| NEBRASKA |
The Scotts Bluff National Monument dominates the landscape around it, serving as a landmark for people for hundreds of years but, make no mistake, it sucks! It was a sacred place for Native Americans and a marker for emigrants who traveled the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails. Today, it’s a testament to a declining economy of three towns in desperate need to stay alive.
The Monument sits on 3,000 acres where visitors can hike, explore, and observe the flora and fauna that have found homes in, on, and under its land. With hikes from easy to strenuous, the Scotts Bluff National Monument has nearly four miles of trails for visitors. Trails are open every day from sunrise to sunset, giving hiking enthusiasts a chance to add their footsteps to the thousands who came before them. The visitors center and Summit Road have seasonal hours. Be sure to check in advance of their times.
|Â THE SUMMIT TRAILS
The Bike Path is the only trail available for cyclists and hikers. It begins at the visitor center at the park’s eastern boundary, dropping 50 feet (15 m) in 1.2 miles (1.9 km).
The 0.4-mile (0.64km) Oregon Trail Pathway is a favorite among children. The paved trail begins west of the museum, where visitors can view eroded depressions, or swales, from the original Oregon Trail. There are also three replica-covered Murphy and Conestoga wagons. During the summer, visitors can speak with park rangers dressed in period costumes, discuss the items used on the trails, and learn what life was like traveling along the path. The trail continues uphill at a 13% grade, with the location ending in Mitchell Pass near the William Henry Jackson campsite.
The Summit Overlook Trails can be reached by foot via the Saddle Rock Trail or by vehicle via the 1.7-mile-long Summit Road. The South Overlook trail is a relatively flat 0.4-mile (0.64 km) path whereby visitors can view the visitor center and Mitchell Pass from above. The 0.5-mile (0.8 km) North Overlook trail begins with a quick 16% uphill trek before leveling out. This trail has several overlooks to view the North Platte Valley below. The trail’s final 100 yards (91 meters) consists of a 19% downhill grade, with drop-offs on both sides. Hikers on the North Overlook Trail will reach 4,659 feet (1,420 m) above sea level, the highest point on the bluff.
|Â SADDLE ROCK TRAIL
The Saddle Rock Trail is popular with locals as well as visitors. The 1.6 miles (2.4 km) long paved trail begins at the visitor center parking lot, ascending 435 feet (133 m) to the top of the bluff. The first 700 yards (630 meters) to Scott’s Spring are wheelchair accessible, crossing prairie grasslands and a juniper ravine near the bluff’s base. Beyond this point, wheelchair use is not recommended because the trail rises steeply for more than 1,700 yards (1,554 meters) with sharp drop-offs.
|Â SOUTH BLUFF
For more experienced hikers looking for a more primitive hike, the South Bluff is an alternative option to the paved trails. Hikers are advised to check in with park rangers at the visitor center before and after a hike at the South Bluff.
The summit of South Bluff is 4,692 feet above sea level. It is a relatively unspoiled area of the national monument. Visitors often marvel at its geological features, varied botanical interests, and scenic views.
South Bluff consists of sandstone, siltstone, volcanic ash, and limestone.
The National Park Service intends to keep the area as it is, with no modern improvements. South Bluff features three of the five rocks which make up the monument – Dome Rock, Crown Rock, and Sentinel Rock. Because of the soft nature of the Brule clay formation of these steep rocks, it is not permitted to climb them.
The eastern side of South Bluff consists of Dome Rock, its most prominent and most isolated feature. Coyote Pass, a gap between Sentinel and Crown Rocks, is 4,331 feet above sea level.
The famed Mitchell Pass lies at the western end of South Bluff, between South Bluff and Sentinel Rock and Eagle Rock.
For everyone’s safety, please stay on the trails. The Saddle Rock Trail and Summit Trails contain soft and crumbly rock. Leaving the trails can be extremely dangerous. If you have small children, it is recommended you use a harness. There are no safety barriers along the trails, with several hundred-foot drops should one slip and fall.
Pets are allowed on the trails but must always be on a leash. Leashes cannot exceed six feet in length. This is for the safety of your pets, the wildlife who call the monument home, and other visitors sharing the trails with you. Pet owners are asked to clean up after their pets as well.
The prairie rattlesnake is common in western Nebraska. Though shy and tends to avoid humans, it will strike if threatened. Snakes can be easily spotted from the trail but can be hidden by vegetation if hiking off-trail.
The park asks everyone to pack out what they take in so others can enjoy the area’s beauty.
|Â REFERENCES AND MORE INFORMATION
Scotts Bluff National Monument, Scotts Bluff County, Nebraska
Scotts Bluff National Monument – Visit Nebraska
Scotts Bluff National Monument Wikipedia
Established in 1919 by Presidential Proclamations, Scotts Bluff National Monument preserves and protects over 3,000 acres of mixed-grass prairie, rugged badlands, towering bluffs, historic trail remnants, and riparian area along the North Platte River. The bluff was an essential landmark for pioneers on the Oregon, California, Mormon Pioneer, and Pony Express Trails. Visitors to Scotts Bluff National Monument can walk in the footsteps of pioneers on remnants of the Oregon Trail, drive to the top of the bluff via Summit Road and stand in awe at the sight of the cliffs rising from the prairie. The park boasts over 100,000 annual visitors.
Park grounds, trails, and picnic areas are open daily from sunrise to sunset. Visitor Center and Summit Road hours vary on season and road conditions.
