Sunday, 20 August
The Journey from Custer, SD, to Chadron, NE
We left Custer Gulch RV Park and Campground around 9:30 AM.
The journey from Custer, SD, to Chadron, NE, covered approximately 105 miles. Along the way, we followed a series of highways that guided us through a dramatic transition in terrain, from the rugged Black Hills to the expansive Great Plains and the distinctive Pine Ridge region.
Leaving the campground, we traveled eastward on Highway 16A for about 25 miles to reach Hermosa, SD. This stretch took us through dense pine forests as we descended toward Hermosa. Along the way, we passed the Custer State Park Resort, which had longhorn sheep grazing on its front lawn.
From Hermosa, we continued south on Highway 79 for approximately 55 miles. This section of the journey brought us into wide-open grasslands, where the forested hills of the Black Hills receded into the background. The landscape featured mixed grasslands, gently rolling terrain, and expansive views of the horizon. Here, we sensed the vastness of the Great Plains, with occasional farmsteads and scattered clusters of trees breaking the horizon.
As we continued southward, we crossed into Nebraska and transitioned onto Highway 385 near Hot Springs, SD. From there, it was about 25 miles to Chadron, NE. This part of the route took us deeper into the Great Plains, where the terrain is dominated by rolling prairie and endless skies. As we approached Chadron, the landscape became more varied as we entered the Pine Ridge region, known for its rolling hills, scenic bluffs, and scattered stands of ponderosa pine trees, which create a striking contrast with the open grasslands.
As we approached Chadron, it started raining. We arrived in Chadron and found the town nestled amidst this unique blend of prairie and Pine Ridge terrain.
Eagle Rest RV Park and Campground
We arrive at Eagle Rest RV Park and Campground around 1 p.m. The park is conveniently located just half a mile west of Chadron, at the intersection of Highways 20 and 385, offering easy accessibility for travelers.
Chadron, nestled in the Nebraska Panhandle, is home to approximately 5,206 residents. The city has a rich and storied history rooted in the era of fur trading and indigenous cultures. The surrounding region bore witness to significant events during the Indian Wars, including the death of Crazy Horse at Fort Robinson in 1877 and the Cheyenne Outbreak in 1879.
Formally established in 1884 with the arrival of the Fremont, Elkhorn, and Missouri Valley Railroad, Chadron became a key hub in the region. Today, it sits within the picturesque Pine Ridge area, known for its striking landscape of forested buttes, ridges, and canyons. Dominated by ponderosa pines and cottonwoods, this region teems with wildlife, including bighorn sheep, elk, mule deer, and wild turkeys, offering a perfect blend of history and natural beauty.
Carhenge
We quickly set up the camper and headed toward the quirky attraction of Carhenge.
The distance to Carhenge, located near Alliance, NE, was approximately 55 miles south of us. We traveled south on US-385 through the Pine Ridge region, characterized by its rolling hills, scenic bluffs, and scattered stands of ponderosa pine trees. The landscape transitioned into the expansive Great Plains, offering wide-open grasslands and endless skies.
Carhenge is a quirky and iconic roadside attraction. This unique site is a replica of England’s Stonehenge, but instead of ancient stones, it is constructed from vintage American automobiles. Created by artist Jim Reinders in 1987 as a memorial to his father, Carhenge features 39 automobiles arranged in a circle measuring approximately 96 feet in diameter, mirroring the dimensions of its ancient counterpart.
The cars, painted gray to resemble the stone of Stonehenge, are buried trunk-first into the ground, with some stacked on top of others to replicate the lintels and standing stones of the original monument. Over time, Carhenge has grown beyond its initial installation to include other automobile-based artworks, collectively forming the Car Art Reserve. This collection includes whimsical pieces like “The Four Seasons” and “The Spawning Salmon.”
We had a great time walking around and exploring all of the artwork. We also walked through the small gift shop on the site but did not buy anything. It was all quirky and a lot of fun.
Chimney Rock
We then drove 20 miles to the Chimney Rock State Historic Site, transitioning from the rolling hills and grasslands near Carhenge to the more rugged terrain surrounding Chimney Rock.
Chimney Rock rises over 300 feet above the surrounding landscape, and we could see it from a great distance. This prominent geological formation served as a significant landmark for emigrants traveling west on the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express national historic trails. The Nebraska State Historical Society now manages the site and features a visitor center with exhibits about the history of the area and the emigrant trails. Although we decided not to pay the fee to go inside the visitor center, we enjoyed walking around and looking at this iconic monument.
