Visit the Scotts Bluff National Monument

Scotts Bluff National Monument ranks first on the list of the best things to do in Nebraska. Scotts Bluff National Monument, a must-see for travelers on the Oregon and Mormon trails, features geological and paleontological history. Scotts Bluff, which rises 800 feet above the North Platte River, has been a natural landmark for many peoples and served as a path marker for those on the Oregon, California, Mormon, and Pony Express Trails. Scotts Bluff National Monument protects 3,000 acres of unusual land formations that rise above flat prairieland. The monument museum houses exhibits about the area's human and natural history, as well as a one-of-a-kind collection of watercolor paintings by frontier photographer and artist William Henry Jackson.

This massive natural structure can be seen from all over the Nebraska prairies. Native Americans who lived in the area used it as a landmark, as did travelers passing through in the mid-nineteenth century, including pioneers traveling west on the California, Oregon, and Mormon Trails. On weekends, rangers dressed in period costume roam the park, providing historical insights and stories.

Google rating: 4.8/5.0
Address: 190276 Old Oregon Trail, Gering, NE 69341
Phone: +1 308-436-9700
Website: nationalparks.org/explore/parks/scotts-bluff-national-monument