September 15-16 – 2023 – Fort Robinson, NE


Friday, we drove the Smiley Canyon Scenic Drive in Fort Robinson State Park.  This is a short canyon and where the Park’s bison herd is mostly located.  We drove up and then back down the canyon but did not see any bison.  The views from the canyon were very nice.






But we did see some mules – we liked this mare and baby.




We found great views of Fort Robinson State Park with bluffs behind.

After our drive through Smiley Canyon, we drove to the site of the Red Cloud Agency on the other side of the park.


The Red Cloud Agency was established here in 1873 for Chief Red Cloud and his Oglala band, as well as for other northern plains Indians, totaling nearly 13,000.  During the Indian war of 1876, the agency served as the center for non-hostiles.  After the treaty ceding the Black Hills to the US was signed here in 1876, and the death of Crazy Horse in 1877, the agency was relocated to the Pine Ridge Agency, Dakota Territory.





Standing in the open field where the Red Cloud Agency was located looking at the bluffs behind Fort Robinson.




When we started back to the campground, we finally saw bison, just not where we were told they would be.







After dinner we hiked about 3 miles on the White River Trail.  We saw two While Tailed Deer, but they were too fast for us to get a picture.  This Longhorn posed nicely so we could get a good picture.  A very nice hike on a beautiful evening.



The Trailside Museum in the park is only open on weekends so we rode our bicycles to it Saturday morning.  They have an amazing display of a pair of mammoths that died in combat about 13 miles northeast of here.  The intertwined skulls are shown here exactly like they were when they were excavated in 1962.

We enjoyed our stay at Fort Robinson State Park and did not realize that we would find so much to do in this area.












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