Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jun 3, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
20m
Distance
8.8 mi
14 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Niobrara, NE
Jean-Paul Wettstein
Sparta to Niobrara is 8.8 miles and takes about 20m via 527 Avenue and 890 Road, with a fuel budget near $1 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within Nebraska's Great Plains region, making for a straightforward drive. You'll be on mostly surface roads for the entire 8.8 miles, so expect a relaxed pace. Given the minimal distance and time commitment, this route is ideal for a quick hop between locations or as part of a larger Nebraska adventure.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| 527 Avenue | 4 mi | 9m |
| 890 Road | 1.6 mi | 3m |
| 525 Avenue | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| 889 Road | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Buckeye Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 4th Avenue | 0.2 mi | 1m |
| Elm Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 885 Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Sparta, NE and Niobrara, NE.
Start on 885 Road
Turn right onto 527 Avenue
Turn left onto 889 Road
Continue on 890 Road
Turn right onto 525 Avenue
Continue on Buckeye Road
Continue on 4th Avenue
Turn left onto Elm Street
Arrive at destination
4 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 8.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto 527 Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto 889 Road
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto 525 Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto Elm Street
Navigation decision point
Regular Gas
$1.46 one way
$2.93 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.60 | $1.59 | $3.19 |
| premium | $5.18 | $1.80 | $3.59 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $1.85 | $3.71 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2.6 | 0 | $0.92 | $0.42 |
| Efficient EV | 2.2 | 0 | $0.77 | $0.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 3.5 | 0 | $1.23 | $0.56 |
Gas CO2
3 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Sparta on Wednesday
Local time
2:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Afternoon in Niobrara on Wednesday
Local time
2:47 PM
CDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Sunny
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
This drive is entirely on surface roads, with no highway miles, meaning you'll be cruising at lower speeds for the full 20 minutes. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 4 miles on 527 Avenue. You'll be navigating through rural Nebraska, so anticipate a steady, unhurried pace without the complexities of highway merging or dense exits. The main roads you'll use are 527 Avenue, 890 Road, and 525 Avenue.
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 527 Avenue.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 20m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (527 Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 4 miles (889 Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.5 miles (525 Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
132 ft
Total Descent
548 ft
Highest Point
1,672 ft
~0.6 mi in
Elevation Range
445 ft
Founded 1856
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 20m. Total distance: 8.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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