Ottawa, KS to Flint Hills in Nebraska
06-22-19, 11:49 AM
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Ottawa, KS to Flint Hills in Nebraska
A friend and I are wrapping up the second week of a planned eight week trip from the Twin Cities to St Louis to Santa Fe to Yellowstone and home. All is going well, but we are finding we need to shorten the trip. We are presently in Ottawa, KS. We are going to to reroute through the Sand Hills in Nebraska, do the Mickleson Trail in SD, the turn toward the Twin Cities. Reaching out for route advice especially to any Kansas who have ridden from the Ottawa area to northwest Nebraska m
06-22-19, 12:47 PM
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I started in KC and rode to the Mickleson trail. (close enough).
I went north thru Sabetha, KS into Nebraska on hwy 75. West on hwy 4 in Nebraska thru Humbolt then weaved my way on back roads to Lincoln, NE.
From there it's easy riding west. Eventually get on Hwy 2 at Grand Island. You will follow the Union Pacific rail line all the way thru the sand hills... easy camping at town parks all thru Nebraska.
The biggest problem you will have is flooding in Southeast NE. There might be several detours. Don't discount this risk. It might not be easy. Somehow you will have to figure out where to avoid in advance. You might be routed onto major state highways and it will be busy.
I went north thru Sabetha, KS into Nebraska on hwy 75. West on hwy 4 in Nebraska thru Humbolt then weaved my way on back roads to Lincoln, NE.
From there it's easy riding west. Eventually get on Hwy 2 at Grand Island. You will follow the Union Pacific rail line all the way thru the sand hills... easy camping at town parks all thru Nebraska.
The biggest problem you will have is flooding in Southeast NE. There might be several detours. Don't discount this risk. It might not be easy. Somehow you will have to figure out where to avoid in advance. You might be routed onto major state highways and it will be busy.
Last edited by boomhauer; 06-22-19 at 12:53 PM.
06-22-19, 01:13 PM
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Well from Ottawa you can take the Flint Hills Nature Trail west to Council Grove (there's a few spots where you have to detour on gravel roads and because of the recent storms you may find some trees down here and there).
From there work your way north I suppose. A lot of the state and county roads don't have much in the way of shoulders but the north-south routes are a little less well-traveled than the east-west routes.
Unless you're cool with riding on gravel and then the options are limitless.
From there work your way north I suppose. A lot of the state and county roads don't have much in the way of shoulders but the north-south routes are a little less well-traveled than the east-west routes.
Unless you're cool with riding on gravel and then the options are limitless.
06-22-19, 06:32 PM
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Well from Ottawa you can take the Flint Hills Nature Trail west to Council Grove (there's a few spots where you have to detour on gravel roads and because of the recent storms you may find some trees down here and there).
From there work your way north I suppose. A lot of the state and county roads don't have much in the way of shoulders but the north-south routes are a little less well-traveled than the east-west routes.
Unless you're cool with riding on gravel and then the options are limitless.
From there work your way north I suppose. A lot of the state and county roads don't have much in the way of shoulders but the north-south routes are a little less well-traveled than the east-west routes.
Unless you're cool with riding on gravel and then the options are limitless.
06-23-19, 05:58 PM
#5
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Call/visit 511 Nebraska online. There are ALOT of closures/detours due to the record flooding we've had here washing out roads and bridges. Some of the detours are NOT cycle friendly.
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