Soldier Creek Campground — Fort Robinson State Park

<u>Summary</u>
Western Nebraska's premier state park, Fort Robinson, west of Crawford, has it all -- with more than 22,000 acres of exquisite Pine Ridge scenery, compelling old west history, exceptional lodging, loads of fun-time activities, scenic camping and the park's own buffalo and longhorn herds.

<u>Attractions</u>
There are many ways to spend a day at the fort. First on the agenda should be a ride on the horse drawn tour to get acquainted with this unique park. Enjoy a refreshing Pine Ridge morning on horseback, or an open-air Jeep ride among the buttes. When the day warms up, head for the indoor, olympic size, Lindeken Pool, complete with outdoor wading pool and sun deck. Outdoor evening steak cookouts, morning hayrack breakfasts cooked outside among the buttes are just a few of the fun activities that Fort Robinson provides it's guests.

Fort Robinson Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily during the summer season. The park can also cater for group functions from mid-April to mid-November. Snacks are available at the Sutler's Store in the Activities Center.

Campground Notes
Fort Robinson State Park's shady campground offers electrical hookup sites plus primitive sites. Conveniently located are modern restrooms, showers, water, dump station, picnic tables and a shelter. Fort Robinson offers a nice campground for the horse lovers. Put your horse up for the night in one of the newly remodeled horse barns. With many miles of trails to ride through the beautiful Pine Ridge, this makes a great place to camp and enjoy the outdoors. Fort Robinson campground offers group camping with equestrian facilities. The campground is open year round with electricity. Showers and water will be shut down during the winter months.

<u>Accommodations</u>
Fort Robinson State Park visitors can choose lodging from rooms in the 1909 enlisted men's quarters or "cabins" ranging from sleep 2 to 20 in the former officers quarters that date from 1874 to 1909. All "cabins" have kitchens, baths, living rooms and bedrooms. Several sleep 6 and all larger units have living rooms. Cabins are full housekeeping units furnished with blankets, towels, stoves, refrigerators, silverware and cooking utensils.

You may also reserve a picnic shelter for your group or family reunion. Group and meeting facilities include the Buffalo Soldier Barracks.

The State Historical Society operates a museum and many restored or reconstructed exhibit buildings to interpret the Fort's history.

Visit the new exhibit The Clash of the Mammoths at the Trailside Museum of Natural History. A fossil find unlike any other in the world! The University of Nebraska operates the Trailside Museum which interprets the geology and natural history of the region.

The town of Chadron and Chadron State Park is less than 30 miles away. Guests can enjoy the sites and activities at both park locations.

Visit the U.S. Forest Service, Toadstool Park, which is approximately 20 miles from Fort Robinson State Park. Toadstool Park is in a region of badlands formed on the flank of the Pine Ridge Escarpment near Crawford, NE. The landscapes offer stunning vistas of rugged badlands and the vast plains of North America's interior. Or approximately 20 miles away guests can visit the Hudson-Meng Museum & Archaeology Research Center, which is the world's largest Alberta Culture Bison Kill Site and museum.

Camping reservations may be made a minimum of three days in advance of arrival and a maximum of 180 days in advance of arrival.

CHECK IN AND OUT SCHEDULE- If you check out early, the unused portion of your payment will be forfeited.

<u>Food Service Details</u>
Fort Robinson Inn serves breakfast, lunch and dinner daily 6:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Memorial Day - Labor Day. Snacks are available at the Sutler's Store in the Activities Center Memorial Day-Labor Day.

<u>Horses</u>
Fort Robinson is a horse lover's paradise with some 22,000 acres with many miles of trails and fire service roads to ride. Horses can be boarded one of three barns or the outside pens at Fort Robinson for a few dollars a night. You will need to bring your own feed, hay, and stall bedding.

<u>Concessions List</u>
Sutler Store offers snack items open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily Memorial Day - Labor Day.

<u>Visit Details</u>
Activities Center: 1 p.m. - 5 p.m. daily Memorial Day - Labor Day. Crafts center, old-time photo booth, and nature center.

Trailside Museum - (University of Nebraska) Area natural and geologic historic displays. Call 308-665-2929 or visit trailside.unl.edu for more information

Fort Robinson Historical Museum (Nebraska State Historical Society) Call 308-665-2919 or visit history.nebraska.gov for more information

A Nebraska State Park Permit is required to enter this park area. A Nebraska Licensed Vehicle Park Entry Permit is $35 for an Annual Permit, $17.50 for a Duplicate Annual Permit (used for that second vehicle in your family) or a Daily Permit which is $7 per day you are staying. A Non-Nebraska Licensed Vehicle Park Entry Permit is $70, $35 for a Duplicate Annual Permit or a Daily Permit which is $14 per day. You may purchase your Park Permit prior to your stay by shopping online at OutdoorNebraska.gov. All vehicles entering a Nebraska Park Area are required to have a valid park entry permit.

Fort Robinson State Park is located in NW Nebraska in the heart of Nebraska's Pine Ridge Region. Enjoy the many miles of hiking, biking and horse trails. Campers and lodging guests bringing horses to Fort Robinson may reserve a horse stall or pen when they make their lodging reservations. All overnight guests must keep their horses in the horse stalls or pens provided at Fort Robinson. No horses are allowed in the campgrounds or tied to the trailer next to cabins.

For camping reservations made exactly 180 days in advance or lodging reservations made exactly one year in advance, the arrival date cannot be canceled or changed. Additional dates can be added to the reservation, but the original arrival date must remain.