When not writing, lifelong Nebraskan and US Army veteran Alan J. Bartels works a day job devoted to natural resources conservation. He’s been published in National Geographic, USA Today, Plains Sentinel, Smithsonian’s Air & Space magazine – and was the editor of Nebraska Life Magazine for 11 years while serving simultaneously as the assistant editor of Colorado Life and Utah Life magazines. Alan is the author of What's Going Down in Prairie Dog Town? (2018), 100 Things To Do In The Nebraska Sandhills Before You Die (2023), and the forthcoming tile, Secret Nebraska Sandhills: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure (March 2026).
In 2025 Alan received the Friend of the Byway Award from the Sandhills Journey National Scenic Byway, and the Friend of Tourism Award from the Nebraska Tourism Commission.
A past governor bestowed Alan with the honorary title of Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska – quite a feat considering Nebraska’s triple landlocked location.
When not writing, lifelong Nebraskan and US Army veteran Alan J. Bartels works a day job devoted to natural resources conservation. He’s been published in National Geographic, USA Today, Plains Sentinel, Smithsonian’s Air & Space magazine –...
Where in Nebraska can people explore a Stonehenge-inspired sculpture made from old cars, watch the night sky from one of the darkest places on Earth, float downstream in a livestock water tank through a more-than-century-old cattle ranch, and dive into a bottomless spring that some say is impossible to sink into?
Some destinations claim colorful monikers like Big Sky Country, Sportsman’s Paradise, the Sunshine State, Land of Enchantment, or the Last Frontier. The Nebraska Sandhills, which makes up about a quarter of the state of Nebraska, can honestly claim all of that–and a whole lot more. Paddle past more than 200 waterfalls while kayaking the Niobrara...
“Reduced to living on a tiny fraction of remaining grassland, prairie dogs live in extended families, and build underground havens for many animals, friends and foes alike. Join Tyler as he explores the neighborhood Prairie Dog Town, and learns about who lives there. Author Alan J. Bartels tells an engaging story that comes alive with Hannah...
Join author Alan J. Bartels at one of Nebraska's most interesting event venues ª The Most Unlikely Place, in Lewellen, Nebraska. It is also a café, art gallery, and so much more. Alan will speak, and maybe present a slideshow, before signing books.
In his second event of the day, author Alan Bartels comes to Broken Bow to present a slideshow and share with attendees how several bits of Custer County history made it into his new book, Secret Nebraska Sandhills: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. Event begins at 2 p.m. and runs until 4 p.m. or until local residents run out of questions!
"Death on the Plains: 1876 at Fort Hartsuff" is a commemorative event at Fort Hartsuff State Historical Park in Nebraska (May 16–17, 2026) honoring the 150th anniversary of the Battle of the Blowout and the death of Sergeant William Dougherty. The 1876 battle involved a skirmish between soldiers, led by Lieutenant Heyl, and Lakota Sioux, resulting in the sergeant's death.
The Battle of the Blowout is featured in Secret Nebraska Sandhills: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure. On May...
