Nebraska's history is full of moments that have been commemorated in a number of ways over the years; this beautiful walking trail is among the most unique, lovely, and ultimately heartbreaking.
The Chief Standing Bear Trail is named for this man, Chief Standing Bear, the Ponca chief who was instrumental in gaining legal "personhood" for Native Americans.
The legal victory was hard-won, however, after a great deal of tragedy. In 1877, the Ponca people were forced to move from their homeland in Nebraska to a reservation in Oklahoma. The deplorable conditions en route to and in the resettlement area led to the deaths of nearly a third of the tribe, including Standing Bear's daughter, Prairie Flower, and his son, Bear Shield. Chief Standing Bear returned to Nebraska to bury his son in their homeland and was arrested for leaving the reservation. The ensuing court trial against the government resulted in the landmark legal ruling.
The 23-mile trail roughly follows the route that the Ponca were forced to take on the way to the resettlement area.
Beginning in Beatrice, the trail traverses the scenic Blue River Valley, ending at the Nebraska/Kansas border. There are four trailheads in Beatrice, Holmesville, Blue Springs, and Barneston.
Though it begins with a small stretch of pavement, the majority of the trail is crushed limestone. It crosses 16 bridges, originally built by Union Pacific when this path was a railroad route.
The trail runs parallel to the Big Blue River in places. This peaceful, scenic route displays some of Nebraska's most beautiful landscapes.
Although it is beautiful all year, the trail is particularly remarkable in fall, when the leaves are in full color. The winter brings increased visibility of the river after the leaves have fallen.
The plan is for the trail to eventually link up with the Homestead Trail, which will take the continuous trail another 40 miles north to Lincoln.
The trail is perfect for hiking and biking; no motorized vehicles are allowed on the trail at any point.
Traveling the trail is quite the experience, whether on foot or on wheels. Although it's undeniably beautiful, the trail's real appeal lies in the story it tells of the Ponca people and their tragic past. Travel it mindfully and you may feel a connection to the brave men and women who were forced to travel this route more than 140 years ago.
Find out more about the trail and find a printable map here.
There's another remarkable rails-to-trails trail in Nebraska - read about it here.
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