(For a day tour covering all historic sites, including the Brinton Museum, consider starting your tour early in the cool of the day at Fort Phil Kearny)
TO GET TO FORT PHIL KEARNY FROM LAZY R: Take I-90 headed east for approximately 36 miles to Exit 44. Turn right onto US Hwy87/North Piney Road and travel 2 miles to Kearny Lane. Turn Left on Kearny Lane then right on Wagon Box Road. Fort Phil Kearny will be on your left off Wagon Box Road. (Wagon Box Road is graveled.)
If you’re interested in history of the old West, this area is a must see. In December 1866, ten years before the Battle of the Little Bighorn, 81men from Fort Phil Kearny, out on a firewood detail, died in a surprise attack by Arapahoe, Cheyenne, and Lakota tribes. Fort Phil Kearny State Historic Site’s Interpretive Center narrates this and other stories that illustrate Native and soldier life and area engagements. Three major interpretive locations introduce visitors to dramatic history in a breathtaking setting at the foot of the Big Horn Mountains. Outdoor exhibits guide visitors though all historic sites and a nature trail takes visitors on a shady path along Lower Piney Creek. Begin your tour at the Fort Phil Kearny Interpretive Center. Staff are usually available to introduce the Fort and nearby Fetterman and Wagon Box Fight sites. http://www.fortphilkearny.com/
FORT KEARNY TO WAGON BOX FIGHT SITE: From Fort Kearny, turn left onto Wagon Box Road which will take you to the fight site.
WAGON BOX FIGHT TO FETTERMAN FIGHT SITE VIA STORY: From the Wagon Box Fight Site, turn left onto Wagon Box Road which will take you to the town of Story. ( Worth a visit in Story is the Story Fish Hatchery, a perfect spot in the pine trees for a family picnic. Bring a loaf of bread to feed the huge trout in the hatchery’s display pond.) To get to the Fetterman site from Story, take Hwy 87 N to Banner; turn right onto Piney Creek Road.
TO INCLUDE THE BRINTON MUSEUM WITH YOUR FIGHT SITES TOUR VIA STORY: Take Hwy 87 north from Story for 8.6 miles; turn left on Kruse Creek Rd/#30 to Big Horn and follow signs leading to Brinton Museum.