Take The Scenic Route
One of Northwest Nebraska's biggest assets is it's scenery. Appropriately, the region is accessible by two of Nebraska's specially-designated Scenic Byways, and Highway 71 has been dubbed the Fossil Freeway for its connections to several sites of importance to the local fossil record. Explore all your transit options below.
Travel Our Scenic Byways
The Bridges to Buttes Scenic Byway carries visitors along Highway 20 over the northern most portion of Central and Northwest Nebraska. After enjoying the views of the high bridges near Valentine and the famous Nebraska Sandhills in central Nebraska, travelers can head west and find themselves gazing up at towering buttes of Northwest Nebraska that prove the state is anything but flat. The byway provides access to a frontier military post at Fort Robinson State Park, opportunities to learn more about Native American culture and early pioneers like Mari Sandoz and to travel further afield to explore prehistoric fossils at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument and Toadstool Geologic Park. A portion of the Bridges to Buttes Scenic Byway between Fort Robinson and Hay Springs is also known as the Crazy Horse Memorial Highway, commemorating the memory of the Lakota warrior and chief who lived part of his life in Nebraska’s Pine Ridge region and fought at the Battle of Little Bighorn. Crazy Horse was killed at Fort Robinson 1877. The Cowboy Trail, a Rails-to-Trails project, parallels the Bridges to Buttes Byway, providing an opportunity for hikers and bikers to enjoy the same scenery at a slower pace. Plans to develop the trail fully in Northwest Nebraska are underway.
The 385 Gold Rush Scenic Byway traverses the 131 miles between Chadron and Sidney on Highway 385, taking visitors over the same terrain followed by miners seeking gold in the Black Hills. The discovery of gold and the failure of the Army to enforce a treaty reserving the Black Hills for the Sioux Indians led to the Gold Rush. During this time period in the late 1800s, it was common for $200,000 in gold shipments to travel over the Sidney-Deadwood Trail en route to the railroad. The 385 Gold Rush Byway follows a similar path through Nebraska, providing travelers panoramic views of national forests and unique geology. Stops along the way include interesting museums, such as the Dawes County Historical Museum, and outdoor recreational opportunities like Chadron State Park and the Ridgeview Country Club golf course. In the future, plans call for a portion of the 385 Gold Rush Byway to be expanded as part of the Heartland Expressway connecting South Dakota, Nebraska and Colorado and the Ports-to-Plains Trade Corridor crossing the U.S. from Canada to Mexico.
Explore The Fossil Freeway
The Fossil Freeway is one-of-a-kind highway corridor between Nebraska’s Panhandle and the Black Hills of South Dakota. It runs from Interstate 90 in Rapid City, S.D., to Kimball, NE, on Interstate 80 in the southern Panhandle along Highways 71, 29 and 20 in Nebraska and Highway 79 in South Dakota. There are numerous stops along the Fossil Freeway that allow travelers to explore the region’s fossil record. In Northwest Nebraska, those stops include the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument south of Harrison, Trailside Museum at Fort Robinson State Park, Hudson-Meng Bison Bonebed and Toadstool Geologic Park.
A map of the Fossil Freeway can be found here.
Other Transportation Resources
Chadron Municipal Airport is located about five miles west of Chadron with service to Denver International Airport (DEN) daily. Fuel and hangar service offered for private planes.
Southern Airways Express operates out of the Chadron Municipal Airport in Chadron, Nebraska and provides daily flights between Chadron and Denver. The airline offers twice-daily flights on weekdays and one flight a day on weekends and provides rental car services.
Rapid City Regional Airport is located in Rapid City, SD, about 100 miles from Chadron.
Western Nebraska Regional Airport is located in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, about 100 miles from Chadron.
The City of Chadron operates a transit bus with a wheelchair lift. This service provides low-cost transportation for the Chadron area. The bus runs Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. within the Chadron city limits, along with special extended service. Call 308-432-0520 to arrange a ride or for more information. Details can also be found here.
Crawford Public Transportation is available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. for local bus service with daily meal delivery for the aging. Weekly shopping trips to Chadron and transportation for medical appointments to Chadron, Scottsbluff and Rapid City on request. Call 308-665-1256 to arrange a ride or for more information.
Open Plains Transit is an intercity bus service in the panhandle of Nebraska. Hop on one of the routes to catch a Greyhound Bus in Ogallala! There are several routes and regional connections.
Try out the Nebraska Department of Transportation's pilot program - Nebraska Trip Planner.
Driving an electric car and need a charging spot?
Chadron Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, located at 1540 West Highway 20 in Chadron has an electric charging port on the front, east side of their building for use at no charge.
City of Chadron offers a two-port electric-vehicle charging station located on the south side of the Downtown Plaza, located at the corner of Main and Second streets.
Wahlstrom Ford, located at 1109 East 3rd Street in Chadron, offers an electric charging port near its service door.
Big Bat's, located at 1250 W Hwy 20 in Chadron, offers two Standard DC Fast Chargers capable of charging 62.5 KW to 125 KW Electric Vehicles. Phone: 308-432-4504
Paris Fisher Auto Sales is located at 130 Main St., Chadron, Nebraska, and offers SUVs, vans and cars for rent. Phone: 308-432-5999.
Wahlstrom Ford is located at 1109 E. 3rd St., Chadron, Nebraska and provides car rental services upon request. Phone : 308-432-5533.