Although it’s landlocked, Nebraska is still a water lover’s paradise, with countless ways to enjoy rivers. Surprisingly, Nebraska has more miles of river than most states, making it the perfect destination for a float trip. In fact, Nebraska has become known for their unique way of floating, called tanking. All it requires is a group of friends, a livestock water tank, and a river to float on. A tank typically holds four to six adults, and you can load up your coolers, radio, card games, and more. Then sit back, float, laugh, jump out, cool off, climb back in, gaze at the scenery, bask in the sun, and enjoy the company of your “ship” mates.
Perhaps the most famous river in Nebraska is the Platte. Every year, upwards of 600,000 Sandhill cranes use the Central Flyway to reach breeding grounds in Alaska and northern Canada. The wide, shallow Platte River, with its islands and sandbars, provides critical night roosting areas where the cranes can fell safe from predators. An interesting side note: Sandhill cranes are named for the Sandhills Region of western Nebraska, where a 10-million-year-old crane skull was discovered that is virtually identical to cranes of today.
Nebraska has approximately 79,056 miles of river, of which 197 miles are designated as wild and scenic—approximately 2/10ths of 1% of the state’s river miles.
Credit: visitnebraska.com
