48 Nebraskaland • May 2020
bank above Central Avenue. In all, the
trip should take less than an hour.
Flooding on Turkey Creek in July
2019 toppled several trees along
the trail, forcing its closure for the
remainder of the year. Those trees
have been removed, and the trail was
set to reopen in April. That will please
the thousands who utilize the trail,
which sees use nearly every day in the
summer, even for a quick float after
work on a summer weekday, thanks
in part to the ease of only having to
shuttle vehicles 2 miles on city streets.
"That's probably my favorite
The Kearney Water Trail is a unique
amenity in central Nebraska that attracts
thousands of users each year. The typical
season is April through October. The trail
follows the Kearney Canal, which fl ows
into Turkey Creek. A launch and parking
area is located at Yanney Park
●
. It ends
at a landing on the west side of Central
Avenue
●
totaling a distance of 2.3
miles.
Kearney Water Trail
500 ft
Yanney Park
Centennial
Park
Flooding on Turkey Creek
Flooding on Turkey Creek in
2019 also toppled many trees in
the creek below Central Avenue,
an unofficial section of water trail
that is now nearly impossible to
navigate.
Before the flood, many
people would continue down
this stretch. Those included
customers of Kearney Water
Sports, a local river outfitter
operated by Jason Thee, a
founding member of the Kearney
Whitewater Association, who
opened a private landing 1.3
miles below Central Avenue.
Others would continue to
Cherry Avenue near the Great
Platte River Road Archway
Monument, adding another 2
miles to the float. A few went
even farther, continuing down
Turkey Creek, under Interstate
80, into the North Channel
of the Platte River and on to
another access point developed
by the Nebraska Game and
Parks Commission at Bassway
Strip Wildlife Management Area
at the Interstate 80 Minden
Interchange, roughly 8 miles
below Central Avenue.
Thee and other members of the
Kearney Whitewater Association
are working to clean up the creek
below Central Avenue, which
would allow him to reopen his
business. But he is unsure when,
or even if, that might happen.
Work to repair flood damage to
the Kearney Hike-Bike Trail near
the Archway will limit access at
Cherry Avenue, but should be
complete by fall.
1
2
k
●
1
●
2
Turkey
Creek
Yanney
Lake
to
Interstate
80
Canal
West 11th Street
Betty's
Trail
Central
Avenue
Second
Avenue
Yanney
Avenue
Betty's
Trail
BUFFALO COUNTY
Turkey
Creek
