Pine Ridge Nebraska Map

Day 1 of 3

Fort Robinson to the Ridge · ~5 miles

Drive to Fort Robinson State Park near Crawford, top off every water bottle and bladder at the trailhead, and check in for current fire and trail conditions. From there it is 6 miles north on Soldier Creek Road to Soldier Creek Campground and the North Fork Trailhead, the gateway into the wilderness.

4 stopsDay one

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Drive from where are you driving from?~2.5 mi to Fort Robinson · car required · Drive

   Base your logistics out of Crawford and Fort Robinson State Park. Crawford is about 5–6 hours from Denver International Airport and 2.5–3 hours from Rapid City Regional Airport. Fort Robinson is 2.5 miles southwest of Crawford on US-20. No public transportation reaches the wilderness, so a car is required.

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2. ⠿↑↓2SkybirdForever / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Fort Robinson State Park & trailhead accessNE park permit · fill water · gateway to the wilderness · Viewpoint

   Fort Robinson State Park is your base and access point. A Nebraska state park entry permit is required to park here ($8/day or $45 annual for non-residents, from outdoornebraska.gov). Top off every bottle and bladder, and check in for current fire and trail conditions. It is 6 miles north on Soldier Creek Road to the trailhead.

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3. ⠿↑↓3mscaprikell on Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
   North Fork Trailhead · Boots & Saddle TrailSoldier Creek Campground · ~7.1-mi trail · Hike

   The North Fork Trailhead sits at Soldier Creek Campground, which has a hand-pump well, vault toilets, and 8 sites. Start up the Boots & Saddle Trail (about 7.1 miles) into the ponderosa pines, climbing toward the first open ridge with wide Pine Ridge views.

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   Dispersed camp on the ridgeLeave No Trace · ~5 mi in · durable ground · lodge

   Set a dispersed camp on durable ground on the first open ridge, at least a quarter mile from roads and developed areas. Store your food away from wildlife, carry all the water you need for the night and morning, and enjoy the solitude of one of the least-visited wildernesses in the Great Plains.

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Day 2 of 3

Ridge Traverse & Butte Views · ~7 miles

This is the big day: connect onto the Trooper Trail and traverse the high ridges for panoramic views across the Pine Ridge. Faint stretches and game trails mean map, compass, and a downloaded GPS track earn their keep. The reward is dramatic clay buttes and eroded formations, remnants of ancient seabeds, standing above the pines.

3 stopsDay two

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Trooper Trail ridge traverse~9.7-mi loop · panoramic Pine Ridge views · Hike

   Connect onto the Trooper Trail (about 9.7 miles) and traverse the high ridges for panoramic views across the Pine Ridge. Faint stretches and game trails make map, compass, and a downloaded GPS track essential. This completes the figure-eight with the Boots & Saddle loop.

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   Clay buttes & badlands formationsEroded ancient seabeds above the pines · Viewpoint

   Spend time among the dramatic clay buttes and eroded formations that define this region, remnants of ancient seabeds standing above the ponderosa pines. Watch for deer, wild turkeys, and soaring raptors. The formations are fragile, so look but do not climb on or disturb them.

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3. ⠿↑↓3mscaprikell on Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Dispersed camp in a sheltered drawWindbreak · good drainage · second night · lodge

   Drop into a sheltered draw for your second night, prioritizing a spot with a windbreak and good drainage. Store food away from wildlife and ration the water you carried. Expect near-total darkness and excellent stargazing with almost no light pollution.

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Day 3 of 3

Hike Out & Toadstool Geologic Park · ~5 miles

Finish the figure-eight back to the North Fork Trailhead on more defined tread, taking in the last views of the Pine Ridge before you reach the car at Soldier Creek Campground. Clean up at Fort Robinson and grab a celebratory meal in Crawford.

3 stopsDay three

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Hike out to the North Fork Trailhead~5 mi · more defined trail · last ridge views · Hike

   Finish the figure-eight back to the North Fork Trailhead on more defined tread, taking in the last views of the Pine Ridge before you reach the car at Soldier Creek Campground. Clean up at Fort Robinson and grab a celebratory meal in Crawford.

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   Toadstool Geologic Park~1-mi interpretive loop · Oglala National Grassland · Viewpoint

   On the way out, drive about an hour north to Toadstool Geologic Park in the Oglala National Grassland. The one-mile interpretive loop winds through mushroom-shaped rock formations, ancient mammal trackways, and eroded badlands. It is a day-use area with no potable water, so bring your own and wear sun protection.

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   Stay or depart from Crawford, NEFort Robinson lodge & cabins · Crawford stays · lodge

   Spend a final night in a bed at the historic Fort Robinson lodge or cabins or in Crawford, or begin the drive home. From here you can add the Fort Robinson trails, the Sandhills, or the Niobrara River to extend your Nebraska trip.

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