Surrounded by endless expanses of sea-glass green prairie waves and unmarred blue heavens, Nebraska’s Highway 12, also known as the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway, bridges the gap between Willis and Valentine with a 231-mile stretch of road. The winds roam free across the native Nebraska grasses, farmlands and historic old towns.

Despite having an intimidating name, the Wild West lives on in memories around here. A northern Nebraska lifestyle offers the freedom that comes from carving a new path in the wide-open and making a home – between two rivers.

 

Willis to Bow Valley

On the eastern end of the Outlaw Trail live several smaller towns, with Willis being the official start to it all. Perfectly situated on the crossroads of highways 12 and 20 is Granny’s, a simple diner offering all the homecooked fixins and feelings one could want to fuel up.

It should be noted that some also include Sioux City in the list of towns on the trail, though it is not officially on the highway.

On the journey from Willis to Bow Valley the well-worn pavement winds through the historic hotspot of Ponca. Native Americans once roamed this
land as freely as the mighty Missouri River winds through the countryside to north. The roadside is lush and green, thanks to recent rains. Family farms are frequent, and towering trees serve as windbreaks – though they don’t become thick and frequent until the road winds closer to Ponca.

Ponca itself is home to one of three Nebraska state parks along the trail. The thick groves of trees seem mildly out of place, but not unwanted. Campers enjoy the cooler weather, and park guests buzz around trying their best to learn of the exploration of famous explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who followed the Missouri River through what later became Nebraska.

Within the quaint town of Ponca, known by tourists for its pharmacy with a real phosphate soda fountain, holds other gems of the past. Quiet streets play host to periodic historical homes, towering in Victorian (or other) styles. Two such spots are most frequently open by appointment only – the Adams House Museum and the Cook Blacksmith Shop.

Veteran tour guide Jackie Coughlin starts her rounds at the 1883 home-turned-museum. The drawing room was reserved specially for guests, she explained. The bear skin rug that rests atop the fainting couch was harvested in nearby Maskell back when bears existed in the area.

And of course, for many of the older residents and visitors to the Adams House, other artifacts within its walls hold special memories of their own childhoods. Take the silver butter dish on the table in the dining room.

Guest to the tour and Ponca newspaper reporter Jodie Kilton stopped short to remark that she had memories of stories told about one just like it. Her great-grandmother was the one to host Christmas festivities, where she would churn and serve butter for dinner. She would then sculpt a duck and put it in the butter dish.

“My mom said it always made her so mad, because one of her cousins would grab the butter dish and behead the duck right away,” Kilton said.

After the elder Adams died, their son Floyd built a house next door and was at a loss with what to do with all the space of the other home, so he used the dining room in question (minus a wall or two) to store his boat. Evidence of oil drippage is still present on the hardwood floors.

The Cook Blacksmith Shop, also in Ponca, holds 1800s tools of the trade. Cook just walked out of his shop one day and never returned, volunteer Don Andersen said. Old business ledgers, coals in the forge, a ferriers station and more unique history has since been preserved by volunteers and the City of Ponca.

Continuing the drive past Ponca, travelers pass Newcastle, Maskell (complete with the smallest city hall in the U.S.), Obert, Wynot and Bow Valley.

A few miles down the trail near Wynot is Nissen Wine. With a winery and vineyard located right along the Outlaw Trail, it’s only fitting they would offer an entire series of wines dedicated to the 1880s outlaws who once roamed the area. Gentle Nebraska breezes and a sweeping view of the vines tempt both oenophiles and casual tasters to savor a glass of Jesse James or Doc Middleton on the veranda.

 

Crofton to Bristow

This theme of “home” is a thread commonly found in the northern stretches of Nebraska. Residents along the trail readily reflected that despite some of the towns on the central and western parts of the Outlaw Trail being farther apart in distance, they felt more connected to each other (and their roots) than ever.

The farther westward the pavement stretches, the hillier and more winding the road becomes. While the highway  drifts farther from the touches of the Missouri River at the north border of the state, the Niobrara River has yet to meet up with the pavement and stays silently to the south.

Crofton may very well be the starting point of most of the outlawish folklore that gave Highway 12 its infamous name. According to compiled oral stories passed down through generations of residents, the area between Bow Valley and Crofton had seen the likes of Jesse James, Kid Wade and Doc Middleton more than once. Stories of these men, stealing horses and burying their loot while waiting out the law, live in the hearts of several locals.

