Nebraska’s Lincoln Highway follows US 30 along the Platte River for about 450 miles, from Kimball near the Wyoming line to Blair on the Missouri River. It is part of the first transcontinental highway, which ran from Times Square to San Francisco.
Nebraska designated all of US 30 across the state as the Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic Byway. FHWA made it a National Scenic Byway in February 2021, after local volunteers documented 67 historical markers for the application.
The road covers Oregon Trail, Pony Express, and railroad history, as well as small plains towns with soda fountains and museums. I-80 runs parallel for most of the way, but US 30 goes through the town centers.
Route Details: Lincoln Highway Scenic and Historic Byway (Nebraska)
Mile markers below follow the segment distances published by Visit Nebraska, counted from Kimball.
Kimball and Potter (0-18 miles)
Kimball is the west end of the byway and meets Old Highway 71 near the center of town. Potter is the next small town, 18 miles east.
Sidney (37 miles)
Sidney was a railroad town, and the Fort Sidney Museum covers that history. The town also has a DC fast charger near Cabela Drive.
Ogallala (104 miles)
Ogallala is the next major stop, 67 miles east of Sidney, on the Oregon Trail and Mormon Trail corridor. It has a Tesla Supercharger at the Lonesome Dove Lodge.
North Platte (157 miles)
Buffalo Bill Cody moved into his Mansion on the Prairie in North Platte in 1886. The Lincoln County Historical Museum has the WWII North Platte Canteen exhibit, and Lake Maloney State Recreation Area is just south of town.
Cozad and Lexington (203-217 miles)
Cozad and Lexington are small towns on the Platte River, 14 miles apart. They are good lunch stops between North Platte and Kearney.
Kearney (253 miles)
Kearney is the halfway point of the Nebraska byway. The Trails & Rails Museum offers guided tours, and the Kearney Water Trail has over two miles of paddling. Kearney has DC fast charging.
Grand Island (296 miles)
Grand Island has wineries and galleries, and the Coney Island Lunch Room is a local dining standby. Several travel centers have fast chargers.
Genoa, Monroe, and Columbus (351-373 miles)
US 30 runs through Genoa and Monroe to Columbus, where it turns north with US 81. Columbus has a DC fast charger.
Fremont (422 miles)
Fremont has a historic downtown and Fremont Lakes State Recreation Area, with sandy beaches and 20 bodies of water for swimming, fishing, and picnics.
Blair (446 miles)
The byway ends at Blair on the Missouri River, where US 30 crosses into Iowa toward the Lincoln Highway Heritage Byway. Omaha is a short drive south, with the Joslyn Art Museum, the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, and the Mormon Trail Center at Historic Winter Quarters.
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