Chadron State Park

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What a lovely state park! While here we played the 18-hole disc golf at the park. We hiked the Steamboat trail in the park along the top of the buttes with beautiful views. We drove out to Toadstool Geologic Park in the Oglala National Grassland and hiked a loop trail. We also enjoyed the Nebraska state sandwich, a Runza. A runza is a yeast dough bread pocket with a filling consisting of beef, cabbage or sauerkraut, onions, and seasonings. The Museum of the Fur Trade was also very interesting and educational regarding the fur trade in the frontier from 1795 to 1870. So many displays and items from the time of the English, French, and Native Americans.

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Photos

Chadron State Park
Chadron State Park is a public recreation area located within the Nebraska National Forest, nine miles south of Chadron, Nebraska, in the northwestern portion of the state. The park's 974 acres include a portion of the Pine Ridge escarpment and Chadron Creek.

Disc Golf
Chadron State Park has an 18-hole disc golf course. This hole was outstanding in that the tee is high on this hill.

Disc golf
This is the view from that tall tee.

Steamboat Loop Trail
One of the most popular short trails at Chadron State Park. While the loop trail is only about 1.4 miles long, it provides hikers an opportunity to reach the summit block of Steamboat Butte, perhaps the state park's most famous feature.

Steamboat Loop Trail
Chadron State park is beautiful - tall pine forests, huge hills, and starkly scenic badlands.

Steamboat Loop Trail
This trail was about one and a half miles long, but very steep to summit the Butte.

Steamboat Loop Trail
The Park was hit pretty hard by the 2012 forest fires. Hikers still have a ponderosa pine forest to trek through, with generous samplings of ash and cottonwoods along the way.

Steamboat Loop Trail
Another beaurtiful view from the top of the Butte.

Steamboat Loop Trail
The trail is fairly skinny but pretty easy to follow.

Steamboat Loop Trail
There is a drop-off on both sides of this section.

Steamboat Loop Trail
The setting sun really lit up this fall foliage!

Toadstool Geologic Park
Toadstool Geologic Park is located in the Oglala National Grassland in far northwestern Nebraska. The park is named after its unusual rock formations, many of which resemble toadstools.

Toadstool Geologic Park
The trailhead is a short walk from the cliffs. The trail is well marked by these poles with a white tip.

Toadstool Geologic Park
A one mile loop highlights many examples of eroded clay/sandstone formations. At the half way point of the loop, we followed the Bison Trail which follows a wash along the canyon.

Toadstool Geologic Park
Some of the rock formations were pretty large.

Toadstool Geologic Park
We walked right up against these canyon walls.

Toadstool Geologic Park
The namesake's toadstool formation.

Toadstool Geologic Park
The second half of the Interpretive loop was the highlight of the hike. You ascend to the top of a long rock formation, walking along a cicuitous path.

Toadstool Geologic Park
In the distance on the right, you had to walk around that corner outcropping along a pretty narrow path. It would be easy to fall over the edge.

Museum of the Fur Trade
The Museum of the Fur Trade is located on a historic trading post site three miles east of Chadron. This 36 foot long birchbark canoe would transport 2 tons of cargo and people.

Museum of the Fur Trade
A beautiful hand-crafted beaded gown.

Museum of the Fur Trade
A garden of ancient Native American heirloom crops grows onsite. This teepee is located next to the garden.

Museum of the Fur Trade
The trading post was established in the fall of 1837 as a site for the American Fur Company to conduct business with American Indians who spent their winters in the area.