“We know where he stayed, according to our story,” said Martin Kleinschmit, co-owner of the Farmhouse Inn, just steps off Highway 12 outside Bow Valley. His uncle owned the farmland James supposedly stayed on. Of course, there are versions of the same story way to the south, too. But that’s half the fun, Martin agreed.

“(My uncle) said, ‘You can have all the gold that’s there,’ ” he recounted. “I don’t want the gold. I want the hole.’ ”

His uncle had figured he’d probably make more offering the hole the gold was buried in as a tourist attraction than he would from the gold itself. But, of course, no gold was ever found. Instead, Martin lived a simple life on the farm ground under his feet. His parents built the house, now the inn, in 1945, and raised five children there. They worked from an early age, collecting eggs shortly after they could walk, and then eventually milking cows.

Sometime after Martin married Linda, the pair bought the house from his parents and raised their own set of children on the farm, in the same house still. They all ran around barefoot and free, Linda agreed. The farm itself raised organic crops long before there was really a large market for it. When Martin and Linda’s children didn’t share the desire to come back and farm, the parents kept the house and ushered in guests as an Airbnb. It looks just about the same as it did on the inside. The ground is now rented by a family farming business, Beginning Organic Farmers.

Also a place to hang a hat in is the historic Argo Hotel in Crofton. This lovingly refurbished bed and breakfast, run by Frank and Megan Marsh, offers nine themed suites decorated in carefully chosen furnishings appropriate to its 1911 construction. The large porch invites an evening chat with friends, and an outstanding breakfast helps guests greet the day.

The building also has a mysterious feather in its cap: it’s widely rumored to be one of the most haunted buildings in Nebraska.

The roads wind even more as Crofton becomes Lindy, a small town with a population of approximately 20. Spaces between towns are mostly farm ground, showcasing Nebraska’s star commodity. Somewhere between Lindy and Niobrara the ground pitches up in spots, hills becoming more prominent and trees more frequent again. This means that another solid source of water is nearby – the Niobrara River. This gentle snake of a river meets the mighty Missouri near this town. It’s also a popular place for hunting, fishing and outdoor activities. Lindy is also home to a campsite from the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Niobrara State Park is open to wide-open horizons and a considerable amount of rolling prairie land. Wildflowers dot the hillsides, and the valleys stretch on for miles. Fresh air, panoramic views and an all-encompassing sense of freedom come with the $6 park admission fee. It is easy to stop and imagine days gone by, filled with strong-willed outlaws on horseback and pioneers ready to start their own stories.

In the town of Niobrara are a smattering of places to eat, filled with locals at all times of the day. Life runs at a leisurely pace, but the food always comes out warm. Jimmy Dean’s Bar and Grill serves a mean cheeseburger and is only minutes from the gas station and the Whitetail River Lodge – a good place to take off your boots and catch some shut-eye.

Horse thief Kid Wade was rumored to have passed through this town once upon a time, as his sister worked in a store there and the family lived in the town for a time after they came to the area from Iowa. He joined up with Doc Middleton at some point in this life, yet he was little concern to his neighbors in Niobrara, according to a written account by Lona Schreier of Verdigre.

Farther still there is Verdel, and Monowi – the famous town of one. Monowi’s sole resident, Elsie Eiler, owns and operates the town’s tavern. This popular spot for lunch features the standard bar vibe and food selection. No complaints are dare given, however. Elsie rules as the town’s mayor, too, with an iron fist.

After Monowi are the towns of Lynch and Bristow. Both are separated by the same expansive and emerald-green hills that populate this area of the Outlaw Trail. Lynch’s claim’s to fame include the Lynn Theater – showcasing the latest movies at a fraction of the cost – and another historical Lewis and Clark campsite.

 

Spencer to Burton

As the towns along the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway get farther apart in physical distance, the wide berths of where northern Nebraska residents call “home” easily bridges these gaps. One may call Spencer home, but they have childhood memories stretching north and south to accommodate.

This distance between point A and point B makes residents more appreciative, said 63 County Store owner Stephanie Boettcher of Spencer. “We appreciate things – family and connectivity – more that way,” she said.

The outlaws themselves were present here, too, according to some of the stories told to Boettcher as a child. She has fond memories of tales her great-grandmother, who grew up on the plains near Gross, and told of the rough band of cowboys who rode up to her door one day. She fed them and didn’t ask any questions.

“Later on, she found out that it was Jesse James and his gang that she had fed breakfast,” Stephanie said.

Otherwise, the Spencer native said she spent her early years riding her horse through the creek and to town, or helping local cattlemen drive their stock through town. All things she holds near and dear to her heart. “Your history is important, where we came from and what we’ve become.”

