A Massive National Monument Towering Above Nebraska Is A Wildly Historic Spot With Unique Hikes

While Nebraska has a reputation for its flat, agricultural landscape, don't be fooled by long stretches of Interstate 80. There's so much more to the Cornhusker State than what you can see from the highway. It's home to one of the quietest places on earth along a river trail with towering cliffs and a sandy, windswept road considered one of the most beautiful in America, not to mention one of the most iconic roadside attractions of them all, a bizarre tribute to Stonehenge made of vintage cars. So it should come as no surprise that along with the picturesque Sandhills to the north and stunning Oglala National Grassland to the northwest, you'll find another gem near Nebraska's western border with Wyoming: Scotts Bluff National Monument.

Scotts Bluff is joined by Chimney Rock and Courthouse and Jail Rock among a series of buttes known as the Wildcat Hills. Discover more of this scenic region by popping down to the Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area outside of Gering, just a 15-minute drive south from the park. But there's also plenty to see and do within the national monument boundary, too. Driving the 1.6-mile Summit Road, you'll be able to access the top of the bluff via Nebraska's oldest concrete road, which is open from 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day in the summer, with slightly more abbreviated hours between September and May.

The titular crowning feature of Scotts Bluff National Park is a prominent geological feature formed by millions of years of erosion. A protective limestone layer known as a caprock has prevented the landform from eroding at the same rate as the surrounding landscape, so today it stands prominently amid the high plains and continues to weather — very slowly — over time. And just how much time is required to erode a formation towering 800 feet above the local landscape? Visible strata stretching up 740 feet allows you to glimpse layers of the earth as far back as 22 to 30 million years.

Historical records illuminate how more than a dozen Native American cultures have ties to this remarkable region, and today, the Kiowa, Apache, Cheyenne, Arapahoe, Sioux, Crow, Pawnee, and Ponca people carry on cultural connections to the land. Nestled next to the North Platte River, the area formed part of well-traveled 19th-century routes like the Oregon Trail. It also provided a waypoint for Mormons heading to Utah and prospectors pushing west to get in on the California gold rush. Exhibitions in the visitor center, open daily in the summer, highlight how cultures and communities converged in this unique landscape.

There isn't any lodging or camping within Scotts Bluff National Monument, but you'll find ample choices nearby. Peaceful Prairie Tent & RV Campsites, voted No. 1 in Nebraska on Hipcamp, welcomes you to 200 acres of beautiful grassland with views of the bluff. Campers will also enjoy Riverside Campground and a range of options at Lake Minatare State Recreational Area, which is just a 15-minute drive northwest of the city of Scottsbluff. For more creature comforts, check out the stylish Hotel 21 in Gering.

By far the best way to experience this beautiful region is on foot. Open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, the park's nearly 4 miles of trails boast views of native prairie, juniper ravines, the surrounding North Platte Valley, and of course, the iconic bluff itself. If Fido's along for the ride, pets are allowed on all trails, too.

The 3.2-mile out-and-back Saddle Rock Trail, which begins behind the visitor center, leads you past the park's only natural hot spring, a small tunnel dug as a early test for Summit Road, and abundant places to bird-watch. With an elevation gain of 435 feet, it's the park's most strenuous route. Another popular route, the moderately-rated Oregon Trail Pathway, leads you past replica covered wagons on a 1-mile round-trip track. At the point where the asphalt switches to dirt, you'll be treading the same ground as the emigrant travelers did in the mid-1800s. And even though the wagon wheel ruts are long eroded, you'll trace what's known as a swale, or a deep channel in the ground created by years of single-file horse-and-wagon traffic.

Part of the joy of Scotts Bluff is that it's a little bit off the beaten path. If you plan to fly, Western Nebraska Regional Airport offers direct flights to and from Denver, although the easiest way to get around is to drive. You can get to the area by car from Denver in about three hours, providing a fantastic detour if you're on your way to America's first-ever national monument in Wyoming. You also won't want to miss Chimney Rock State Historic Site and the Chimney Rock Museum, both under a half-hour drive east from Gering.