I spent a couple of hours with Dusty Trails in a tent blind at a prairie chicken lek (the battleground area) for rooster prairie chickens with a couple of females eyeing a possible mate. They return here every morning at sunrise to battle it out. If you want to watch nature at its best, get some great nature photos, and have an unique experience watching the confrontations and listening to the sounds that emanate from their red orange boomer, then you will want to take the opportunity to book an early morning trip with Dusty Trails. You won't be disappointed. Cock-a-doodledooooooooooooooo, even though they don't sound like a regular farm rooster. Go and see them, then you will know what they sound like. It's worth it! David B. (Iowa) read more

This is my third year doing a tour with Dusty Trails and they are fantastic! I went with the Greater Prairie Chicken lek tour the last two years and it was an experience of a lifetime. Although a bit pricey, the tour allows viewing access to a lek on private property that is not open to the public. You can tell that Dusty and his crew care about the well-being of the birds and make sure tour-goers are taking steps to minimize disturbance. The extra explanation during the drive about the Oregon trail and the local history are an added bonus. For the avid birder, this experience is not one to miss. read more

Dusty and the crew offer a unique experience that goes above and an beyond typical tours. Everyone is kind, organized and present facts about the birds and the North Platte area as you travel around on the bus. They educate the guest on bird etiquette so everyone can enjoy the experience. We took 3 tours with Dusty Trails and each was better then the previous. Dusty is a consummate entrepreneur. He adapts his offerings based on the trends and desires of visitors. For instance, he found a hen lek and created a blind and photo tents that resulted in private viewings in small groups. read more

We visited North Platte to see the Sandhill Cranes during their migration north. I am so glad we chose Dusty Trails as our tour guide. We chose all 4 tours, morning blind tour, afternoon tour, evening blind tour and Prairie Chicken tour. They were wonderful. Dusty and his tour helpers are friendly and knowledgeable. They know just where to take you to see the best views. The blinds are in the right place to see this wonderful migration. We were offered water, coffee and granola bars during the trip. I highly recommend Dusty Trails for your Sandhill Crane trip. read more

The wife and I had the pleasure of going on both the early morning tours, the sand crane and the prairie chicken. Both of those outings were well worth it. The host and hostess of these excursions were truly amazing. The knowledge of the birds, as well as the surrounding areas and wildlife, was truly fantastic. Dusty kept all of us informed of what was going on around us at all times. Having a sense of humor like he did was an added bonus. Recommend using Dusty Trails if you ever plan on seeing the sites in North Platte. read more

18 March2025, Evening Crane Viewing from River Blind. Amazing experience! Our guides are knowledgeable and genuinely considerate of the birds and their space. Even though it was dark, we could see silhouettes of the cranes against the sky and in the river. There were a few thousand that staged in the field across the river. Of those, around 500 or so decided to rest for the night in the river right in front of our blind. Wonderful to hear and see! Thank you, Dusty Trails, for offering this opportunity! read more

Prairie Chicken tour. It's clear from the start that Dusty really loves this area of Nebraska. He is knowledgeable and full of facts about its history, geology, flora and fauna. The great photo opportunities on the lek were the icing on the cake for a great morning. I opted for the photographers blind. Setting up with my tripod and 600mm lens was no problem and the birds were very cooperative. If you are looking for a great Prairie Chicken photo session, don't hesitate to book with Dusty read more

We found this site on the internet and were greatly impressed with the tours! This is a family-run business, and the tour guides are extremely knowledgable about and respectful of the wildlife and provide incomparable tours to view Sandhill Cranes and Prairie Chickens. In addition to providing info about the animals, the guides also talk about the history, economics, and ranching and farming life of Lincoln County. We loved our time with Dusty Trails and will be back for more tours! read more

We had a great experience seeing the Sandhills Cranes. We were educated on the life and travels of the cranes. Dusty stopped the bus and let us get out to experience the flights and sound of thousands of cranes. I didn't know that many cranes were in the North Platte area. It was such a fun trip and Dusty Trails made it fun. Can't wait to do an evening tour to the blind with them. I would highly recommend Dusty Trails to see the Sandhill Cranes, Thanks for making our day so special. read more

We LOVE Dusty and his staff! We've done trail rides, tanking and tubing, and always have a blast. Come back every year while in town for Nebraskaland Days. Can't say enough about how accommodating the staff are, even giving us a small tube for our cooler. And when we turned a 2 hour float into a 5 hour float because we were having so much fun, we were still picked up with a smile! Thanks for all the memories!! read more

We did the morning (very early) Prairie Chicken Dance tour and it was WONDERFUL! The tour was well planned, Dusty and Stephanie were so warm, welcoming and professional, and the birds delivered on what has to be one of nature's amazing courtship spectacles. A shout out to Dusty for all his hard work and efforts in his pioneering efforts to bring awareness and access to birding in western Nebraska! Cheers, read more

Dusty Trails Crane Tours! We experienced the Sandhill Crane migration with a bus tour of the rural roads west of North Platte right through huge groups of Sandhill Cranes! We saw thousands, and the bus gave us a great view. Plus Dusty and his crew have a wealth of knowledge about the dancing we're seeing, not to mention Nebraska agriculture. We will be back! read more

I went on the Moonlight Ride to the Prairie Chickens--Great Adventure! Nice, friendly competent staff. Breakfast afterwards was a great treat and the family was very welcoming. I recommend this trip to anyone regardless of horseback riding experience. Being out in the full moon on horseback was a great experience!! Cant wait till next year. read more

went out with dusty for his sandhill's tour and it was a treat! super knowledgeable, kind and genuine. he called to confirm, provided clear instructions and made sure we were prepared. it's obvious how much he loves nebraska and being in the wild. highly recommend booking one of his tours--we can't wait to come back for river float! read more

We went on three bird-watching trips with Dusty Trails. Every trip was very well organized. Dusty and his crew is very knowledgeable about birds, nature and local history and he is a great story teller. Hope to come back for other adventures with Dusty Trails! Denver, Colorado read more

Dusty was super helpful with switching days when I messed up my scheduling. The moning crane tour was great. Lots of history and information about the birds, other wildlife and the area. Watching the cranes launch all together is an awesome experience. read more

Had a fantastic time going with Dusty to view the Sandhill Cranes. they drove us to a private blind right on the river. We were able to see the thousands and thousands of cranes come in as the sun set. Incredible!! read more

Great service from Stephanie and Amy! #girlguides! As an owner/guide for dirtygirladventures.com out of Kansas, I know how it's done, and Dusty Trails does it RIGHT! read more

My sister and I went on the evening crane tour. It's too bad the cranes waited until full dark to land in the water but besides that, it was a great experience. read more