U.S. Route 26 in Nebraska

U.S. Highway 26
US 26 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by NDOT
Length	150.79 mi (242.67 km)
Major junctions
West end	US 26 at Wyoming border
Major intersections	N-71 at Scottsbluff US 385 at Bridgeport N-27 at Oshkosh N-61 at Ogallala US 30 at Ogallala
East end	I-80 / N-61 at Ogallala
Location
Country	United States
State	Nebraska
Counties	Sioux, Scotts Bluff, Morrill, Garden, Keith
Highway system
United States Numbered Highway System List Special Divided Nebraska State Highway System Interstate US State Link Spur State Spurs Recreation
← N-25 → N-27

U.S. Highway 26 (US‑26) is an east–west highway in western Nebraska. It enters the state from Wyoming just west of Henry. The eastern terminus of US‑26 is in Ogallala at an interchange with Interstate 80 (I-80). The highway largely parallels the North Platte River for the majority of its route in Nebraska and as such, runs at a northwest-southeast angle. The highway also parallels the original paths of the Oregon Trail, the California Trail and the Mormon Pioneer Trail.

Route description

US‑26 enters Nebraska from Wyoming, and shortly thereafter enters Henry. After passing through Morrill, US‑26 becomes a divided highway. At Mitchell, US‑26 meets Nebraska Highway 29 (N‑29). Continuing southeast, US‑26 enters Scottsbluff. Through Scottsbluff, US‑26 runs concurrent with N‑71 and N‑92 on a highway which goes through northern Scottsbluff. After N‑71 and N‑92 separate, US‑26 continues to Minatare, Nebraska, where the divided highway ends. The highway runs due east until an intersection with Nebraska Link 62A (L-62A), when the highway turns south. US‑26 passes through Bayard and, after crossing the North Platte River meets with N‑92 again near Chimney Rock.

US‑26 and N‑92 turn southeast towards Bridgeport. At Bridgeport, N‑92 separates and US‑26 meets US‑385. They cross the North Platte River together, and separate. US‑26 continues southeasterly on the north side of the North Platte River. At Broadwater, US‑26 begins its third concurrency with N‑92. They run together through Lisco, Oshkosh, and Lewellen. At Oshkosh, US‑26 meets Nebraska Highway 27. At Lewellen, US‑26 and N‑92 separate for the last time and shortly thereafter, US‑26 crosses the North Platte River again. After passing through Ash Hollow State Historical Park, the highway passes through no communities until meeting N‑61 northwest of Ogallala. US‑26 runs concurrent with N‑61 the rest of its length in Nebraska. The two highways go south to US‑30, then the three highways run concurrent into Ogallala. They then separate from US‑30, turn south to cross the South Platte River and US‑26 ends at I‑80.

History

From the creation of the highway in 1926 until the 1930s, US-26 went north of the North Platte River east of Lewellen. This alignment went east to Martin, where US‑26 met N-61 and the two highways went south from there into Ogallala. When Lake McConaughy was built in the 1930s, the current alignment was constructed.

Major intersections

County	Location	mi	km	Destinations	Notes
Sioux	Henry	0.00	0.00	US 26 west / California National Historic Trail / Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail / Oregon National Historic Trail / Pony Express National Historic Trail – Torrington, Casper	Continuation into Wyoming
Scotts Bluff	Mitchell	13.68	22.02	N-29 north (19th Avenue)
	Scottsbluff	21.64	34.83	N-92 west – Gering	West end of N-92 overlap
		22.26	35.82	N-71 north / CR 21	West end of N-71 overlap
		25.67	41.31	N-71 south / N-92 east – Gering, Kimball	East end of N-71/N-92 overlap
	Minatare	31.91	51.35	L-79E south / CR 29 – Melbeta
Morrill	West Bayard Precinct	41.95	67.51	L-62A east – Alliance	Former US-26N
	Bayard	48.89	78.68	N-92 west – Gering, Scottsbluff, Scotts Bluff National Monument	West end of N-92 overlap
	Bridgeport	61.42	98.85	US 385 south / N-92 east / California National Historic Trail / Pony Express National Historic Trail	East end of N-92 overlap; west end of US 385 overlap
		62.42	100.46	US 385 north – Alliance	East end of US 385 overlap
	Broadwater	76.49	123.10	N-92 west – Sidney	West end of N-92 overlap
Garden	Oshkosh	106.05	170.67	N-27 south to US 30
	Lewellen	118.89	191.33	N-92 east – Lake McConaughy	East end of N-92 overlap
Keith	Ogallala	144.90	233.19	N-61 north – Lake McConaughy	West end of N-61 overlap
		148.02	238.22	US 30 west – Sidney	West end of US 30 overlap
		150.01	241.42	US 30 east / Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail / Oregon National Historic Trail	East end of US 30 overlap
		150.79	242.67	I-80 / N-61 south – Sidney, North Platte, Grant	National eastern terminus; east end of N-61 overlap; I-80 exit 126; highway continues south as N-61
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus

Related route

U.S. Highway 26N
Location	Bayard–Broadwater
Existed	1936–1959

Between 1936 and 1959, there was a U.S. Highway 26N. It went east along today's L-62A, then south along today's US-385 to just north of Bridgeport and east along today's US‑26 to Broadwater. In those years, the mainline of US‑26 between Bridgeport and Broadwater went on the south side of the North Platte River, along today's Nebraska Highway 92.