Garden County’s Winter Wonderland
 
Late winter is an exceptional time to take in the scenery. There’s a special stillness about the land when ice freezes over the North Platte River and snow glistens against the sandy dry grass. Canada Geese graze amidst the golden stocks in harvested cornfields, crimson Cardinals duck in and out of cedar shrubs, and Bald Eagles pose on the ice, waiting for unassuming fish. If you’re lucky, you might even stumble upon Trumpeter Swans or Sandhill Cranes arriving early from their wintering grounds. 

We Recommend: 
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• Ash Hollow Trail Walking & Bird Watching: Ash Hollow State Park offers a number of trails that are open year-round. It is a great location to spot yearlong residents winter visitors who make the most of the winter. 

 

• Roadside Duck and Goose Sightings: Highways 92 and 26 offer many opportunities to look for Canada Geese, Snow Geese and the many species of ducks that call Garden County their winter home. Stop by the Old Lewellen Bridge to watch waterfowl during the sunrise and sunset hours. 

 

• Bald Eagle Watching on Lake McConaughy:  Though technically on the borders of Keith and Garden County, Lake McConaughy offers a wide array of nature viewing activities and wildlife loves to take advantage of the broad open waters where the lake meets the North Platte, and sandbanks are plentiful.  This year, the lake is lower than usual, so Omaha Beach is a perfect location to visit and watch for the many Bald Eagles that call this area their winter home. 

​If you’ve never been here, you don’t know what you’re missing. Our wild and pristine landscapes offer a wonderful escape where you can watch wildlife or participate in a number of outdoor activities such as fishing, hiking and birdwatching. 
 
With and end in sight to winter, and spring on the horizon, there is so much to see this time of year.