Doggin’ Toadstool Geologic Park: Hike With Your Canine In Nebraska’s Badlands

America’s badlands acquired their ominous title when early settlers discovered it
inconceivable to securely roll a wagon by way of the cracked lunar panorama within the Higher Midwest. Our most well-known badlands are preserved in nationwide parks within the Dakotas – and off limits to canine hikers.

To present your canine an opportunity to discover these distinctive lands of sculpted rock,
head south from the Dakotas to the lesser-known badlands of the Nebraska
panhandle. Right here within the Gala Nationwide Grasslands you will discover dog-friendly
Toadstool Geologic Park the place the relentless tag-team of water and wind have
carved fanciful rock formations into the stark hills.

The “toadstools” type when underlying smooth clay stone erodes sooner than the
arduous sandstone that caps it. You possibly can hike along with your canine on a marked, mile-long
interpretive loop that leads you on an academic journey by way of these
badlands. Your canine is welcome on the arduous rock path however you can even discover off
the trail for close-up appears within the gullies at fossil bone fragments that lace the
rocks and 30-million year-old footprints preserved within the stone.

There are some rocks to be scaled alongside the route however this ramble beneath
banded cliffs of clay and ash is appropriate for any degree of canine hiker. There’s solely
sporadic shade and seasonal streams on this historic riverbed so convey loads of
water in your canine, particularly in the summertime months. Take a break on the finish of
the hike within the small fenced yard of the reproduced sod home beside the parking
lot.

For prolonged canine hikes, Toadstool Park connects to the world-renowned
Hudson-Meng Bison Boneyard by way of a three-mile path. This archeological website seeks to
unravel the thriller of how over 600 bison died almost 10,000 years in the past in an space
in regards to the measurement of a soccer stadium. Human predation is the main suspect.

Toadstool Geologic Park is positioned 19 miles NW of Crawford, Nebraska on US
Forest Route 904 off State freeway 2/71. The path begins behind the six-
unit campground.