Trails West Magazine Photo Expeditions
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Stories from West Nebraska's Trails West Region
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- Special Interest Stories
Piercing the Veil: The Evolution of Body Modification
Discover the rich history and cultural significance of body modification and piercing — from ancient rituals in Egypt, India, and Africa to the punk rebellion of the 1980s and today’s mainstream acceptance. Explore how piercings have symbolized identity, spirituality, and rites of passage across civilizations, and see how modern piercing culture has evolved into a celebrated form of personal expression and art.Jeep Therapy: The Open Road Stress Reset
On any given summer evening, when the sun drops low and the heat finally starts to fade, you’ll spot them: Jeeps with the doors off, the roof stashed in a garage somewhere, and a couple of friends rolling slowly down backcountry roads. The music drifts, the air rushes, and the world feels lighter for a while.Chimney Rock Golf Course: Jewel of the Prairie
Nestled in the rolling grasslands of western Nebraska, just a short drive from Bayard, sits a course that blends history, scenery, and sport into a uniquely memorable experience. Chimney Rock Golf Course, known by some proudly as “The Jewel of the Prairie.Dancing with Light: The Art of Intentional Camera Movement
In the world of photography—where sharpness and precision are often prized above all else—there exists a rebellious technique that throws convention to the wind. Intentional Camera Movement, or ICM, is an approach that embraces blur, motion, and abstraction, transforming everyday scenes into painterly works of art. Instead of freezing a moment in time, ICM captures the feeling of a moment—fluid, unpredictable, and alive.Behind the Scam: Understanding and Fighting Elder Financial Abuse
Marge was never the type to fall for a scam. At 78 years old, she’d lived through enough to know that if something sounded too good—or too bad—to be true, it probably was. But things have changed over the past year. Slowly, and without her realizing it, the first signs of dementia began creeping into her life. Little memory lapses here and there. A misplaced checkbook.
- Nebraska
Behind the Scam: Understanding and Fighting Elder Financial Abuse
Marge was never the type to fall for a scam. At 78 years old, she’d lived through enough to know that if something sounded too good—or too bad—to be true, it probably was. But things have changed over the past year. Slowly, and without her realizing it, the first signs of dementia began creeping into her life. Little memory lapses here and there. A misplaced checkbook.Ink Therapy: How Tattooing Moved From Taboo to Healing Art
Fifty years ago, tattoos in America carried a heavy social price. They were marks worn primarily by sailors, bikers, convicts, and those who lived life outside the “respectable” edges of society.Scotty’s Drive-In: 2025
Driving west on 27th Street from Highway 26, you’ll find remnants of the 1960s atop a small building that looks like it was plucked straight from The Jetsons cartoon.Toadstool Geological Park & Campground
Situated within the Oglala National Grassland in the far reaches of northwestern Nebraska, Toadstool Geologic Park stands out for its exceptional geological marvels. The remarkable rock configurations found here bear the moniker "toadstools," a nod to their uncanny resemblance to mushrooms.Alliance, Nebraska, and the Iconic Carhenge
In the heart of the American Midwest, tucked away on the plains of Nebraska, lies the town of Alliance. While often overlooked on the map, this unassuming community holds a fascinating history intertwined with a peculiar roadside attraction known as Carhenge.- Wild West
- Trails West
- Pine Ridge
- Sandhills & Rivers
- South Dakota
Hot Springs, South Dakota: Where Warm Springs Meet an Ice Age Graveyard
Tucked into the Southern Black Hills, Hot Springs, South Dakota, wears two coats at once: spa town and science hub. On one side of town, naturally warm, mineral-rich water still bubbles up as it has for millennia, the reason nineteenth-century visitors flocked here to “take the waters.”
- Wyoming
Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest
Discover the tranquility and natural beauty at Medicine Bow National Forest and embark on an unforgettable journey into untouched wilderness.The Wyoming Wine at Table Mountain Vineyards
We didn't consider a winery when passing through eastern Wyoming. What we found was delicious and unforgettable.Fort Laramie Historical Site
Fort Laramie, situated in Wyoming, USA, is an iconic historic site renowned for its crucial role in shaping the American West.Jewish Immigrants Of Huntley Wyoming
Between 1881 and 1924, 3 million European Jewish immigrants poured into the United States disillusioned and in genuine danger of annihilation...Carving History At Register Cliffs
Rising 100 feet above the floor of the North Platte River valley, near present day Guernsey, Wyoming, stands the easternmost of three emigrant recording areas in Wyoming.
- Colorado
Mount Richthofen: The Great Chief
Nestled within the Never Summer Mountains of Northern Colorado, Mount Richthofen, also referred to as the "Great Chief" or "Chief Mountain," proudly stands as a prominent peak in the region. It has captured the hearts of many visitors, including ourselves, making it a beloved destination during our time in ColoradoThe Cache la Poudre River
The Cache la Poudre River is prominent in Colorado, United States. It is located in the northern (NoCo) part of the state and flows through the scenic Poudre Canyon, west of the city of Fort Collins.
