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Every March and April, over a million Sandhill Cranes converge on the Platte River Valley in central Nebraska to fuel up before continuing north to their nesting grounds. ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s Rowe Sanctuary is at the heart of this magnificent crane staging area.
During the migration, Rowe Sanctuary offers daily guided tours at sunrise and sunset to view the spectacular concentrations of Sandhill Cranes on their river roosts from new discovery stations strategically placed along the Platte River close to Sandhill Crane roosts. Nature enthusiasts, bird lovers, and photographers will have multiple ways to experience this historic migration.
Guided Crane Experience
Duration: Approximately 3 Hours
Cost: $60 per person, plus taxes and fees
Reservations: Online Reservations open Jan 8, 2026 at 9 am CST.
Rowe Sanctuary offers guided tours twice daily to view the spectacular concentrations of Sandhill Cranes on their overnight river roosts. We offer morning tours to view cranes leaving the river at sunrise or evening tours to view cranes returning to the river at sunset.
Crane viewing takes place at our Discovery Stations, which are designed to minimize human disturbance of the Sandhill Cranes while offering the best possible viewing for visitors. They are located ¼ to ½ mile walk from our Visitor’s Center. Each Discovery Station has a warming room attached and a port-a-potty is available nearby.
Because the tour involves wildlife, each experience is different. Discovery Stations are located close to historical crane roosts; however, we cannot control the bird’s behavior. The viewing distance to the cranes will vary each day and night depending on where birds decide to roost. Viewing from the Discovery Station is the best possible chance to see this phenomenon up close! Regardless of roosting selection, cranes will be flying overhead and our tours consistently provide a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of the world’s largest gathering of cranes.
All Discovery Stations have the following accommodations:
- Accessible by a ramp
- Open air, but have closable windows
- Warming room that provides a space to get out of the wind and a small heater with supplemental heat
We can provide the following accommodations for individuals with difficulty walking.
- Access to the closest discovery station (about 1/4 mile)
- Paved trail
- Golf Carts, please note that we do not have enough golf carts to transport everyone and so we ask for your patience if multiple trips must be made with the golf cart
- Viewing windows designed to accommodate people in wheelchairs
10 Years + (All guests must be able to remain still and quiet for up to three hours.)
The following are strongly recommended:
- The warmest dark coat and clothing you have, including long underwear
- Warm footwear
- Wool or synthetic socks (avoid cotton)
- Very warm gloves or mittens
- Stocking cap or insulated hat
- Dress in layers - Dark clothing please
- Binoculars
- Dark clothing please
- Warm drinks & water bottle
- On this tour type, we allow only cameras with flash disabled. Tripods are not allowed. Cameras in continuous shooting mode are not allowed. (Please see our Guided Crane Photography Experience for a tour that allows tripods and continuous shooting mode)
Please be aware that ALL of our current programming is subject to change. All tours will be cancelled and refunds given when the National Weather Service issues a hazardous Weather Warning. Cancellations are refundable until two weeks prior to experience start date. Refunds are subject to a 5% cancellation fee.
All tours begin at the Iain Nicolson ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center, at 44450 Elm Island Road, Gibbon, NE 68840.
Guided Crane Photography Experience
Duration: Approximately 3 Hours
Cost: $120 per person, plus taxes and fees
Reservations: Online Reservations open Jan 8, 2026 at 9 am CST.
Rowe Sanctuary offers guided photography tours twice daily to view the spectacular concentrations of Sandhill Cranes on their overnight river roosts. We offer morning photography tours to view cranes leaving the river at sunrise or evening photography tours to view cranes returning to the river at sunset.
Crane viewing takes place at our Discovery Station, which is designed to minimize human disturbance of the Sandhill Cranes while offering the best possible viewing for visitors. It is located ½ mile walk from our Visitor’s Center. Guests should be able to walk a half mile, carrying their own gear. Each Discovery Station has a warming room attached and a port-a-potty is available nearby.
Because the tour involves wildlife, each experience is different. Discovery Stations are located close to historical crane roosts; however, we cannot control the bird’s behavior. The viewing distance to the cranes will vary each day and night depending on where birds decide to roost. Viewing from the Discovery Station is the best possible chance to see this phenomenon up close! Regardless of roosting selection, cranes will be flying overhead and our tours consistently provide a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of the world’s largest gathering of cranes.
ll Discovery Stations have the following accommodations:
-
Accessible by a ramp
-
Open air, but have closable windows
-
Limited golf cart spots are available on a first-come basis.
-
Use of flash photography is not allowed to minimize disturbance to cranes.
