NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/999185
By Erin Lenz, Nebraska Tourism Commission Travelogue Discover Northwestern Nebraska P lan a trip to Nebraska's outdoor playground: northwestern Nebraska. Spanning Dawes and Sioux counties, northwestern Nebraska has a lot for you to explore. Jump on the Bridges to Buttes or Gold Rush byways and take time to see all the beauty. Go camping at one of the state parks, learn about history from fossils to fur traders or simply surround yourself with the great outdoors. Whatever you want to do, northwestern Nebraska is ready for you. Do Discover the rich history of northwestern Nebraska. View fossils from an internationally recognized fossil site at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument. Walk trails, view animal skeletons and fossils and see what life was like 20 million years ago. The North American fur trade was one of our nation's first business enterprises, and the Museum of the Fur Trade gives you a glimpse of that past. There you can even see items from the Oscar-winning movie The Revenant. Then explore Chadron State College and learn more about one of Nebraska's most important female authors at the Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center or see Nebraska's largest collection of ethnobotanical medicinal plants and historical pharmaceuticals at High Plains Herbarium. Lastly, don't forget to stop at the Hudson- Meng Education and Research Center and see the excavation site that is believed to be the bone bed of nearly 600 ancient bison. Eat If you're looking for a unique dining experience, look no further than High Plains Homestead Drifter Cookshack. This Old West cowboy town offers old-fashioned cooking and delicious homemade pies. Eat cowboy-sized meals of ribeye steaks, pork ribs or their famous coffee burger. In Chadron, listen to live music while enjoying your choice of soup, salads and sandwiches at the Bean Broker Coffee House. Stay a while and finish your meal off with a sweet treat and cocktail. A summer staple since 1981, Staab's Drive Inn in Crawford serves broasted chicken, burgers and ice cream in a fresh-baked waffle cone. Stay While you're out exploring, stay a night or two in one of many unique accommodations offered in the northwest. Relax in a peaceful, natural setting located in the heart of the beautiful Pine Ridge in Crawford at Foster's School House Bed and Breakfast. Or stay at an 1890s bed and breakfast, the historic Olde Main Street Inn, listed on the National Register of Historic Places. If you're looking for an authentic ranch experience, check- in at Our Heritage Guest Ranch in Crawford; ride horses, hike, bike, fish, stargaze or accompany the ranchers as they carry out their daily tasks for a pioneer family experience. Sheepwagon Hideouts at RuJoDen Ranch is another unique lodging option where you stay in a sheepwagon, the ideal home for a herder in the 1900s. Explore With 150,000 acres of public land and 200 miles of trails equipped for hiking, biking and equestrian exploration, northwestern Nebraska has an abundance of outdoor adventures. Toadstool Geologic Park is a sight to behold with its unique rock formations. Described as having a "moonscape" appearance, this park has fun scenery to view while you walk through the one-mile loop hiking trail. Chadron State Park is the state's oldest state park. Fish, paddleboat, go on a horseback trail ride, rent a mountain bike or stay in one of their 22 semi- furnished cabins. While Chadron State Park is the oldest state park, Fort Robinson State Park is the largest. Perfect for outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs, Fort Robinson is located on a formerly active military post and offers horse-drawn wagon rides, hiking, biking, jeep tours and much more. Other nearby outdoor destinations ideal for hiking and wildlife viewing include Nebraska National Forest, Pine Ridge National Recreation Area, Oglala National Grassland and Ponderosa Wildlife Area. ■ Toadstool Geologic Park in Dawes County. Agate Fossil Beds in Sioux County. Sioux County 8 NEBRASKAland • JULY 2018 Dawes County