I took a short vaction to Fort Robinson in Northwest Nebraska. The Fort is the site of the old Red Cloud Indian Agency; and the site where the Lakota leader, Crazy Horse, was murdered. Officers barracks dating back to the 1870′s (along with more current ones) are available to rent for a modest price, but there is a large camping area at the fort as well. Jeep-tours, horse trail-rides, evening plays, hayrides, stagecoach rides, rodeos, and all sorts of activities for families and kids are scheduled throughout the day at the state park, but visitors can take day trips to the lovely Chadron State Park (birding), to the Hudson-Ming Giant Buffalo kill site (with its 10,000 years old bison bones) Toadstool National Grasslands and Park, Battleground site, Black Hills and Rushmore, Wind Caves, Agate Fossil beds and more. The area is rich in the Cenozoic, or weird-mammal, fossils. Huge Mastadons, camels, pre-horse, rhinos, bear-dogs, huge, nasty-looking wild pigs, saber-tooth-tigers, and so forth. A natural history museum right on the Fort Grounds has a surprisingly fine exhibition about these creatures, including the well preserved remains of two bull Mammoths who died battling with their massive tusks locked.
The fort is not an especially well know vacation destination in the upper Great Plains—Mt. Rushmore is the usual destination—but “Fort Rob” is a favorite among those who have visited.
I took a few photos during my stay:
I think this pre-rodeo event is called the hat-swipe.
On this spot, Crazy Horse, Ogallala Chief was killed Sept. 5, 1877
Red Cloud Buttes loom over green lawns of Fort Robinson. View from Jeep-tour to 2nd highest point in Nebraska.
Low fares for fun, but bumpy park rides.
I’ll probably add more photos at Flickr.
