44 Nebraskaland • April 2025
he Loup is a beautiful, braided river, flowing for 69
miles through fertile, eastern Nebraska farm country,
surrounded by towering cottonwoods that serve as ideal
perches and nesting spots for bald eagles.
Other than those who hike down its bank at five wildlife
management areas along its course or a city park in Columbus,
few people spend
time on the river.
Until recently, even
fewer paddled its
waters, primarily
because there was
nowhere to easily
get on and off the
river. That changed
in 2023, when the
Loup River Water
Trail was completed
between Genoa
and Columbus,
the culmination
of work by many,
opening the river
to the countless
individuals who
have taken up
paddle sports in
recent years.
Ken Curry grew up in Lincoln, but his mother was from
Tilden. During the summer, the families would meet on the
banks of the Loup River at Pawnee Park in Columbus, the
midway point between the communities, for picnics. "As a
little kid, we would run up and down that river," Curry said.
He has watched people play in the Loup River on summer
weekends since moving to Columbus in 1991. In many years
serving on the Chamber of Commerce, the river occasionally
came up during chamber planning meetings. "We always
said we have a great asset, this river, but we never did
anything with it," Curry said. Similar discussions came up
during his time spent as a leader at the local and district level
Loup River
Water Trail
Story and photos by Eric Fowler
Bald eagles are plentiful along the Loup River Water Trail.
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