- Oregon
Haystack Rock: Oregon’s Timeless Coastal Sentinel
The first thing you notice when you arrive in Cannon Beach isn’t the scent of salt air or the crash of the surf—it’s the towering silhouette of Haystack Rock, rising 235 feet from the Pacific like a fortress of stone.
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- Home
- Special Interest Stories
Piercing the Veil: The Evolution of Body Modification
Discover the rich history and cultural significance of body modification and piercing — from ancient rituals in Egypt, India, and Africa to the punk rebellion of the 1980s and today’s mainstream acceptance. Explore how piercings have symbolized identity, spirituality, and rites of passage across civilizations, and see how modern piercing culture has evolved into a celebrated form of personal expression and art.Jeep Therapy: The Open Road Stress Reset
On any given summer evening, when the sun drops low and the heat finally starts to fade, you’ll spot them: Jeeps with the doors off, the roof stashed in a garage somewhere, and a couple of friends rolling slowly down backcountry roads. The music drifts, the air rushes, and the world feels lighter for a while.Chimney Rock Golf Course: Jewel of the Prairie
Nestled in the rolling grasslands of western Nebraska, just a short drive from Bayard, sits a course that blends history, scenery, and sport into a uniquely memorable experience. Chimney Rock Golf Course, known by some proudly as “The Jewel of the Prairie.Dancing with Light: The Art of Intentional Camera Movement
In the world of photography—where sharpness and precision are often prized above all else—there exists a rebellious technique that throws convention to the wind. Intentional Camera Movement, or ICM, is an approach that embraces blur, motion, and abstraction, transforming everyday scenes into painterly works of art. Instead of freezing a moment in time, ICM captures the feeling of a moment—fluid, unpredictable, and alive.
- Nebraska
Behind the Scam: Understanding and Fighting Elder Financial Abuse
Marge was never the type to fall for a scam. At 78 years old, she’d lived through enough to know that if something sounded too good—or too bad—to be true, it probably was. But things have changed over the past year. Slowly, and without her realizing it, the first signs of dementia began creeping into her life. Little memory lapses here and there. A misplaced checkbook.Ink Therapy: How Tattooing Moved From Taboo to Healing Art
Fifty years ago, tattoos in America carried a heavy social price. They were marks worn primarily by sailors, bikers, convicts, and those who lived life outside the “respectable” edges of society.Scotty’s Drive-In: 2025
Driving west on 27th Street from Highway 26, you’ll find remnants of the 1960s atop a small building that looks like it was plucked straight from The Jetsons cartoon.Toadstool Geological Park & Campground
Situated within the Oglala National Grassland in the far reaches of northwestern Nebraska, Toadstool Geologic Park stands out for its exceptional geological marvels. The remarkable rock configurations found here bear the moniker "toadstools," a nod to their uncanny resemblance to mushrooms.- Wild West
- Trails West
- Pine Ridge
- Sandhills & Rivers
- South Dakota
Hot Springs, South Dakota: Where Warm Springs Meet an Ice Age Graveyard
Tucked into the Southern Black Hills, Hot Springs, South Dakota, wears two coats at once: spa town and science hub. On one side of town, naturally warm, mineral-rich water still bubbles up as it has for millennia, the reason nineteenth-century visitors flocked here to “take the waters.”
- Wyoming
Wyoming’s Medicine Bow National Forest
Discover the tranquility and natural beauty at Medicine Bow National Forest and embark on an unforgettable journey into untouched wilderness.The Wyoming Wine at Table Mountain Vineyards
We didn't consider a winery when passing through eastern Wyoming. What we found was delicious and unforgettable.Fort Laramie Historical Site
Fort Laramie, situated in Wyoming, USA, is an iconic historic site renowned for its crucial role in shaping the American West.Jewish Immigrants Of Huntley Wyoming
Between 1881 and 1924, 3 million European Jewish immigrants poured into the United States disillusioned and in genuine danger of annihilation...
- Colorado
Mount Richthofen: The Great Chief
Nestled within the Never Summer Mountains of Northern Colorado, Mount Richthofen, also referred to as the "Great Chief" or "Chief Mountain," proudly stands as a prominent peak in the region. It has captured the hearts of many visitors, including ourselves, making it a beloved destination during our time in ColoradoThe Cache la Poudre River
The Cache la Poudre River is prominent in Colorado, United States. It is located in the northern (NoCo) part of the state and flows through the scenic Poudre Canyon, west of the city of Fort Collins.
- Oregon
Haystack Rock: Oregon’s Timeless Coastal Sentinel
The first thing you notice when you arrive in Cannon Beach isn’t the scent of salt air or the crash of the surf—it’s the towering silhouette of Haystack Rock, rising 235 feet from the Pacific like a fortress of stone.