-
Participants may use tripods and continuous shooting mode.
-
Objects (i.e., camera lens) must not extend beyond the window sill of the discovery station.
-
Tablets are not permitted and cell phones must be placed on airplane mode. Camera LCD screens must be dimmed. Auto focus lights should be turned off if possible.
-
Small red flashlights are permitted. No headlamps allowed.
-
Rowe Sanctuary reserves the right to ban use of any device determined to be a nuisance.
The following are strongly recommended:
-
The warmest dark coat and clothing you have, including long underwear
-
Warm footwear
-
Wool or synthetic socks (avoid cotton)
-
Very warm gloves or mittens
-
Stocking cap or insulated hat
-
Dress in layers - Dark clothing please
-
Binoculars
-
Dark clothing please
-
Warm drinks & water bottle
Please be aware that ALL of our current programming is subject to change. All tours will be cancelled and refunds given when the National Weather Service issues a hazardous Weather Warning.
Cancellations are refundable until two weeks prior to experience start date. Refunds are subject to a 5% cancellation fee.
All tours begin at the Iain Nicolson ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center, at 44450 Elm Island Road, Gibbon, NE 68840.
Overnight Photography Experience
Duration: Approximately 16 hours
Cost: Blind (Capacity of 2 people) - $275, plus taxes and fees
Reservations: Online Reservations open Jan 8, 2026 at 9 am CST.
The Overnight Crane Photography Experience provides guests with the opportunity to spend the night in a viewing blind on the banks of the Platte River and photograph thousands of cranes as they fly into the river at dusk, and lift off at dawn.
Photographers and their gear will be transported to the blinds. Because of the close proximity of the cranes, guests must stay in the blind until a staff person or volunteer comes to get you the following morning. We place a high priority on minimizing disturbance to the cranes.
Because the tour involves wildlife, each experience is different. Rowe Sanctuary’s overnight blinds are strategically placed along the Platte River to provide excellent views of the Sandhill Cranes while they roost on the river, however, we cannot control the bird’s behavior. The viewing distance to the cranes will vary each day and night depending on where birds decide to roost. Viewing from the blind is the best possible chance to see this phenomenon up close! Regardless of roosting selection, cranes will be flying overhead and our tours consistently provide a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of the world’s largest gathering of cranes.
- Blinds are 6 ft. H x 8 ft. W x 6 ft. D. and are carpeted. Window heights are designed for sitting.
- You are responsible for bringing the proper equipment to stay warm overnight. Temperatures in March and April regularly reach below freezing and blinds are not heated.
- You are required to remain in your overnight blind during the entire duration of the experience until your guide arrives the following morning, with the exception of medical emergencies. If you are not experienced at cold weather camping or do not have adequate gear, you should consider signing up for one of our morning or evening viewing trips instead.
- Each blind has a bucket toilet.
- Small red flashlights are provided and non-red lights are not allowed. No headlamps please.
- No heaters or stoves of any type.
- No alcoholic beverages or smoking allowed.
- Failure to cooperate with rules can result in a lifetime ban from this experience.
- Reservations are limited to 2 adults per blind.
The following are strongly recommended:
- The warmest dark coat and clothing you have, including long underwear. Dress in layers, and bring extras.
- Warm footwear
- Wool or synthetic socks (avoid cotton)
- Very warm gloves or mittens
- Stocking cap or insulated hat
- A sleeping bag per person, suggested rating of 0 degrees.
- Foam or insulated sleeping pads
- Pillow
- Camp Chair
- Food and water
- Warm drinks in thermoses or insulated containers
Please be aware that ALL of our current programming is subject to change.
All tours will be cancelled and refunds given when the National Weather Service issues a hazardous Weather Warning.
Cancellations are refundable until two weeks prior to experience start date. Refunds are subject to a 5% cancellation fee.
All tours begin at the Iain Nicolson ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ Center, at 44450 Elm Island Road, Gibbon, NE 68840.
Plan Your Trip
The next opportunity to attend our overnight experiences will be March 4 through April 7, 2027. Tour reservations open online on Thursday, January 7, 2026, at 9:00 am CST.
Every March, over a million Sandhill Cranes converge on the Platte River Valley in central Nebraska to fuel up before continuing north to their nesting grounds. ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s Rowe Sanctuary is at the heart of this magnificent crane staging area. Sandhill Cranes typically begin arriving around Valentine’s Day and leave around Tax Day.
We encourage you to use the information here to plan!
Here are some guidelines to consider as you plan your visit:
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All Season
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Early Season (Early March)
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Mid Season (Mid-late March)
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Late Season (Early April)
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The photo on the left was taken in early March, and the photo on the right was taken in April.
