EXPLORING NEBRASKA

Taking the Trails Less Traveled

- WORDS AND PHOTOS BY BRANDON HOFFNER

Growing up in one of the flattest portions of the Colorado High Plains, I was always mesmerized by mountains and broken country. I was fortunate to spend a summer working in western Nebraska and the Pine Ridge. It's an amazing place filled with pronghorn, mule deer, elk, mountain lions, and many other species. It's also a fantastic place to watch raptors. Provided is one route example to spend a day in this fairly unknown but fantastic part of Nebraska. Taking your UTV, ATV, or bikes can provide another way to sample more of this area. Additional research will allow you to craft a few days of adventure that will provide a lot of scenery, varying terrain, and wildlife viewing. Utilizing onX Maps will help you find many of the short trails interspersed through the Nebraska National Forest and the Oglala National Grassland.

Overview

Route:

Black Hills Overlook (Nebraska National Forest, Chadron State Park area) → Little Wolves area (FR 723 / Bordeaux Rd) Crawford → Toadstool Geologic Park

Distance: ~55-60 miles (depending on exact trail access points)

Travel time: ~1½ hours driving time (plus plenty of stops!)