Nebraska National Forests and Grassland \u00a0 \u00a0
\n<\/a>P<\/strong>ine Ridge National Recreation Area
\n<\/strong>“The Nebraska National Forest encompasses nearly 1.1 million acres of land in central and northwest Nebraska and in central and southwest South Dakota. The administrative units comprising the Nebraska are the Nebraska and Samuel R. McKelvie National Forests and the Buffalo Gap, Oglala, and Fort Pierre National Grasslands.”
\nHere’s the website for the Nebraska National Forests and Grassland.<\/a>\u00a0 The Pine Ridge National Recreation Area<\/a> lies within it.\u00a0 Pine Ridge is described here by\u00a0SummitPost.org<\/a> and on Oh Ranger.com<\/a>.
\nFor questions about trails in the Oglala National Grassland or Nebraska National Forest you can call Mike Watts\u00a0at 308-432-0390 or the Chadron Office at\u00a0308-432-0300.
\n<\/a>Here are some suggestions from Mike Watts. \u00a0Use discretion – remember that one person’s Easy is another’s Challenging.
\n“……..a few sections of trail and areas to hike that are scenic and relatively easy.
\n1. Soldier Creek Campground, South Fork Trailhead. The Trooper Trail follows the drainage of the South Fork of Soldier Creek for about 3 miles before it heads up into the hills. This part of the trail is relatively level with rolling terrain. There are a few short steep sections and a few small creek crossings. This section of the trail is in the Soldier Creek Wilderness.
\n2. Soldier Creek Campground, Middle Fork Trailhead. A two track unmarked trail follows the Middle Fork of Soldier Creek drainage. The two track enters the Wilderness after 1 \u00bd miles and continues for about another 1 \u00bd miles before it heads up into the hills. This is level to gently rolling. A variation of this is to take a two track trail that forks in the sidebar up the North Fork of Soldier Creek about \u00bc mile from the campground. This 2 track is relatively level for about 1 mile before it intersects the Boots and Saddle Trail.
\n3. From Chadron State Park take the paved loop road to the top of the loop. Take the gravel road to the Black Hills Overlook. After approximately 2 miles the road dead ends at a parking lot on Forest Service land. From the parking lot take the Black Hills Overlook Trail. The trail follows ridges through an old burn area and is level to gently rolling with a few short steep pitches. After about 1 mile the trail begins to get steeper as it drops in elevation just before the trail forks. The right hand fork will take you down to the Chadron State Park Campground. The other fork will take you to down to the Outrider Trailhead on Forest Service. Both of these forks are approximately 1 mile.
\n4. Approximately 5 miles south of Chadron on Highway 385 turn east on King Canyon Road. Continue east across a cattle guard onto Forest Service Road 733. After about \u00bd mile on Road 733 a high clearance or 4WD vehicle is recommended. Approximately 1 \u00bd miles from the start of Road 733 at the top of a hill you can access a section of the Pine Ridge Trail that follows a ridge through an old burn area. Parking is available next to the road. Follow the trail to the north for about 1 \u00bd miles. This section of trail is mostly level to gently rolling. There are a couple of short steep pitches. After about a mile when you reach a fork in the trail take the left fork out to an overlook.”<\/p>\n