Plan a trip to Nebraska’s outdoor playground, Northwest Nebraska. Spanning Dawes and Sioux County, Northwest Nebraska has a lot to explore. Jump on the Bridges to Buttes or Gold Rush Byways and take time to see the beauty along them. 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, Northwest Nebraska is ready for you.

Do

Discover the rich history of Northwest Nebraska. View fossils from an internationally recognized fossil site at Agate Fossils Beds National Monument. Walk trails, view animal skeletons and fossils and see what life was like 20 million years ago. One of America’s first business enterprises was the fur trade and the Museum of the Fur Trade gives you a glimpse of the North American Fur Trade. There you can even see items from the Oscar winning movie, The Revenant. 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 bonebed 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 eating 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, stop by Staab’s Drive Inn in Crawford for broasted chicken, a burger or 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 beautiful Pine Ridge in Crawford at Foster’s School House Bed and Breakfast. 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, stay 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, Northwest Nebraska has an abundance of outdoor adventures. Toadstool Geologic Park is a site to behold with the unique rock formations it’s made of. 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. As 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 outdoor destinations great for hiking and wildlife viewing include Nebraska National Forest, Pine Ridge National Recreation Area, Oglala National Grassland and Ponderosa Wildlife Area.