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Sandhills Journey: Highway 2, Nebraska Sandhills, Nebraska
Photo: Ammodramus

Drives Nebraska Kansas and Nebraska

Sandhills Journey: Highway 2

Highway 2 · Broken Bow → Hyannis

Leisurely130 mi2 hr 5 min2,300 ft climbHigh point ≈ 3,700 ftOne way
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The drive

This is a stretch of the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway, which follows Nebraska Highway 2 from Grand Island to Alliance. It runs through grass-stabilized sand dunes and the Nebraska National Forest. The drive heads west from Broken Bow, through Thedford and Mullen, to Hyannis.

Broken Bow has the Sandhills Journey Visitor Center and the Custer County Historical Museum. In Mullen, Glidden Canoe Rental runs trips on the Dismal and Middle Loup rivers. Sandhill cranes migrate through in spring, and the night skies are full of stars, according to the state's tourism page.

Along the way

  1. Broken Bow
  2. Thedford
  3. Mullen
  4. Hyannis
Elevation
2,300 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 3,700 ft
Broken BowHyannis
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
Broken BowHyannis
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The towns along the byway are small and spaced apart, so plan your stops in Broken Bow, Thedford, Mullen and Hyannis.
  • Check Nebraska 511 for current road conditions before you go.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check Nebraska 511.

Questions about this drive

How long does the Sandhills Journey on Highway 2 take from Broken Bow to Hyannis?

Broken Bow to Hyannis on Highway 2 is 130.2 miles and takes about 2 hr 5 min without stops.

What is the Sandhills Journey Scenic Byway?

It follows Nebraska Highway 2 west from Grand Island to Alliance, a listed 272 miles, through grass-stabilized dunes and the Nebraska National Forest.

When do sandhill cranes pass through the Sandhills?

The state tourism page says sandhill cranes migrate through the byway region in spring.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Sandhills Journey: Highway 2, from Broken Bow to Hyannis