Scotts Bluff National Monument Guide

Use our realistic Scotts Bluff Guide to plan your next adventure in this national monument.

Scotts Bluff National Monument is a park that preserves a landmark bluff on the Old Oregon Trail.

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Sights & Places of Interest

Scotts Bluff National Monument is a park of great historical and geological significance. Its high bluff was a landmark on the several historic trails.

The Oregon, California, Pony Express, and Mormon Trails all passed in the vicinity of Scotts Bluff. Nowadays, the monument preserves the history and the badlands landscape.

Scotts Bluff Summit Road

Scotts Bluff National Monument features several outdoor activities, including a drive on the Summit Road and a hike to the Bluff.

The 1.6-mi (2.6-km) Summit Road brings visitors to the top of the Scotts Bluff in about 5 minutes. This winding road proceeds through three tunnels.

At the first glance, it might not feel like much. But these are the only road tunnels in Nebraska.

Hiking Trails

The Summit Road ends at the Summit Parking Lot. That is where the hiking trails begin. There are two short hikes atop of the Scotts Bluff. Each of the them leads to the two overlooks on the different sides of the bluff. Both trails are out and back hikes.

South Overlook Trail

The South Overlook Trail is the shorter hike. This easy paved trail covers 0.4 miles (0.6 km). The South Overlook provides panoramic views of the residential areas and agricultural fields south of the bluff.

Saddle Rock Trail

The overlook also displays the hairpin turns of the Saddle Rock Trail. This is the longest trail in the National Monument. It starts at the Visitor Center and finishes at the Summit. The hike is strenuous.

While the trail is paved, it gains 435 ft (133 m) over 1.6 miles (2.6 km). The Saddle Rock Trail also has its own tunnel. If you have about 90 minutes to spare, it is a nice alternative to the much faster Summit Road Drive.

Prairie View Trail

The South Overlook is also perfect for scouting the next trail in this National Monument. The Prairie View Trail proceeds from the Visitor Center to the Monument’s eastern boundary.

This asphalt trail covers 1.2 miles (1.9 km) with minimal elevation gain. That makes the Prairie View Trail the second longest trail in the National Monument.

The trail goes through the plains surroundings the Scotts Bluff. There is no shade for the entire duration of the trail. But it brings you closest to the impressive Crown and Dome Rocks. The latter looks a lot like the Pilot Mountain in North Carolina.

North Overlook Trail

The North Overlook is on the opposite side of the bluff. The North Overlook Trail is a 0.5-mi (0.8-km) paved trail from the Summit Parking Lot. With the South Overlook Trail’s return leg you are looking at about a mile (1.6 km) of total hiking distance.

The North Overlook offers nice views of the fields along the North Platte River and Highway NE-92. The Oregon National Historic Trail used to proceed through these fields.

Oregon Trail Pathway

The Monument preserved a short 0.5-mi (0.8-km) section of the trail. Like most trails at Scotts Bluff National Monument it starts at the Visitor Center. The paved pathway proceeds through the scenic Mitchel Pass. Take this trail to see the Eagle and Sentinel Rocks at a close distance.

The other side of the North Overlook offered views of Scottsbluff, NE. It was easy to see communities, golf fields, houses, and streets. This view is a Nebraska version of Griffith Park in Los Angeles.

Scottsbluff’s population is just shy of 15,000 people. This number puts Scottsbluff outside of the top 10 most populous cities in the state. Nevertheless, Scottsbluff could be a good pit stop on your way.

Museum: William Henry Jackson Collection

When you finish exploring the overlooks at the summit, you would need to drive or hike back to the plains. You might want to stop at the monument’s Visitor Center. It has more than the usual National Park Service memorabilia.

There is a small museum at this Visitor Center. This museum displays the largest collection of work by William Henry Jackson. Mr. Jackson was the first person to take photographs of Yellowstone.

Thanks to Mr. Jackson’s work more people learnt about Yellowstone’s beauty. This way, his photographs contributed to the establishment of the first national park and many other parks and monuments that followed.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

If museums are your thing, you could continue north for another 49 miles (79 km). This way, you can cover both of Nebraska’s National Monuments.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument features a large fossil exhibit. A paleontology museum is the park’s major attraction.

The monument also has two hiking trails:

• Daemonelix Trail: a 1.6-mi (2.6-km) trail with minimal elevation gain and fossil exhibits.
• Fossil Hills Trail: a 2.8-mi (4.3-km) trail with 250 ft (76 m) elevation gain to the top of the hills.

Continue with our Scotts Bluff Guide to learn more about ways to get to the sights, entrance requirements, and places to stay.

Getting to Scotts Bluff

Scotts Bluff National Monument is a park in Nebraska Panhandle. The monument is next to Scottsbluff, NE. But it is still quite far from the major cities in Nebraska. It takes over 6 hours to reach Scotts Bluff from Omaha, NE or Lincoln, NE.

In fact, it takes half the time to visit Scotts Bluff from either Denver, CO or Rapid City, SD. The former city is a major airport hub. And Rapid City is next to Badlands National Park and Black Hills sights.

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument is even more remote.

Where to Stay

Scottsbluff, NE is the obvious choice for places to stay when visiting Scotts Bluff National Monument. It takes 10 minutes to get to the monument from Scottsbluff. The town has also many dining and shopping options.

If you desire more choice, look into Sidney, NE and Cheyenne, WY. Both cities are about 90 minutes from Scotts Bluff National Monument.

Entrance Requirements & Passes

Both Scotts Bluff and Agate Fossil Beds National Monuments do not charge entrance fees. The parks are open every day of the year. But the hours differ depending on the season.

Scotts Bluff National Monument:

• Summer: 9am to 5:30pm from May 27 to September 3
• Winter: 9am to 4pm during the rest of the year

Agate Fossil Beds National Monument:

• Summer: from 9am to 5pm from May 15 to September 30
• Winter: from 8am to 4pm during the rest of the year

The museums represent an important part of both monuments. Therefore, note that visitor centers close on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Days.

Extended hours speak in favor of a summer visit to Scotts Bluff. This Scotts Bluff Guide described a summer trip to this national monument.

Takeaways: Scotts Bluff

Scotts Bluff National Monument is a small but nice park. The remote location is the main argument against a visit. You might also argue that this national monument lacks some of the stunning natural beauty. And if you are not into museums, you might find it hard to justify a detour.

However, the monument has played a role in the American history. It is worth a stop if you are driving from the Black Hills region to Colorado or on the I-80. A slightly longer route to visit Scotts Bluff and Agate Fossil Beds could make the drive more enjoyable.

Take a look at our Scotts Bluff Video Guide and visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos.

Frequently Asked Questions

Safe realist travels!