VISITATION:
Highest during the summer months,
June-August; lowest in January.
LOCATION:
Gering, NebraskaADDRESS:
Post Office Box 27
Gering, Nebraska 69341-0027
TELEPHONE:
(308) 436-4340
OPERATING HOURS, SEASONS:
Daily, summer: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.; daily, winter: 8
a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed December 25.
CLIMATE, RECOMMENDED CLOTHING:
Generally sunny, hot and dry in the summer. In late summer the weather is extremely variable with occasional afternoon thunderstorms. Windy and cold in winter. Wear comfortable clothing appropriate to season. Hats are useful against exposure to sun. Good walking shoes are recommended for use on hiking trails.
DIRECTIONS:
Visitors traveling east-west on Interstate 80 can exit at Kimball,
Nebraska, and drive 45 miles north on Highway 71. Follow National Park Service signs 2 miles west of Gering, Nebraska, on State Highway 92.
Visitors following the old Oregon Trail along the North Platte River using
State Highways 26 or 92, should follow National Park Service signs.
MAP OF MONUMENT
TRANSPORTATION:
To Monument: Access by automobile by Interstate 80, and various
State highways. Area is also served by Scotts Bluff County airport.
In Monument: Personal vehicles, free shuttle service to summit during the summer.
FEES, COSTS, RATES:
$5 general admission fee per private automobile, $2 per
motorcycle or individual without automobile. Commercial rates apply to tour buses.
FACILITIES AND OPPORTUNITIES:
Visitor Center/Exhibits:
Oregon Trail Museum contains three rooms of historic, geological and art
exhibits.
Trails, Roads:
Summit Road allows visitors to drive to the top of Scotts Bluff for a
spectacular view of the valley. The 1.6 mile Saddle Rock Trail leads hikers
from the visitor center to the summit, and the .5 mile Oregon Trail Pathway
leads from the visitor center to the remnants of the Oregon Trail.
Programs/Activities:
A 12 minute slide program on the Oregon Trail and a bookstore are located in
the visitor center. Living history is conducted on summer weekends.
Lodging and camping facilities:
None in monument. A number of motels and RV camping facilities are available in
the area.
Food/supplies:
There are numerous restaurants and grocery stores in
adjacent communities.
Other Concessions/NPS-Managed Visitor Facilities andOpportunities:
The bookstore in the visitor center is operated by the Oregon Trail Museum
Association (Booklist available - phone 308-436-2975).
Accessibility:
Many of the facilities at Scotts Bluff are wheelchair accessible.
Special Needs:
Bus and RV parking are available.
RECOMMENDED ACTIVITIES/PARK USE:
Visiting the Oregon Trail Museum, seeing the remnants of the Oregon Trail,
hiking the trails, observing prairie flowers and wildlife, and driving to the
summit.
RESERVATIONS/PERMITS:
Reservations for school/education groups, as well as tour buses should be made
at least two weeks in advance so that necessary arrangements can be made.
BASIC VISIT RECOMMENDATIONS:
Allow one to two hours for your visit. Visit the Oregon
Trail Museum and see the slide show to get an overview of the
history of the Oregon Trail. Drive to the summit to get
a view of the North Platte River Valley. Follow in the
footsteps of the pioneers by walking on the old Oregon Trail
through Mitchell Pass and see the still-visible traces of
that historic route.
SPECIAL EVENTS, PROGRAMS:
Christmas on the Prairie: The first Saturday in December children are invited
to Scotts Bluff to celebrate a l9th Century Christmas.
Tuesday Evening Programs: Evening programs offering a variety of topics are presented during
the summer. Weather permitting, programs are given in the
monument's outdoor amphitheater.
VISITOR IMPACTS:
Information concerning the condition of the Summit Road and hiking trails is
available at the visitor center.
ADJACENT VISITOR ATTRACTIONS:
Chimney Rock, 25 miles to the east of Scotts Bluff, was another landmark on the
Oregon Trail. The Nebraska State Historical Society operates a visitor center
there.
Fort Laramie National Historic Site, 50 miles west of Scotts Bluff, was a vital
military outpost on the overland routes from 1848 until the 1880's. The
National Park Service maintains many of the post's original buildings and
parade ground, a museum, and performs living history.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, 50 miles north of Scotts Bluff, was an
important source for Miocene-era mammal fossils and the site of James Cook's
Agate Springs Ranch. The National Park Service maintains a visitor center,
hiking trails, and the original quarry sites.
For additional information on attractions in the Western Nebraska area, visit the Nebraska Panhandle Tourism Coalition website.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
Write to Scotts Bluff National Monument, Post Office Box 27, Gering, NE
69341-0027, or call (308) 436-4340, or e-mail to scbl_webmaster@nps.gov.
For a detailed map of the vegetation of the monument, visit the United States Geological Survey's webpage.
For a listing of the plants and animals of Scotts Bluff National Monument and other National Park Service areas, visit the the University of California - Davis webpage.
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