Toadstool Geological Park and Campground

As you drive down the gravel road to Western Nebraska's Toadstool Geologic Park, you'll wonder if you're in the right place... or even on the right planet. As with most hidden gems, the park is pretty far off the beaten path (literally and figuratively speaking) but it's well worth the journey. From the unique rock formations to the mysterious and ancient animal tracks to the strange dirt home in the park, there's plenty to see and do!  The rock formations are the highlight of the Toadstool Geologic Park. There's an interpretive trail through the lunar-looking landscape, which gives you a good chance to look at the park's namesake toadstools. Wind and water eroded sandstone into the odd-looking shapes balanced on narrow pedestals, and the different layers of sediment that make up the rocks give them all stripes of color ranging from shades of red to greenish hues. If you've been to this part of Nebraska, then you'll know that it's pretty famous for its fossils. While you might not see dinosaur bones, you can find the remains of some even more interesting creatures, like Entelodonts (a hog-like creature also known as a hell-pig which went extinct about 16 million years ago) and Hyaenodons (a strange, carniverous mammal creature). You can even see the tracks of long-gone creatures embedded in the sandstone! If you're really into learning about the strange, extinct animals that inhabited the US before we came along, the park is one stop along a route known as the "Fossil Freeway", which starts down near Gering, Nebraska and heads North towards Hot Springs, South Dakota.  You can also get a taste of some slightly more recent history by visiting the park's replica sod house. As pioneers began to settle on the prairies of the West, they found that wood to build log cabins was in short supply on the plains... but sod, the dirt and roots from the thick, hardy prairie grass, was abundant, and worked well enough to build houses. You could even fit doors and windows and wooden walls into the buildings, and they were cheap and well insulated (but kinda damp). While most sod houses have been replaced with better constructed, more permanent homes, some have survived, and others have been recreated (like the one at Toadstool Geologic Park) to give an idea of how people in the area used to live.  -Roadtrippers 4 mi. N. on NE Hwy 2, W. on Toadstool Road, follow signs - The "moonscape" of the Badlands is an unusual setting for a picnic. Use self-guided trail brochure to explore the area's fascinating geology. Open year-round, 24 hrs/day. Admission mid-May thru mid-Nov: $5 camping fee, $3 per car for day use.