As I
mentioned last time I had to go to Scottsbluff in Nebraska for business last February and my
drive across I-80 turned out to be more entertaining than most people would
believe. The second half of our journey started when we veered off I-80 and
headed northwest on highway 26.
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| Scenic Nebraska |
If you
haven’t figured it out yet I am a little bit in love with the Oregon
Trail and for me, getting to walk and stand where the pioneers
were and see what they saw is my goal when on vacation. So, for me, highway 26,
which passes multiple Oregon Trail sites, is
heaven. There are major landmarks along this highway, Courthouse and Jail
Rocks, Chimney Rock and Scottsbluff. Ash Hallow is also located along this
section.
I knew as
we drove the highway I would see these historic places, what I did not expect
were the river bluffs. Highway 26 follows the North Platte closely. We turned onto Highway
26 and almost immediately began climbing hills.
After we crested the hill, I thought we had topped a simple change of
elevation, but I was genuinely shocked when we came upon a severe drop down to
the river below. It was beautiful and breathtaking. Nebraska is definitely not flat and even
more than that, even in February it was beautiful.
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| Chimney Rock |
As we wound
toward Scottsbluff we passed by Ash Hallow and I really began to feel that
thing. That feeling you get when you know you’re standing on historic ground
and you know what people went through when they were also standing there. The
feeling grew as we continued on our journey.
Next, we
came upon Courthouse and Jail Rocks. These monoliths were significant trail
markers that guided the pioneers on their journey. I saw these natural
monuments, felt excited, and connected in a way I did not feel along I-80. I
was seeing what they saw 165 years ago. We
This rock is incredibly distinctive;
the top stretches in a thin column toward the sky, and sits virtually alone on
the landscape standing out as a haven, a stopping place, and an important
historic landmark. Next we approached Chimney Rock, the next
monument along the trail, which you can see for miles before you actually reach
it.
The site is
a National Park Service and has a Visitor’s Center loaded with things to
entertain and teach. The Ethel and Christopher
J. Abbott
Visitor Center
has museum exhibits, a video that tells the story of the Oregon Trail, and even
has an interactive activity where you can pack your wagon for the Oregon Trail. This a unique site and definitely worth
some time during your travels.
We
completed our journey in Gering, next door to Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
Gering is home to a wonderful museum that features a history of agriculture and
the plains. The Legacy of the Plains
Museum is a new
creation. The museum is a combination of
the agriculture museum and the Museum of the North Platte. The Legacy of the Plains Museum
houses a huge collection of agricultural equipment they still use to raise
crops on the property. The rest of the museum covers the history of the plains
in Wyoming, Nebraska,
Colorado, Kansas. The Museum building is brand new and
they have a wonderful video that discusses different aspects of Plains history
from farming, Native Americans, pioneers, cities, to art.
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| View at Scottsbluff |
Next door
to the Legacy of the Plains Museum is Scottsbluff
National Monument. The two
actually share a boundary and making a day of seeing both is what I recommend.
Both sites have multiple events throughout the year and any of these would be a
wonderful time to visit. Scottsbluff has multiple trails that lead up and
around the bluff. Any of these offer wonderful views of the river valley and
the neighboring towns of Scottsbluff and Gering. We weren’t able to hike the
trails at the monument because they were closed due to the recent snowfall. I
have e very intention of return to the area and spend several days exploring
the history and nature of the area. I was only able to spend one day in
Scottsbluff and that is not nearly enough time. We’ll need several days, as
will you, to see and take in the beauty and importance of this area of Nebraska.
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