Tired of the Interstate Hum Drum? Take the Highway! Eastern Logan County can be accessed from exit 149 to exit 102. Highways parallel the South Platte and the Overland Trail. Whether you are traveling through our pleasant agricultural communities or on I-76, we would like to Welcome you to Logan County! Sterling’s new 4,000-square foot rest area and tourist information center offers many conveniences, including family restrooms, a well-lit parking area and beautiful native landscaping. The facility is staffed primarily by volunteers, many of whom are historians blessed with the knowledge that can help bring the West alive for visitors seeking information about the wonders of Colorado, including the Pawnee Pioneer Trails scenic and Historic byway and the North Sterling State Park. These Volunteers serve as the official welcoming ambassadors to our community all year long. 

RECREATION: North Sterling Reservoir State Park -Located 12 miles north of Sterling. This 3,000-acre reservoir is a boater's paradise. It is regarded as one of the top warm water fisheries in the state. Other popular activities include water skiing, swimming and picnicking. In the off season the park is open for waterfowl and small game hunting. Take exit 149 to 102 to visit out State wildlife areas. The Division of Wildlife maintains several areas along the South Platte River and reservoirs at each end of the county, all are well marked and have designated parking areas. Stop by the Logan County Chamber of Commerce or the Information Center for a free map of the area.

SIGHTSEEING: The best little museum in America may be the Overland Trail Museum and Village. Built in 1936 as a replica of the old trading forts. Inside the museum visitors can view exhibits from the early days as settlers moved into the area. There is a large collection of Indian artifacts; a collection of branding irons and other cowboy memorabilia; plus dishes, clothing and household articles used by pioneers who tamed the wild prairie. Dioramas and photographs give the visitor greater insight into the world of the resourceful people who settled this area. To make a good deal even better admission is FREE.

Outside on the museum grounds, visitors can tour several authentic buildings which have been moved from their original sites to become part of the museum complex. Included are: the Stoney Buttes one-room school house; a small country church and the Dailey Cash Store. Visitors can also see Earl's Print Shop, the blacksmith's shop, plus a grainary and barn. Also on the grounds is a variety of early horse-drawn farming equipment, a covered wagon and a Concord Stagecoach.

Details on the Overland Trail route and a vast array of local historical facts and memorabilia are on display for your enjoyment. Museums in Fleming, Crook and Peetz explore this heritage further. Sterling's downtown is a must for the history buff. Historic buildings include the Logan County Courthouse, the Union Pacific Depot and the Old City Hall, all built before 1913. Self guided tours are available. The Battle of Summit Springs Tour: To get to the sight of Tall Bull's last stand take Exit 115 and follow Highway 63 southeast for about 7 miles, watch for signs to the sight. With Black Kettle dead, Little Robe was the leading chief and he was determined to lead his people back to the reservation where he hoped they could live in peace with the white man. Tall Bull and his dog soldiers disagreed. They unleashed a reign of terror in Kansas, which caught the army by surprise. Their many disruptive activities were motivated by revenge for the Sand Creek massacre. It all came to an end with the last Plains Indian conflict on July 11, 1869, at the Battle of Summit Springs. For more information on this historic battle, visit the Overland Trail Museum in Sterling at the I-76 Interchange.


Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic and Historic Byway: Imagine yourselves as the first people to enter this big land of rock, sky and living things. Pawnee Pioneer Trails Scenic and Historic Byway offers visitors a chance to, if only for a moment, feel as though they were back in time. Experience the time of the cowboy west, the explorers, fur trappers and ancient mammoth hunters. It may even take you back to the times before mankind, when creatures long extinct inhabited the land.