Though the State of Nebraska is home to many buttes and even the southern terminus of the Dakotas' Badlands, its highpoint is in the middle of a nearly featureless field just over 1 mile away from the borders of Colorado and Wyoming. Panorama Point, at 1,655m (5,429ft), features geology very similar to that of the Southern Great Plains of East Colorado, Kansas and Oklahoma; the land has been shaped through rainwater runoff and especially human hands / machinery. While this highpoint is atop a hill, it is difficult to tell exactly where the true highpoint is. Were it not for the marker placed by the Kimball Chamber of Commerce, one would have a very difficult time locating the true Highpoint of Nebraska.

Panorama Point is on the High Point Bison Ranch and is owned by Glen and Jill Klawonn who can be reached at (970) 895-3303. The Klawonn's are extremely welcoming to highpointers during the day, and at night the gate to the highpoint is left open. The Klawonn's request a donation of $1.00 for visiting the highpoint, which can be placed in a box near the final turnoff to Panorama Point. The Nebraska-Colorado-Wyoming tri-state marker is also located on the Klawonn's porperty, however, due to the fact that open buffalo range must be crossed to get there, they request that visitors do not hike from the highpoint to the marker. Please respect the Klawonns' wishes and approach the tri-state marker from the road to the west. Directions can be obtained from the Kimball, NE Chamber of Commerce, which will also provide a certificate of completion for visiting Panorama Point.

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2003.02.25 - After successfully visiting the highpoint of Kansas earlier in the day, I started off toward Nebraska's Panorama Point to complete 2 highpoints in one day. I made good time on the drive, though it felt like an eternity since there was so little to look at. It was sometimes difficult to keep from dozing off because I hadn't gotten much sleep the night before on the tarmac at DFW.

Once I got into Nebraska, I was really hauling to get to the highpoint before the sun set. I followed the directions that I had found, and they did a pretty good job of gettin me to the High Point Ranch; I only doubled-back once after passing a turn-off. It was completely dark by the time I arrived at Panorama Point, so I wasn't able to get many pictures or the summit video panorama either. The headlights from the rental car as well as the flash on the camera provided enough light so that I was at least able to get a few pictures of the marble summit marker. I also feel bad about this one since I drove all the way up to the summit rather than hiking. If I'm ever out that way again, I will probably re-visit this highpoint to do it the right way.

Satisfied by the fact that I had actually made it from Denver to the base of Mt. Elbert to Mt. Sunflower and then to Panorama Point in one day, I headed North to find a hotel for the night. The next day, I would finally get some real hiking in on an attempt of Harney Peak.