Scott’s Bluff National Monument
We then drove to Scotts Bluff National Park Visitor Center, approximately 24 miles down US-26. The drive took us through rugged terrain and scenic landscapes, including rolling hills, grasslands, and the North Platte River valley.
Scotts Bluff National Monument, managed by the National Park Service, preserves over 3,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie, rugged badlands, towering bluffs, historic trail remnants, and riparian areas along the North Platte River. The bluff was another essential landmark for pioneers on the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express national historic trails.
We first explored the Visitor Center, which featured several engaging exhibits. The William Henry Jackson collection showcases the world’s largest assemblage of works by the renowned photographer and artist, providing a glimpse into the landscapes of the westward expansion. Exhibits on the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails explore the challenges faced by pioneers who passed through the region. Geology and paleontology displays highlight the area’s unique formations and fossils, offering insights into its ancient environments. A dedicated exhibit on the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) details their contributions in the 1930s, including the construction of the Summit Road and other key infrastructure.
We then drove up Summit Road, Nebraska’s oldest concrete road. The 1.6-mile narrow road has sharp curves and three low-clearance tunnels constructed in the 1930s by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). As the road climbs, it offers stunning views of the surrounding area, including the expansive Platte River Valley and the nearby bluffs. We parked the truck at the summit and enjoyed breathtaking panoramic vistas from several overlooks. From this vantage point, the unique geological formations of Scotts Bluff and its significance as a landmark along the Oregon Trail came into full view.
Journey from Scottsbluff to Chadron
It was around 5 p.m., and our camper was 75 miles away, so we decided to return to the camper. We took NE-71 north from the Platte River Valley through the rolling landscapes of the Great Plains until we reached the Pine Ridge region near Chadron.
Monday, 21 August
Museum of the Fur Trade
We left the campground around 8:45 a.m. and made our way to the Museum of the Fur Trade, located just outside Chadron, Nebraska.
This one-story museum offers an impressive collection of artifacts related to the North American fur trade, the first major New World industry. For just $5 admission, we explored exhibits that were thoughtfully curated and packed with valuable information despite the museum’s small size. The displays explained how European traders and Native American tribes interacted, detailing the complex exchange of goods, culture, and knowledge. We easily spent several hours there, engrossed in the vast array of unique items—many of which I don’t recall seeing elsewhere. One section was dedicated to historical rifles, which, while not of great personal interest beyond their role in trade, added depth to the museum’s portrayal of trade goods and their significance in shaping the fur trade industry.
The museum stands on the grounds of the historic Bordeaux Trading Post, established in 1837. This post served as a vital trading center for the American Fur Company, facilitating trade with Native American tribes who wintered in the area. Outside the museum, we explored several replica log cabins furnished with typical trading post items, offering a tangible glimpse into the daily life of fur traders and their indigenous counterparts. One of the most interesting aspects of these cabins was the cactus growing on their sod roofs, which added a unique visual element to the historical setting. The Bordeaux Trading Post was a commerce and cultural exchange site where European goods were traded for Native American furs, hides, and other valuable items. Bordeaux, the trading post manager, oversaw operations until the U.S. Army purchased Fort Laramie from the American Fur Company and converted it into a military outpost, signaling the end of Bordeaux’s tenure.
In addition to the museum exhibits, the site maintained an heirloom garden, preserving crops once grown by the Missouri Valley indigenous peoples, which are now nearly extinct. Among the plants cultivated are the midget Mandan tobacco. This strain predates the Virginia tobacco introduced by traders, Assiniboine flint corn, used in the distillery at Fort Union, and the blue-kernelled “little corn,” which James Willard Schultz famously documented his adopted Blackfoot mother growing in Montana. These crops have been passed down through generations, and the museum replants them each year using their saved seeds to keep the tradition alive. Unfortunately, during our visit, the garden had been damaged by a recent hailstorm, leaving it in poor condition. However, the effort to maintain this piece of cultural history was still evident.
Overall, the Museum of the Fur Trade presented history from an insightful and well-rounded perspective, looking at the early days of American commerce and the intricate relationships that formed between European settlers and Native American tribes. The combination of artifacts, outdoor exhibits, and historical context made it a memorable stop on our journey.
