America's Scenic Byways

Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway

67 miles - 1 hour 15 minutes to one full day

Go back to the land of trappers, traders, buffalo, and Native Americans. Lakes, rivers and unspoiled terrain await you as you travel one of the most scenic routes Nebraska has to offer from Omaha to South Sioux City.

The Missouri River parallels this byway (U.S. Highway 75). This major river was the winding road navigated by early traffic, and is a source of commerce and recreation today. For centuries, it has fed and shaped the personality of this fertile land. Poet John Neihardt was greatly moved by the river and the spiritual heritage of the Native Americans of the region. His work chronicles and preserves the richness of the Sioux and Omaha Indian cultures.

As you venture onto the Lewis and Clark Scenic Byway, you can experience the area first explored by Lewis and Clark in 1804 as early day explorers, trying to find a route to the Pacific Ocean. This heavily wooded, green, lush region of Nebraska is home to two Native American reservations found in the state—the Omaha and the Winnebago nations.

It also includes some of the earliest settlements found anywhere in Nebraska—Fort Atkinson, Decatur and South Sioux City. Farmland, rolling hills, Missouri River bluffs, and spectacular autumn colors await you along the Lewis and Clark Byway. It's a land of beauty and wonder that is sure to bring out the explorer in anyone.