46 NEBRASKAland • JUNE 2018
F
reight trains following the Middle
Loup River send sound waves deep
into the Nebraska National Forest.
Punctuated by the wail of their horns,
the engines' hum filters southward
through cedars, pines, junipers and firs
until muffled to a whisper.
This is a peculiar forest. Rooted
in abruptly transitioning sandy hills
without the familiar contours of
creeks, valleys or ridgelines, walking
through it is disorienting – a roller
coaster of trees. Equally curious are
the unnaturally straight edges dividing
woods from grasslands.
Viewed from above the Forest has a
patchwork quality. Some sections are
impenetrably thick – too daunting even
for deer – though most are traversable.
Not many people venture through on
foot, so if you choose to be among the
adventurous few you will find raw and
scenic solitude. Take a map.
Situated southwest of Halsey,
Nebraska, this implausible collage
The Forest
in the Sand
The Nebraska National Forest at Halsey
The Forest's abundant windmills are vital to equestrians like Roger White from
Kearney, Nebraska. Roger and his wife, Misty, camp and ride within the Forest's 142
square miles several times a year.
