Black Hills and Bighorn trip ideas?

[repo]

Any pointers for a trip west before I start watching endless youtube vids?

• Nebraska National Forest (yes we have one).
• Black Hills NF.
• Bighorn NF.
• Badlands NP.

Or reverse order. I realize Yellowstone is only a bit further but I'd prefer to keep off the beaten track and check out some under-rated areas. Just want to do some trails, dispersed camping, look at proper mountains and maybe shoot guns on on BLM or whatever is out there as a bonus. That's about it.

 

[Dean22]

The Pryor Mountains Wild Horse Range should fit the bill. It's in WY/MT, just north of the Bighorns. If you're there in summer, there are trails on top of Beartooth Plateau out of Cooke City, MT. Of course, there's always the Morrison Jeep Trail (which I think will eventually get you to Cooke). Have fun. It's a beautiful part of the country.

 

[Bluesky 07]

I highly recommend Little Bighorn National Battlefield if you have even a casual interest in the fight that took place there. Only takes a couple of hours and being there brought everything I had read about that day in 1876 into much sharper focus.

 

[JLTD]

I highly recommend Little Bighorn National Battlefield if you have even a casual interest in the fight that took place there. Only takes a couple of hours and being there brought everything I had read about that day in 1876 into much sharper focus.

Have to back this up! And if you get the right presenter, they tell the story very well indeed.


Don't miss out on Devils Tower while you're there.

 

[BlackCloud]

Bighorn Mtns are devoid of people and are really quite lovely. Great dispersed camping. Fewer people on west side than east side.

The Pines Lodge on Rt 16 serves up a great steak @ an unbeatable price.

In the Blackhills:
the cave tours of Jewel Cave are superior to Wind Cave;
Watch the lighting ceremony @ Mt. Rushmore @ 9pm;
Michelson Trail is one of the best rails to trails in the country

For Badlands NP be sure to drive to the south unit & up Sheep Table Mtn Road - especially in early morning for for sunset. The rough dirt (graded) road south of the south unit will be all yours.