The Alda Crane Viewing Deck is a free public viewing platform on the Platte River, 2 miles south of Interstate 80 exit 305 near Alda, run by the Central Platte Natural Resources District. From mid-February to early April the central Platte between Kearney and Grand Island fills with sandhill cranes, and endangered whooping cranes use this stretch too: in November 2023 up to 95 whooping cranes were seen near Alda, the largest group recorded in the United States outside their Texas wintering grounds.

Visiting: a viewing platform, a paved recreational trail, two ADA-accessible parking lots and angler access to a pond, rebuilt in 2024. Open year-round; free. Come at sunrise or sunset in March for the biggest flights. Part of the Great Platte River Road.

Contact: Central Platte NRD, 215 Kaufman Ave., Grand Island; 308-385-6282.