming.

Photo by Larry Porter.

Nature,” he says. “That’s why I don’t take payment until the day of the flight.”

Parasailing

For advertising information, contact Dan Matuella, 402-444-1485, dan. matuella@owh.com

EXTREME WATER SPORTS Arnold’s Park, Iowa; extremewatersports.us/ parasailing; 712-332-5406 Parasailing around Iowa’s Great Lakes? Yes! Extreme Water Sports offers parasailing for up to two people at Spirit Lake, West Okoboji Lake and East Okoboji Lake. The area is a hot summer vacation spot for eastern Nebraskans and western Iowans, and a parasailing adventure just may complete the trip for some. Arnold’s Park is a little more than a three-hour drive from Omaha.

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