The Richard Plautz Crane Viewing Deck is a free public platform on the Platte River, 1.5 miles south of Interstate 80 exit 285 near Gibbon, run by the Central Platte Natural Resources District. Every spring, from mid-February to early April, hundreds of thousands of sandhill cranes gather on this stretch of the central Platte, roosting on the river's sandbars at night and feeding in nearby fields by day. Sunrise and sunset, when the birds leave and return to the river, are the best times to watch. Endangered whooping cranes also stop on this part of the river.
Visiting: elevated wooden viewing decks, a 1,650-foot concrete trail and a parking lot, upgraded in 2022. Open year-round; admission and parking are free. Stay quiet and stay in your car or on the deck so the cranes are not disturbed. Part of the Great Platte River Road.
Contact: Central Platte NRD, 215 Kaufman Ave., Grand Island; 308-385-6282.