See Scotts Bluff National Monument

Eight hundred feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff was a landmark for Native Americans as well as emigrants on the Oregon Trail.

We explored the 3,000-acre Scotts Bluff National Monument in the Nebraska Panhandle on our return trip home from the Black Hills.

This summer, I am detailing our road trip to the Dakotas and Mount Rushmore as a series for a family adventure you might want to do! We stopped by this national monument on our way back to St. Louis.

*The bluff was shaped by wind and water.*

Visitor’s Center

We stopped briefly in the visitor’s center to learn about the trail and the creation of the high bluff. You can pick up maps and brochures of the park here. Also, on display is Western art done by William Henry Jackson.

A window allows for viewing of the adobe bricks used in the building's construction. — *A window allows for viewing of the adobe bricks used in the building’s construction.*

The Visitor’s Center was constructed using huge adobe bricks by the Civilian Conservation Corps, which was created for employment during the Great Depression.

Oregon Trail Pathway

Starting from the west side of the Visitor’s Center parking lot is the paved .5-mile Oregon Trail Pathway which is along a short section of the Oregon/California Trail through Mitchell Pass.

Between 1841 and 1869, over 350,000 people traveled west past Scotts Bluff. This pass was also used by the military, pony express, and the telegraph.

Covered wagons here mark the trail. The small Studebaker and Murphy wagons were the mode of transportation for families.

You can see a “swale,” which is a deep roadbed created by wagons traveling single file through Mitchell Pass in the area where the wagons are placed.

The park ranger explains life on the covered wagon.

A park ranger demonstrated an 1800s coffee grounder.

He also explained that the wagons had to have constant care and the wheels continually needed to be taken off and oiled.

If you want to learn more ask a park ranger to show you what the pioneers had in their wagons.

*Along the drive, you will gain views of the valley below*

Driving the top

After checking out this trail we drove 1.6-mile Summit Road to the top of Scotts Bluff to check out the views and hike the short trails on top.

Along this drive, you will go through tunnels, which my son loved.

Once at the top you can take trails to other views and walk through the trees and plant life at the top of the bluff.

North Overlook Trail

This asphalt .5-mile trail provides views of the North Platte River Valley, this area’s badlands, and the cities of Scottsbluff and Gering

*The Nebraska towns of Scotts Bluff and Gering stretch out below.*

Ponderosa pine trees and flowers added color to the area.

A sign explained about both Oregon and Mormon Trails that went through here.

Along the trail, the highest point on the bluff was marked at 4,659 feet. This marker, now exposed, sticks up above the surface of the surrounding rock, showing the amount of erosion that has occurred since its placement in 1933.

*Saddle Rock Trail heading down off the bluff.*

This trail also connects to the 1.6-mile Saddle Rock Trail which leads to the Visitor Center.

South Overlook Trail

The asphalt .4-mile South Overlook Trail provides a view of Mitchell Pass, remnants of the Oregon Trail, and the visitor center below

*Seeing the Saddle Rock Trail going into a tunnel*

At the start of the trail, you can look back and see the Saddle Rock Trail climbing up towards the bluff and the distant tunnel it goes through.

Here I learned that Scotts Bluff is a remnant of high plains scraped away by the nearby Platte River.

*Past people who have gone through this region.*

A sign here shared that the pass through the bluff had seen many faces: Native Americans, fur traders, emigrants, Pony Express, stagecoach, railroad, and then automobiles have gone through this pass.

Another sign talked about the animals that have lived here and have gone extinct such as the prairie wolf or the Audubon bighorn sheep. Bears, elk, moose, and antelope show up once every few years is all. The only bison in the area no longer roam free, they live on ranches instead.

After learning more about the area we headed out down the summit road to our hotel in the city of Scotts Bluff.

OTHER TRAILS

*Map of trails in the park. The Prairie View Trail is designated with a bicycle.*

Saddle Rock Trail

The asphalt 1.6-mile one-way Saddle Rock Trail leads from the Visitor Center to the summit of Scotts Bluff and includes a foot tunnel. Considered strenuous with an elevation change of 435 feet. There are two trailheads for the Saddle Rock Trail. One is to the east of the Visitor Center. The other trailhead is along the North Overlook Trail at the summit of Scotts Bluff.

Prairie View Trail

The Prairie View Trail / Bicycle Trail runs from the Visitor Center to the eastern boundary of Scotts Bluff National Monument. At the boundary, the Prairie View Trail connects to the City of Gering’s Monument Valley Pathway.

