Located between Grand Island and Kearney, Nebraska, The Nature Conservancy's (TNC) Platte River Prairies are a chain of grasslands and wetlands that are managed for biological diversity. TNC owns 10 tracts of land totaling 4,981 acres along the Platte River and has four easements on 2,816 more. We've restored about 1,500 acres of cropland to high-diversity prairie in an effort to enlarge and reconnect fragments of native prairie—and now we manage them with a combination of prescribed fire and grazing.
The stretch of the Platte River known as the Big Bend Reach is the most important migratory bird area along the United States portion of the Central Flyway of North America. The Platte and its adjacent wet meadows in the Big Bend region provide habitat for millions of migratory birds including some 500,000 sandhill cranes and millions of ducks and geese. It is an important stopover location for migrating whooping cranes during the spring and fall migration. The area is also very important for threatened and endangered species such as the bald eagle, interior least tern, piping plover and many grassland bird species.
Dates: March 22-28, 2026
Price: $3,990 per person based on double occupancy, $4,870 for single occupancy
For Questions and To Register, Email Us at travel@tnc.org
Highlights
- Visit Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo, a world famous zoo with a strong conservation mission.
- Immerse yourself at TNC’s Niobrara Valley Preserve, one of the largest TNC preserves in the country.
- Experience the awe-inspiring spectacle of hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes as they roost, feed and sing along Nebraska’s Platte River. At dawn, witness a breathtaking “crane rise” as clouds of cranes lift into the sky with a thunderous chorus. Enjoy this unforgettable migration from TNC's private blinds, nestled along the river’s edge for an intimate view of this natural wonder.
