50 Nebraskaland • June 2021
As we approached that fi nal descent, we stopped to snap
a fi nal trail marker photo and enjoy the view. After reaching
West Ash Road, we walked north one-third of a mile to the
creek-side picnic area maintained by the Forest Service. Time
of arrival: 12:19 p.m.
Day three and another 15,121 steps and 4.9 miles down.
The GPS unit showed we had covered 37.19 miles in 15 hours,
58 minutes and 56 seconds. We'd been on the trail for two
days, three hours and 53 minutes.
Final Thoughts
With some of Nebraska's most captivating scenery behind
us — not to mention ups, downs, ticks, thunderstorms, cow
pies and patches of poison ivy — we stretched out on a
picnic table with West Ash Creek playing its soothing sounds
nearby.
Cricket and Kiera's arrival with a bucket of fried chicken
and cold sodas was certainly a joyous occasion, as was an
obligatory stop in Crawford for ice cream.
While traveling U.S. Highway 20 from Crawford to Chadron
in the air-conditioned comforts of the truck, I marveled while
looking south over the open plain. The familiar sight of the
Pine Ridge in the distance, and the land we had covered, had
taken on new meaning to Sawyer and me.
The journey certainly helped us meet our goal of "social
distancing." Even though we saw some horse prints,
Clouds glow above East Ash Creek Canyon, the starting point of the adventure's fi nal day.
The backpackers stop for a selfi e before descending to the
West Ash Creek Trailhead.
