The Dissected Till Plains cover the eastern fifth of Nebraska. This area consists of rolling hills criss-crossed by streams and rivers. The Dissected Till Plains are farm country and fields of corn, soybeans, sorghum grain, and other crops blanket the region. The northern section is referred to as the Loess Hills. Loess is a buff to yellowish-brown loamy dust that is found in North America. Loess is is distributed across an area by the wind.

The Great Plains of Nebraska lie to the west of the Till Plains and extend across the state into Wyoming and Colorado. Loess covers the central and south-central Great Plains. This area can be rough and hilly. A relatively flat area in the southeastern section, interspersed with lakes and wetlands, is farmed intensly. This area, about 7,000 square miles, is called The Loess Plains. This region is also sometimes referred to as the Rainwater Basin or the Rainbasin.

One might think of sand dunes as belonging near an ocean of one of the Great Lakes. But, north of the Platte River in central Nebraska lies the largest area of sand dunes in North America. This area, about 20,000 square miles, is created of fine sand formed into hills by the wind. Most of the sand in the so-called Sand Hills, is held in place by grass. Exceptions occur due to overgrazing of cattle and this is cattle country supported by streams and abundant well water.

North and west of the Sand Hills are the High Plains, characterized by rising land up to over a mile above sea level in the west along the Wyoming border. This area receives little rainfall although some farming is accomplished with irrigation techniques. Rougher sections of the High Plains are used for cattle grazing. The beautiful Wildcat and Pine Ridges are covered with evergreen trees. The highest point in Nebraska, at 5,426 feet above sea level is found in southwestern Kimball County.

In the northwestern corner of Nebraska is a small area of Badlands. In this area of Nebraska, wind and water have sculpted the sandstone and clay into strange and beautiful natural formations. This unusual landscape is characterized by steep hills laid bare by the wind to reveal sandstone and siltstone structures including pedestals shaped like mushrooms. Toadstool Park, in the Oglala National Grasslands, is an attraction of the Nebraska Badlands.

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