Dawes County Historical Museum
At about 11:00 a.m., we drove to the Dawes County Historical Museum, a complex of historical and modern buildings. Admission was free, and the museum offered a blend of typical county museum exhibits—local history, pioneer artifacts, and photographs—providing a glimpse into the region’s past. Among the more standard displays were a few unique treasures, including an extensive collection of dolls and toys that spanned different eras, showcasing the evolution of childhood playthings in the area. This collection was particularly charming, featuring everything from porcelain dolls to antique wooden toys, offering insight into the lives of past generations.
Outside the main museum building, we explored several historic structures that were part of the museum’s larger complex. These included a one-room schoolhouse, a historic log cabin, and a pioneer church, all preserved to reflect the early settlers’ way of life in Dawes County. The buildings were furnished with period-appropriate items, allowing us to step back in time and imagine what life was like for early pioneers in the area.
We spent about an hour wandering through the exhibits, which did a nice job of showing their pride in the area’s history and culture.
Fort Robinson State Park
We then decided to drive to Fort Robinson State Park, about an hour away. Fort Robinson, once a U.S. Army fort, is now part of a 22,000-acre public recreation and historic preservation area managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission, with some buildings operated by History Nebraska and the University of Nebraska.
The fort’s history dates back to 1873 when it was established as a military camp to manage the 13,000 Lakota people who had been forcibly relocated to reservations. It played a pivotal role in the Sioux Wars from 1876 to 1890, including the famous Battle of the Badlands in 1877, where Crazy Horse, the Lakota war leader, was killed after being captured. In 1885, the 9th Cavalry, the “Buffalo Soldiers,” was stationed at the fort, and they played a key role in maintaining order in the region during the late 19th century.
Following World War I, Fort Robinson became the world’s largest quartermaster remount depot, serving as a breeding and training center for horses and mules used by the military. During World War II, the fort was repurposed as a K-9 corps training center and a German prisoner-of-war camp, housing up to 400 POWs. After the war, in 1947, the fort was handed over to the USDA and operated as a beef research station until 1971. In the 1950s, parts of the fort were transferred to Nebraska for preservation, and the state park was officially established in 1956, with the entire property deeded to the state in 1964.
The fort had been turned into a resort with many old military housing units converted into rental cabins, some available for overnight stays. In contrast, others have been transformed into event spaces for weddings, conferences, and historical reenactments. There was even a campground, a covered pool, and a playhouse.
Continuing Fort Robinson’s legacy of horsemanship and Western culture, there were also numerous horse pens and barns for the guests and vendors that offered horse rides for the guests. There was also an arena where we learned a rodeo is held each week,
We visited a museum housed in the old Post Headquarters building, which provides a deeper look into the fort’s extensive history, from its military origins and role in the Indian Wars to its later uses during both World Wars and its time as a research station. The museum showcases various exhibits on military history, Native American culture, and the fort’s time as a training and livestock center.
Afterward, we walked over to the lodge, which had a restaurant, and had lunch. We learned that the restaurant is especially popular on the nights of performances at the playhouse.
The blend of historical significance, scenic beauty, and recreational opportunities makes Fort Robinson State Park a fascinating destination.
Toadstool Geologic Park
We then drove 22 miles to Toadstool Geologic Park, of which 13 miles was a gravel road. The drive offered scenic views of the western Nebraska countryside, but once we arrived at the park, we were immersed in the distinctive geological landscape of the Sandhills.
The park features unique, eroded rock formations, including hoodoos and toadstools. The park’s most iconic feature is its “toadstool” rock formations, which are tall, mushroom-like structures formed when a harder rock cap sits atop a softer base. Over time, the softer material erodes, leaving behind the distinctive, capped spires that resemble giant toadstools. These formations are especially striking against the backdrop of the surrounding prairie and grasslands, which adds to the park’s surreal beauty. A moderately difficult loop trail went through the various formations.
Chadron State Park
After leaving Toadstool Geologic Park, we took a detour through Chadron State Park to enjoy its scenic drive. The route led us through rugged hills, dense ponderosa pine forests, grassy meadows, and steep ridges, offering a stunning journey through the Nebraska Panhandle.
The drive began with a gradual ascent through rolling hills, providing sweeping views of the Pine Ridge escarpment and the surrounding plains. Pull-offs let us pause along the way and take in panoramic vistas of ridges, canyons, and valleys that contrast beautifully with the open prairies beyond. The drive culminated at higher elevations, offering expansive views of distant buttes and hills—a perfect finale to this serene and picturesque route.
We arrived back at the camper around 6:30 PM.
Tuesday, 22 Aug
We left the campground around 0930 and headed toward Valentine, NE.