Nebraska Directory Logo
Map_of_Nebraska_highlighting_Sheridan_County
SHERIDAN COUNTY WEATHER

Sheridan County Cameras

US 20: W of Hay Springs: Hwy 20 East

US 20: W of Hay Springs: Hwy 20 West

US 20: W of Hay Springs: Surface

US 20: Rushville: Hwy 20 East

US 20: Rushville: Hwy 20 West

US 20: Rushville: Intersection

US 20: Gordon: 20 looking far West

US 20: Gordon: East

US 20: Gordon: Surface

US 20: Gordon: West

Sheridan County Nebraska

Towns in Sheridan County

Clinton
Ellsworth
Gordon
Hay Springs
Rushville
Whiteclay

Listings in Sheridan County

Sheridan County, Nebraska

County Seat: Rushville
Founded: 1885
Named For: General Philip H. Sheridan
License Plate Prefix: 61
Population: 5,127 (2020 census)
Area: 2,470 sq mi

History

Sheridan County was established in 1885 and named after General Philip H. Sheridan, a prominent Union cavalry commander. Settlement expanded across the Pine Ridge region as ranchers, homesteaders, and traders moved into the area. The county seat, Rushville, developed as a service center for ranching operations and frontier travel routes.

The county’s history is closely tied to Native American heritage, the Pine Ridge Reservation just across the South Dakota border, and the growth of large cattle ranches. Railroads and early trade routes helped shape the region’s economic and cultural identity.

Geography

Location: Northern Nebraska Panhandle
Landscape: Pine Ridge buttes, rolling grasslands, canyons, and high plains prairie

Adjacent Counties:

Culture & Landmarks

  • Toadstool Geologic Park – Unique badlands formations and paleontological features.
  • Hudson‑Meng Bison Bonebed – Archaeological site with thousands of ancient bison remains.
  • Pine Ridge Scenic Areas – Rugged landscapes ideal for hiking, wildlife viewing, and photography.

Notable Communities

  • Rushville – County seat and regional service center.
  • Gordon – Largest community, known for agriculture and local commerce.
  • Hay Springs – Village with strong ranching and farming traditions.

Events & Attractions

  • Fur Trade & Frontier Events – Celebrations highlighting the region’s pioneer and Native American history.
  • Outdoor Recreation – Hiking, camping, and wildlife viewing across the Pine Ridge region.
  • Local Fairs & Festivals – Community gatherings celebrating agriculture and rural heritage.

Living in Sheridan County

Sheridan County offers a rural lifestyle shaped by ranching, agriculture, and striking natural landscapes. Rushville, Gordon, and Hay Springs provide essential services, while the county’s wide‑open spaces support outdoor recreation and wildlife. Residents value the area’s quiet pace, frontier history, and strong community ties.

0 Comments

Outdoors — Camping, RV, Hunting & Fishing

Honestly: Sheridan County is thin on developed camping. There is no state park, one state recreation area with primitive sites and no hookups, two WMAs with primitive camping, and very little else. RVers wanting hookups generally stop at Hay Springs or push on to Chadron or Valentine.

Walgren Lake State Recreation Area

4175 540th Road, five miles south-east of Hay Springs. (308) 665-2900. An 80-acre park with 40 primitive campsites under cottonwoods, most with fire rings, plus a stone picnic shelter. First come, first served.

No electricity, no dump station, no showers. Two vault latrines. Potable water is not listed — arrive with full tanks. Registration is at a self-service iron ranger taking cash or cheque only, and a park entry permit is required.

Fishing is bluegill, bullhead, largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch and crappie, with motor boats limited to 5 mph, no wake. ⚠ Water levels have been very low through prolonged drought — check with the park before making a trip of it. Parts of the area open to hunting after Labor Day for waterfowl, dove, pheasant and rabbit. The Walgren Lake Monster is the local legend, and Hay Springs has never quite let it go.

Smith Lake WMA

About 25 miles south of Rushville on Nebraska Highway 250 — sources give distances between 23 and 27 miles, so watch the mileposts. A concrete boat ramp and dock, a primitive campground and a picnic area. No electricity, no dump station, no showers; assume vault toilets and no potable water. Bluegill, black crappie, bullhead, largemouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike and walleye, with a 5 mph no-wake limit. Fished summer and winter, through the ice.

Hunting

Metcalf WMA, 3,317 acres of Pine Ridge country ten miles north of Hay Springs, carries deer, dove, elk, grouse, squirrel and turkey. Game and Parks publishes no camping or facility information for it, so treat it as hunting ground rather than a destination to stay at.

The southern half of the county runs into the Sandhills, where sharp-tailed grouse and greater prairie-chicken are the specialty birds. Open Fields and Waters walk-in tracts change annually — use the current Public Access Atlas.

The Cowboy Trail

A developed fifteen-mile segment runs between Gordon and Rushville, separate from the long continuous stretch that ends at Valentine. ⚠ Trail construction between Chadron and Rushville runs from July 2026 to March 2027 — check the current status before planning a ride at the western end.

Sheridan County at a Glance

Sheridan County, Nebraska — a long north-south county running from the Pine Ridge down into the Sandhills, one of the largest in the state. County seat Rushville. The Pine Ridge Indian Reservation lies just across the South Dakota line to the north. 267 listings across 9 towns.

Getting there: US-20 runs east and west through Rushville, Gordon and Hay Springs; NE-27 and NE-87 run south into the Sandhills.

For visitors: Walgren Lake State Recreation Area south-east of Hay Springs, long attached to a lake-monster story the locals have never entirely let go of; the northern edge of the Sandhills, where the grass-stabilised dunes begin; and the Cowboy Trail’s western segment between Gordon and Rushville.

Sheridan County · Panhandle · County Cameras

Vehicles registered in Sheridan County carry license plate number 61. See what every Nebraska county number means.

Sheridan County Businesses & Places

267 listings in Sheridan County.

Click a category to see the businesses.

Eat & Drink (29)
Stay (9)
Outdoors & Recreation (10)
Places to Visit (13)
Events & Venues (4)
Health & Emergency (11)
Shopping & Gifts (14)
Community & Faith (61)

See all 61 in this category →

Government & Resources (37)
Automotive (20)
Agriculture & Farm (15)
Professional Services (12)
Education (12)
Personal Services (5)
Utilities (5)
Transportation (5)
Land & Property Services (4)
Media (2)
Trades & Construction (1)
View All Sheridan County Listings