Oglala National Grassland
The Oglala National Grassland encompasses a total area of about 95,000 acres of land that is situated in the Nebraska panhandle. The grassland is located in Sioux County and Dawes County, Nebraska, and is accessible using US 20 and US 3. The National Grassland is managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
Several distinctive features make the Oglala National Grassland an exquisite place to visit. Some of these features include the most striking badlands formations in Toadstool Geologic Park that are located in Crawford and Whitney (both in Nebraska).
The grassland is also home to the Warbonnet Battlefield Monument that commemorates the 1876 Battle of Warbonnet Creek. This monument is located within the Oglala National Grassland’s protected land and more specifically on Montrose Road.
Additionally, the grassland has several reservoirs including Agate, Broadgate, and Rock Bass reservoirs that are popular for recreational use. Furthermore, the protected land also has archeological interests like the Hudson-Meng Bison Kill which is an archaeological excavation that is still in progress.
Beyond these attractions, the grassland also lures visitors that love outdoor activities like camping, OHV riding, hunting, rock hounding, hiking, fishing, bird watching, scenic driving, nature viewing, mountain biking, horse riding, bicycling, water activities, and winter sports.
Some of the facilities in the grassland that are available to visitors who love these activities include several trails, dispersed camping, a visitor center, picnic sites, OHV recreation area, and stocked ponds. The management of the Oglala National Grassland welcomes dogs and their owners but with some restrictions to protect the grassland habitat and facilities.
For example, some areas of the Oglala National Grassland are out-of-bounds to dogs and other pets. For parts of the grassland that dogs can access, these areas require that the dog owner always uses a leash. If a leash is not used, then the dog should be kept in a secure enclosure.
