Chadron State Park
Cabin Trail and Black Hills Overlook Loop

Chadron State park is beautiful - tall pine forests, huge hills, and starkly scenic badlands. Walking through the forest is peaceful and quiet, and exploring the badlands is always an amazing experience.

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It's a bit hard finding a single trail that explores all that Chadron State Park has to offer, and I'm not entirely sure the trail I'm documenting is the best that can be achieved as it requires a couple of walks along paved roads.

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Regardless, I really enjoyed this hike, and have every intention of doing it again.

Approach

From the junction of US 385 and US 20 in Chadron Nebraska, take US 385 south 8.4 miles to the entrance to Chadron State Park.

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Take a right into the park, then stop at the visitors center to pay the entrance fee.

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From the visitors center, take a right and head south, then a quick right and head north. You will pass over a stream, then the road will go around a long curve left. As the curve straightens out, enter the parking lot on your left.

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Note that the parking lot is for the volleyball and tennis courts.

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Coordinates for the hike: 42.7100800,-103.0104300

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Parking / Trailhead amenities

The paved parking lot is level and large. There is a building with toilets and running water near the parking lot.

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Trail observations

The trail exits on the uphill side of the parking lot. For a while the trail is wide and well maintained, with lots of moderately steep climbs and a few descents.

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To get to the Black Hills Overlook, you'll need to walk along a paved road for a ways, then along a gravel road. Both give good views of the area as you walk.

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From the overlook the trail suddenly turns to a narrow rough track that skirts the badlands. There are a couple of volunteer trails, and it's a little hard to follow the correct trail. Keep an eye out for the reflective yellow arrow signposts and you'll make it through.

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After the badlands the trail descends through a grassland into a short wooded canyon, then traverses the campground area and returns to the parking lot via a short stretch of paved road.

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Trail statistics

The trail is 5.86 miles long. The sum of all the uphill climbs is 292 feet.

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Trail waypoints

0.00 mi	Parking	Parking
0.02 mi	Trailhead	Trailhead at top of parking lot
0.08 mi	Go right	Branch - go right
0.34 mi	Tee left	Tee - go left
0.75 mi	Tee right	Tee - go right
0.83 mi	Right on road	Tee - go right along the paved road
1.11 mi	Go left	Branch - go left towards the overlook
1.18 mi	Stay on gravel	Stay on the gravel road
1.99 mi	Stay right	Ignore the left side branches and stay right
2.40 mi	Go through fence	Follow the trail through the fence to the overlook
2.48 mi	Overlook	Take the tiny trail on the right of the overlook
2.91 mi	Stay left	Branch - stay left
3.18 mi	Stay right	Branch - stay right
3.66 mi	Go left	Branch - stay left toward campground (sign)
3.95 mi	Right to picnic	Branch - go right down to the picnic area
3.98 mi	Cut across	Cut across the parking lot to the campground trail sign
4.21 mi	Follow right	Follow the paved road to the right
4.33 mi	Head left	Head left along the paved road toward the office
4.50 mi	End of trail	End of trail