Chief Standing Bear Trail
A 22.9-mile trail in Gage County, honoring the Ponca chief who won Native American civil rights.
The Chief Standing Bear Trail runs 22.9 miles from Beatrice south to the Kansas border in Gage County. Owned and operated by the Ponca Tribe, the trail honors Chief Standing Bear, whose landmark 1879 federal court victory established that Native Americans are persons under U.S. law.
Trail Information
- Length: 22.9 miles
- Location: Beatrice to Kansas border (Gage County)
- Ownership: Ponca Tribe of Nebraska
- Uses: Hiking, horseback riding, biking
Counties & Towns Along the Trail
Gage County
Points of Interest
- Chief Standing Bear Monument, Beatrice
- Homestead National Historical Park (Beatrice) — nearby
- Gage County Historical Museum
- Rockford State Recreation Area
History
Chief Standing Bear (Ponca Tribe) was forcibly removed from his ancestral homeland in 1877. When he returned in 1879 to bury his son on tribal land, he was arrested. Judge Elmer Dundy's ruling in Standing Bear v. Crook declared Native Americans are persons with legal rights — a landmark in American civil rights history. This trail commemorates his legacy.
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