Location: Western Nebraska panhandle from South Dakota to Colorado Length: 158 miles (254.3 km) Time To Allow: 3 hours Description/Highlights/Points of Interest The Gold Rush Byway denotes the discovery of gold in the Black Hills of South Dakota in 1874. When the Army stopped enforcing the treaty reserving the Black Hills for the Sioux Indians, miners began to pour into the gold regions. Until 1881, the 267-mile Sidney-Deadwood Trail carried the bulk of the traffic, supplies and gold to and from the mining towns of Deadwood and Custer from Sidney. During 1878 to 1879 alone, over 22 million pounds of freight moved along the Sidney-Deadwood Trail. Gold shipments worth up to $200,000 each moved south from the Black Hills to Sidney and the railroad. Suggested Itinerary Traveling the Gold Rush Byway from south to north, your first stop is Cabela's in Sidney at Exit 59 off I-80. It's like a department store and museum rolled into one! The amazing home of the "World's Foremost Outfitter" lets you roam through 75,000 square feet (6,750 sq. m.) of fishing, hunting and outdoor gear. The showroom also features the finest mounted trophy game animals and fish in the country, all shown in their natural habitat settings. Also in Sidney is the Fort Sidney Museum and Post Commander's Home. In 1867, building the Union Pacific railroad was dangerous work, even under the best of circumstances. Sioux, Cheyenne and Arapaho war parties made the arduous work even more dangerous. Fort Sidney was the military's response to these attacks. It was built to give protection to engineers and railroad crews working on the transcontinental Union Pacific railroad. Many of the troops stationed there took part in the Battle of Wounded Knee. Today, you can enter the living quarters of the Fort's Officers and Post Commander. In later years, Fort Sidney became a major jumping-off point during the Black Hills gold rush with freight heading north to the gold mines, and millions of dollars worth of gold heading south. Sidney's Legion Park houses the war memorial commemorating veterans from all American wars and a 141-foot (42 m) flagpole holding one of the country's largest American flags. North of Sidney is the Sioux Army Depot. A few months after the beginning of World War II, Sidney was chosen as the site for a massive Army installation (Sioux Ordinance Depot). Established in 1942, the installation provided hundreds of storage bunkers dotting the prairie. Most of these bunkers are still in use today for farm storage. The post was finally abandoned in 1967, which was a major economic blow to the area. The Mud Springs Pony Express Station in Bridgeport was a home station for the short-lived Pony Express, where riders changed their spent horses for fresh ones. A monument commemorates this remarkable era in American western history. Here in 1865, a group of 19 men held off an Indian attack until they were rescued by cavalry troops from Fort Laramie and Fort Mitchell. Five miles (8 km) south of Bridgeport on Highway 88 are Court House and Jail Rocks, two impressive and unusual geological formations that became landmarks along the Oregon and Mormon Trails. These large rocks are composed mainly of Brule clay and Gering sandstone, and form the easternmost extension of the Rocky Mountains, which Native Americans used for camping and sending smoke signals. Four miles (6 km) south of Bayard along Highway 92 is the Chimney Rock National Historic Site. "Towering to the heavens" is how one pioneer described Chimney Rock, the most recognized landmark along the Oregon Trail. Today, an interpretive center operated by the Nebraska State Historical Society pays tribute to those who traveled the trails and features original maps made from Captain John C. Fremont's 1842–1843 exploration of the Oregon Trail. North of Alliance on Highway 87 is Carhenge, which was inspired by England's mysterious Stonehenge. An Alliance family developed Carhenge during a reunion in 1987. At a 1991 festival, over 750 people used methods of the ancients to raise the "Heel Stone" — a 1962 Cadillac. Carhenge has been featured on "Good Morning America," and appears on the cover of Steely Dan's Greatest Hits. Is it art, whimsy or simply a fun way to recycle old cars? You decide. The Gold Rush Byway passes through two major recreation areas that offer myriad opportunities for outdoor adventure. The Box Butte Lake State Recreation Area north of Hemingford offers water-related recreation on a Niobrara River reservoir, while the Pine Ridge National Recreation Area permits mountain biking along its trails. Chadron State Park offers trout fishing, camping, hiking, mountain biking, activities for children, bird watching, horseback riding, paddle boats and many other outdoor activities at an altitude of about 4,000 ft. (1,200 m). More than just a pit stop along the byway, travelers can easily spend an entire vacation at Fort Robinson State Park in Crawford. Visitors can stay where blue-coated cavalrymen once bunked, and where the great Native American chief, Crazy Horse, was killed by a soldier's bayonet. Fort Robinson was also home to the Buffalo Soldiers, German prisoners during World War II, the world's largest quartermaster remount depot, war dog training corps and the location of the Cheyenne Outbreak. Activities include trail rides, historic tours, cookouts, swimming, trout fishing, crafts, hiking, jeep rides, stagecoach rides and more. The park grounds are open year-round for day use, hiking and camping, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and hunting in-season. Cabins, lodge, modern facilities and big-game firearm and wild turkey season. A park entry permit is required. For additional information about this byway, contact: The Cheyenne County Chamber of Commerce Cabela's Bridgeport Chamber of Commerce Chimney Rock National Historic Site