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Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island and Kearney. Check with your booking agent. provides daily non-stop flights to Denver, and rental cars are available .
Our guided tours to our Discovery Stations (viewing blinds) require registration. Options can be found . Discovery Stations are located close to historical crane roosts. Viewing from the Discovery Station is the best possible chance to see cranes up close! Roosting sites will vary, but cranes will be flying overhead and our tours consistently provide a one-of-a-kind experience in the heart of the world’s largest gathering of cranes. Because the tour involves wildlife, each experience is different.
Reservations are not required for our Visitor's Center, and many visitors will see cranes flying overhead or roosting in cornfield during the day. Rowe Sancutary has two roadside viewing lots, and additional information about public viewing locations in the area can be found .
Rowe Sanctuary is approximately 20 miles east of Kearney via Interstate 80. Kearney has a good selection of hotels/motels to choose from. has additional listings for lodging and restaurants. Kearney can be a very busy community during March, so reserve your lodging as soon as possible. Grand Island, Hastings, and Minden are also nearby.
for the virtual experience walk-through
Get fully prepared for what to expect during your guided crane tour, and help ensure that you have an unforgettable experience.
Temperatures in March and April regularly reach below freezing. Pack clothing that can be layered and removed when temperatures rise. We encourage dark colored outer wear for the tours. Cameras, binoculars, and other photography aids are encouraged. More information is available through the .
Many visitors choose to add a to their crane viewing itinerary. Rowe also has hiking trails available to explore our prairies, meadows, and riparian woodlands. For more information, including open hours, please see .
provides excellent information about amenities such as museums and other attractions in the Kearney area!
̽»¨¾«Ñ¡â€™s Rowe Sanctuary features one of the most intimate and spectacular views of the sandhill crane migration that occurs along the Platte River in Nebraska. The five mile stretch of river covered by this camera is one of the most densely populated sandhill crane roosts in the world with 100,000-200,000 cranes at the height of migration. Groups of cranes stay around three weeks once they arrive to this location and the best times to view them on the river is early mornings and evenings. The morning liftoff either happens slowly, with smaller groups of cranes leaving as the sun continues to rise, or more frequently with tens of thousands of sandhill cranes leaving all at once in a cloud that blots out the sky. Sandhill cranes return to the river in the evening to spend the night on the river’s shallow sandbars. Groups of cranes pour into the river silhouetted by the setting sun as they dance and socialize before falling asleep.
Trail Information
Crane Season: February 15 - April 15
During Crane Season, we limit trail use to protect the birds from disturbance while roosting. Visitors should not plan to watch Sandhill Cranes on the river from Rowe Sanctuary Trails. Information about public viewing locations can be found .
​Outside of Crane Season, Rowe’s trails and parking lot are open from dawn to dusk every day.
Keep checking back for crane season updates or subscribe to our !
Group Tour Information
We offer special consideration for large groups of 10 or more visitors, such as school groups, non-profit and community organizations, and company trips.
We will begin considering Group Tour requests the October prior to the next crane season. General registration opens in January.
We offer the following options and procedures for Group Tour requests:
- Group Tours include any bookings of 10 or more visitors for our Guided Crane Experiences.
- Rowe Sanctuary reserves the right to limit the total number of group tours sold, to preserve reservations for the general public, and to support equity among group requests. If demands for group tours exceed capacity, Rowe will adhere to the following protocol:
- We will prioritize requests for priority booking windows (dates to be announced).
- We will give priority consideration to groups that include partners, schools, and groups serving historically underserved audiences. We reserve the right to waive group booking fees for these groups.
- We will use equity-based selection processes such as lottery or other means as necessary.
- To accommodate early registration, Group Tours are subject to a group booking fee, and require a 10% down payment to confirm/hold the date.
To request information on costs or to request a group tour, please email: Rowegrouptours@audubon.org
Response to group tour requests
| Group Tour requests made before Oct 15, 2026: | We will notify tour organizers by Nov 1 to indicate if we can accommodate your request and complete registration if so. |
| Group Tour requests made after Nov 1, 2026: | Group tours are booked and confirmed on a rolling basis as capacity allows. We will respond to requests within two weeks. |
Rowe Sanctuary and ̽»¨¾«Ñ¡ are committed to supporting historically under-resourced communities. Please contact Education Manager, Amanda Hefner (amanda.hefner@audubon.org) for information. To support accessibility to these communities and to groups serving these communities, we are pleased to offer the following benefits:
- Early registration prior to October 15
- Discounted or waived group booking fees
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