Not too far down the highway is Butte, which was setting up for its 75th annual “Pancake Days” celebration in late June. Town members came together to set up booths along main street in preparation for the onslaught of guests. The Firehouse Bakery and Cafe was quiet, however, just before lunch. The location is owned and operated by a few of the volunteer firefighters in town, and the food is quick to douse any hunger.

Picking back up on the Outlaw Trail’s paved highway, those passing through Naper, Mills and Burton will find more cafes, historical markers, twisted creeks and open prairie. The farm ground starts to quickly become sparser, as the pastureland takes over in never-ending waves. Quick stops to any historical location in the area will likely point to an early German settlement that slowly melted into the general population of the town over time.

 

Springview to Valentine

The final stretch of Nebraska’s Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway, when traveling east to west, is Springview to Valentine. At this point on the journey, the Niobrara River becomes the focus of the surrounding ecosystem, and it is increasingly easy to get lost in one’s imagination while observing the landscape outside the car windows.

Some stretches of the landscape bring views to a stunning high, from atop a hill, where long segments on the nearby river become visible. Despite not being overly deep in most places, the rush of the river’s current has carved out miniature cliffs along its banks. There are larger ones, too, the farther west the road goes, where thousands of years of an unforgiving waterway’s flow has made itself known.

Still, the roots of native trees cling to the sides of these outcroppings with wide and wild roots.

Springview is home to the Keya Paha County Historical Society, which posts regular tidbits of history on its Facebook page for the world to see. A recent post depicts the story of the Bruce Mill near Sparks and later Naper.

Pushing on through even farther hills, Highway 12 makes its way through uninterrupted Nebraska countryside. Simple signposts announce passing towns, and minimum maintenance roads dot intersections between mile markers. One such country road, if turned down, will lead travelers to the Norden Bridge.

Bridges like this one are common in the area, as residents, past and present, needed a way to cross the Niobrara River with greater ease than on horseback. After a harrowing few miles south of Norden (using Norden Avenue) the structure shows its face. Tall and worn canyon-like walls jut skyward from the rushing Niobrara River. A small path leads down to a better viewpoint of the bridge and water. The hum of pollinators and movement of water is all that can be heard.

This new bridge was built in 2016, replacing the original span that was built in 1964, which replaced an even earlier span that was washed away in a spring flood of that year.

From Sparks to Valentine, the Niobrara River shows her face in many ways. She greets travelers with surprise pop ups between hills along the highway, and even along the flat expanses as the terrain mellows out toward the Sandhills.

“I love the transition of terrain,” said Rhonda Kneifl, a member of the Outlaw Trail Scenic Byway board. “You can just imagine all of the hideouts that the wranglers in the old days would have had.”

This area of Nebraska is home to more than a handful of river outfitters, ready and willing to put a tube with a person and send them floating down the less turbulent stretches of the Niobrara. Tubing and kayaking this stretch of the waterway is a bit of a tradition for a lot of area families, as well as a popular tourist attraction for those from farther away.

Kneifl grew up on the river in the Sparks area, and her parents started their family›s camp and canoe business, Sunny Brook Camp, in 1974. The pair fought to save the Niobrara from being dammed, bringing attention to its scenic valley. Kneifl has been involved in promoting the business, along with being a member of the Outlaw Trail board, from its beginning.

“We have a gentleman who comes to float with us who has brought all of his children and grandchildren to float too,” Kneifl said. “Just to experience it and the river.”

Being set afloat, without any professional help to get unstuck is just another way for visitors to garner a bit of river freedom.

Smith Falls State Park is the final of the trio of state parks along historic Highway 12. It proudly lays claim to Nebraska’s tallest waterfall – Smith Falls – and ushers in groups of eager tourists throughout many of Nebraska’s seasons. Park Superintendent Amy Kucera explained it’s even a sight to behold in the winter. A new walkway and paved sidewalk have improved the experience for those who stop by.

And then there’s Valentine, an official end point to the Outlaw Trail in Cherry County. Aside from being famously known as the “Heart City” and pushing custom Valentine’s Day cards through their postal service, the town also serves as a pit stop to fuel up before camping in the area. The Plains Trading Company, a quaint but well-equipped bookstore, offers a wealth of written Nebraska and native histories. The neighboring ice cream shop isn’t too bad, either.

“To me, it’s almost a step back in time,” Marci Broyhil, area prairie poet said. “Sometimes you come over the top of a hill and feel on top of the world.”