Nebraska Highway 71 begins south of Kimball at the Colorado border, where it continues from CO 71.

It then runs east, concurrently, with Interstate 80 to the next exit where it heads north as a by-pass along the eastern side of Kimball.

Further north, the highway meets NE 88 and runs concurrently northward with it for a couple of miles.

The highway continues north into the Nebraska Sandhills, turning to the northeast and east where it intersects with N-2 west of Hemingford.

Both highways turn north and about 25 miles (40 km) later enter Crawford and intersect US 20.