Nebraska National Forest trees at sunset

Experience It All

There’s a lot to experience here in Northwest Nebraska and our bucket lists are designed to help you explore it all! Organized by interests, delve into your passion with a Northwest Nebraska perspective.

Whether you aspire to soak up the history of Northwest Nebraska, experience its prehistoric beginnings or enjoy the great outdoors, our themed bucket list adventures can help you accomplish your goals. Lists can be checked off at your own pace. Some can be completed in a single day, others will require more time. 

Statue of Mari Sandoz

National Register of Historic Places

Northwest Nebraska played a big part in the western expansion of the United States. Our National Register of Historic Places Bucket List takes you to publicly-accessible locations, where you can explore the region’s history in greater detail.

National Register of Historic Places
Dull Knife College Cheyenne Outbreak monument

Native American History

Before the tumultuous times of Crazy Horse’s surrender and death, the battlefields of the Indian Wars and attempts to purchase the Black Hills, Northwest Nebraska was the home and fertile hunting grounds of the Lakota and other tribes.

Native American History
A man walks along the peak of a sunlit barren hill.

Fossil Freeway

Long before the region’s Wild West history, millions of years ago, mammoths, saber-toothed cats and other prehistoric beasts roamed the area. Established in 2009, the Fossil Freeway takes adventurers to sites where evidence of the magnificent prehistoric beasts remains.

Fossil Freeway
Train with sunflowers

Northwest Nebraska Railroad History

When the rails were laid and steam engines began pushing to the center of the country, the railroad transformed the land. In Northwest Nebraska, towns like Chadron, Crawford and Harrison thrived in part from the railroad, and others like Glen, Belmont and Orella would gain relevance, but later all-but-disappear.

Northwest Nebraska Railroad History
Cheyenne Outbreak state historical marker with buttes in the background

Northwest Nebraska State Historical Markers

Few areas in Nebraska offer as many state historical sites as those located in Dawes and Sioux Counties. From the wonderfully historic Fort Robinson, early sites of the fur trade in Nebraska, the many significant Native American landmarks, and Chadron State College, there’s something for every history enthusiast to enjoy.

Northwest Nebraska State Historical Markers
Wheat field at sunset

Restful Relaxation

One of the best things about Northwest Nebraska is the wide-open spaces that allow for solitary contemplation and reflection. Our Restful Relaxation Bucket List offers you several stops to get back to nature, whether it’s for an hour or a few days. Take a break, you deserve it!

Restful Relaxation
Deer hiding in pine trees

Parks & Wildlands

We like to say that Northwest Nebraska is Nebraska like you’ve never seen it. Everywhere you turn there’s beautiful scenery to enjoy and there’s no better way to immerse yourself in that beauty than to visit our many parks and wildlands.

Parks & Wildlands
Statue of Mari Sandoz

Heritage Tour

History buffs will love exploring Northwest Nebraska. Premier spots tell the stories of America’s earliest business enterprises, the region’s military and Native American history, the essence of early pioneer life and more.

Heritage Tour

Cowboy Life

Northwest Nebraska is the embodiment of the cowboy spirit. From the first movement of cattle out of Texas and into the High Plains, to the open range era and the transition to modern ranching, Northwest Nebraska cowboys have lived it all.

Cowboy Life