An asphalt 1.2-mile one-way trail is considered moderate with an elevation change of 50 feet. There are two trailheads. One trailhead is in the southeastern corner of the Visitor Center parking lot. The other trailhead is at the western end of U Street in Gering. It is the only trail at the national monument that allows for bicycling.

DETAILS

Drive: From St. Louis take Interstate 70 west to Kansas City and in Kansas City turn onto Interstate 29 to go north. Next, take Exit 2 outside of Nebraska City and make a left onto Nebraska Highway 2. This highway will join up with U.S. Highway in Lincoln, Nebraska. From 77 exit onto Interstate 80 going west.

Take exit 126 and make a left onto U.S. Highway 30 briefly before making a right onto U.S. Highway 26 and go west on this road until Chimney Rock.

Go straight onto Nebraska Highway 92 instead of following U.S. Highway 26 north.

Look for the entrance to Scotts Bluff National Monument on the right after going through the town of Gering, Nebraska.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Daily

Address: 190276 Old Oregon Trail, Gering, NE 69341

After Scotts Bluff, we checked into a nearby Hampton Inn for the night.

DRIVE HOME FROM SCOTTS BLUFF

Chimney Rock

You can stop at Chimney Rock on the drive back to St. Louis. This rock that looks like a chimney was another site along the trails going out West.

Address: 9822 County Rd 75, Bayard, NE 69334

Golden Spike Tower

Tower with an open-air and enclosed observation area for viewing the sprawling railyard in North Platte, Nebraska

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. Daily until 7 p.m. summer

Admission: $8 Adults; Seniors 62 and older $7; ages 6-16, $6; 5 and under free – AAA, Military, and Union Pacific Discounts Available

Address: 1249 N Homestead Rd, North Platte, NE 69101

Fort Kearny State Historical Park

Reconstruction of a fort that was established in 1848 to protect the growing traffic along the Oregon Trail.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Daily

Admission: Daily State Park Permit $12 – Visitor Center: $4, Adults, $1 for children under the age of 13. There is no admission for children under 3.

Address: 1020 V Rd, Kearney, NE 68845

STAYED THE NIGHT IN LINCOLN NEBRASKA

We stayed the night at a Holiday Inn Express in Lincoln, Nebraska before doing the final drive home and our last stop in St. Joseph, Mo.

Zesto Drive-In

Provided the Ice cream treat that night.

Address: 1100 South St, Lincoln, NE 68502

Nebraska State Capitol

In Lincoln, we walked the grounds of the Nebraska State Capitol. The capital includes a 400-foot tower done in the art deco style.

Address: 1445 K St, Lincoln, NE 68508

*Reenactment of the start of the Pony Express*

STOP ON DRIVE HOME: PONY EXPRESS NATIONAL MUSEUM

Exhibits detail the cross-country mail delivery service via horse and rider in the 1860s

Admission: $8, Adults; $7, age 65 over; $4, age 7-14; $2, age 4-6; Free, Children four and under.

Hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday – Saturday, 11 a.m. – 4 p.m., Sunday

Address: 914 Penn St., St. Joseph, MO 64503

EARLIER STOPS ON THE TRIP

Fossil Hunting at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

Find fossils of Ancient American rhinos, gazelle-camels, and a huge meat-eating pig at Agate Fossil Beds National Monument in the Nebraska panhandle.

Seeing a Shoot-Out and Waterfalls in South Dakota

We drove through the scenic Spearfish Canyon from Spearfish, South Dakota, to Deadwood, South Dakota, which has casinos, shops, and for us an Old West shootout. This included a short hike to the bottom of Spearfish Falls in Savoy, South Dakota.

Marveling at the Height of Devils Tower National Monument

A large column of rock rises 1,267 feet above the nearby Belle Fourche River to form Devils Tower National Monument.

Exploring Medicine Rocks State Park in Montana

Jutting up to the sky in the rolling grass and pine-covered hills of southeastern Montana are the pockmarked knobs of Medicine Rocks State Park.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit

The Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit has cannonball-shaped rocks and brightly colored canyons coupled with the Little Missouri River.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park: South Unit

Take in the views of eroded canyons and see prairie dogs and wild stallions at Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Painted Canyon

Panoramic canyon views and hiking trails are found at Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s Painted Canyon Visitor’s Center.

Seeing Mount Rushmore and Exploring the Black Hills

Staring up at the iconic presidents carved in stone was a day at Mount Rushmore National Memorial about 30 minutes south of Rapid City, S.D. Mount Rushmore National Memorial features 60-foot sculptures of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt, and Abraham Lincoln. Designed by sculptor Gutzon Borglum, the memorial covers 1.278.45 acres and sits 5,725 feet above sea level.