The badlands of the United States received their sinister name when the first settlers found them

Impossible to safely roll a cart across the cracked moonscape in the Upper Midwest. Our most famous badlands are preserved in the national parks of the Dakotas, and are off-limits to canine hikers.

To give your dog the opportunity to explore these unique lands of sculpted rock,

head south from the Dakotas to the lesser known badlands of Nebraska

beg. Here at Gala National Grasslands you will find dog-friendly

Toadstool Geologic Park, where the relentless tag team of water and wind have

carved fancy rock formations into the stark hills.

“Mushrooms” form when the underlying soft clay stone erodes faster than the

hard sandstone covering it. You can walk your dog on a marked mile-long trail

interpretive loop that takes you on an educational adventure through these

we stopped. Your dog is welcome on the hard rock trail, but is welcome to explore too

the way for close-up looks in the ravines at fragments of fossil bones that bind the

rocks and traces of 30 million years preserved in the stone.

There are some rocks to climb along the route, but this walk under

The clay and cinder cliffs are suitable for any level of canine hiker. There is only

sporadic shade and seasonal streams in this old riverbed, so bring plenty

water for your dog, especially in the summer months. Take a break at the end of

the walk in the small fenced yard of the reproduced turf house next to the parking lot

batch.

For extended dog walks, Toadstool Park connects to the world famous

Hudson-Meng Bison Boneyard via a three-mile trail. This archaeological site seeks

unravel the mystery of how more than 600 bison died nearly 10,000 years ago in one area

the size of a football stadium. Human predation is the prime suspect.

Toadstool Geological Park is located 19 miles NW of Crawford, Nebraska in the US.

Forest Route 904 leaving State Highway 2/71. The trail begins at the rear of the six-

unit camp.