Soldier Creek Wilderness
From the 1870s to after World War II, soldiers at Fort Robinson pastured their horses, gathered wood, and relaxed along Soldier Creek, which is now a habitat for elk, white-tailed deer, mule deer, turkeys, coyotes, bobcats, eagles, and hawks. Here, the ponderosa pine-covered ridges of northwest Nebraska transition into grassy upland parks. Several well-developed trails loop through the area, which borders Fort Robinson State Park.
Description from Wilderness Connect (wilderness.net).
| Designation | Wilderness |
| Managed by | U.S. Forest Service |
| State | Nebraska |
| Size | 7,833 acres |
| Designated | 1986, by Congress |
| Center point | 42.69° N, 103.61° W |
| Night sky | Very dark ground, a faint glow at most (Black Marble reading 21) |
Boundary map
Boundary, simplified to about 0.005 degrees Federal campground
The outline is the agency boundary simplified for display, so small parcels and inholdings may not show. The agency page has the authoritative map.
Weather by month
Large units span more than one climate. The station stands in for the center point, and the outer parts of the boundary can be warmer or colder.
Where to camp
None of the 1 federal campground within ten miles sits inside the boundary. Nearest first. Distances are from the campground point to the boundary edge, from the Campsite Atlas index.
Trails
2 named Forest Service trails enter this wilderness, 18 miles in all.
| Trail | Miles | Allowed uses |
|---|---|---|
| Trooper ↗ | 10.6 | |
| Boots and Saddle ↗ | 7.1 |
Lengths and allowed uses come from the Forest Service trail layer by way of Trailhead Atlas. This trail list was copied from Trailhead Atlas on November 1, 2026 and is copied again on each weekly run. Trails in plain text have no page there yet.
Explore
Nearby on the other atlases
- 5.2 miArmy Theatre ↗Crawford, NE
- 7.9 miCo-operative Block Building ↗Crawford, NE
- 7.9 miUs Post Office--Crawford ↗Crawford, NE
- 12.3 miSioux County Courthouse ↗Harrison, NE
Landmarks are listed first, then by distance from the boundary.
Guidebooks for Nebraska and hiking across the country
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Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
How big is Soldier Creek Wilderness?
7,833 acres.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Who manages Soldier Creek Wilderness?
The U.S. Forest Service.
Source: Wilderness Connect
What state is Soldier Creek Wilderness in?
Nebraska.
Source: Wilderness Connect
When was Soldier Creek Wilderness designated?
Congress designated it in 1986.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Can I camp at Soldier Creek Wilderness?
Camping inside a wilderness is usually allowed away from roads, with no facilities, and the managing agency page has the permit rules. The federal campgrounds within ten miles are listed under Where to camp.
Source: Where to camp
How do I get to Soldier Creek Wilderness?
A point inside the boundary is at 42.692° N, 103.611° W. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is 18 miles away. The official page carries directions and the office address.
Source: Wilderness Connect
Which national parks are near Soldier Creek Wilderness?
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument (18 mi). Park Atlas has fees, hours and alerts for each.
Source: Nearby on the other atlases
Are there historic places near Soldier Creek Wilderness?
The National Register has 4 listings within 15 miles, including Army Theatre and Co-operative Block Building.
Source: Register Atlas
Sources
- Boundary, name, acreage, designation year, states and description: Wilderness Connect.
- Campgrounds: the Campsite Atlas index of federal campgrounds, matched to this boundary at build time.
- Trailheads and sites: the Forest Service Recreation Opportunities layer, points inside the boundary.
- Trails: the Trailhead Atlas open-data file of Forest Service trails, matched on the wilderness each trail enters.
- Night sky: NASA Black Marble (VIIRS, 2016 composite) sampled at zoom 6 around the center point.
- Weather, alerts, air quality, river flow and earthquakes load live in your browser from NWS, AirNow, USGS and iNaturalist when you open the page.