Pine Ridge Trail: Outrider Trailhead to Black Hills Overlook

 With a forecast of beautiful weather, Rosie and I headed north up to the Nebraska National Forest just south of Chadron for a hike on a section of the Pine Ridge Trail that I had not yet completed. There is a new sign off of US Highway 385 marking the Outrider Trailhead. That's where we would be starting our hike. 

We hit the trail which is marked with wooden posts. 

We ascended gradually up towards the top of the ridge. Rosie seemed to enjoy the freedom of hiking off leash.

We could see trees with fall foliage in the valley down below.

When we reached the top of the ridge, Rosie excitedly climbed up to the top of a rock outcropping and posed for a photo.

We continued along the ridge 

with views down into canyons below.

Surprisingly quickly, we reached the Black Hills Overlook and turned around to make our way back to the start of the hike.

As we headed back huge flocks of sandhill cranes flew overhead making their way south for their fall migration.

The hiking back to the trailhead went pretty fast.

I was still in the mood for more miles and so I opted to head into Chadron and over to the CSC campus to hike up to the C on the hill on the edge of campus.