Gold Rush Byway
Sidney-Deadwood Trail, NE

The Sidney-Deadwood Trail was an important link between Sidney and the Black Hills, where gold had been discovered in 1874. The railroad dropped men and supplies off in Sidney, and from there, they would venture over the 267-mile trail to the Black Hills in search of gold. From 1875-1881 the trail brought many men to the mining towns of Deadwood and Custer. The trail saw a lot of traffic, mostly in the form of stagecoaches, freight wagons drawn by oxen or mules, herds of cattle, and riders on horseback. It is estimated that from 1878-1879 alone, over 22 million pounds of freight moved over the Trail. Gold shipments, some worth up to $200,000 moved over the Sidney-Deadwood Trail. The trail's major obstacle was the North Platte River, near Bridgeport, and in 1876, Clarke's Bridge was created to make the traveling easier. By 1880, the railroad reached the Pierre Dakota Territory, diverting much of the gold rush traffic away from Sidney.