September 12, 2023 – Fort Robinson State Park, NE

 Toadstool Geologic Park



Tuesday morning, we drove about 20 miles north to the site of Toadstool Geologic Park.  When the early French fur traders saw landscapes like these, they coined the term “terres mauvais” or badlands.  This is the beginning of the mile long interpretative trail we hiked.





Visitors in the late 1800s labeled the sandstone slabs resting on clay pillars, toadstools and the name stuck.





  The trail traveled around several fallen toadstools.







More fallen toadstools.







                    Lots of interesting formations.







We had to do some scrambling over rocks and climbing but the views were worth it.





                    Rex and Tacky taking in the views.






Tacky taking a rest and thinking it is time to head back to the Jeep – look closely and you can see his tongue hanging out.






More formations.  We had a steep climb back down to the parking lot.  It was a very interesting and beautiful hike.





Toadstool Geologic Park is in the Oglala National Grasslands and the Forest Service has a 6-site campground here.  This sod house is a replica of one built by Kenneth Peiren and Segard Anderson in 1930.  The sod construction provided warmth in the winter, cooler temperatures in the summer, and would not burn.


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