Last updated: November 24, 2021
Place
"A Landmark for the Ages" Wayside
NPS/Walker Donnelly
Quick Facts
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
Description of Wayside: Low-profile wayside that is 42 x 24 inches. It has a black rectangular base with two rectangular pillars supporting the wayside panel. The panel is framed in black metal. The wayside is located at the edge of the Scotts Bluff Summit Parking area facing towards the east.
Wayside Layout: At the top of the wayside is a thin black banner with white text. Aligned to the left is "Scotts Bluff National Monument". Aligned to the right is the text "National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior," and finally the National Park Service arrowhead. The title of the wayside is below the black banner in large black font. The panel has a light gray-colored background. Black text is arranged in three columns on the upper half of the wayside. Below the text are two images.
Wayside Title: A Landmark for the Ages
Text: From prehistoric times to the present, people have used this geologic edifice as a waypoint.
Once thought to be the tallest point in the state of Nebraska, Scotts Bluff is a striking natural landmark. Rising from the plains, over 800 ft. (244 m.) higher than the North Platte River, it has beckoned to hunters, explorers, emigrants, traders and vacationers over the centuries. For travelers from the east, it gives a welcome visual relief from the monotony of the plains.
Named for Hiram Scott, an unfortunate fur trader who died near the base in 1828, the bluffs were once part of a higher plain. Only a few elevations remain after rivers carried away the soft sedimentary stone which wind, water and humans continue to erode. Layers of sandstone, siltstone, Brule clay, volcanic ash, and pipy concretions of limestone are exposed along the faces of the bluffs, telling the story of geologic processes in the area.
Although Chimney Rock, visible 23 miles to the east, is made up of the same layers as Scotts Bluff, it lacks the limestone that acts as a cap for these bluffs. Emigrants in the wagon trains commented on how long Chimney Rock might last, some giving it only a decade. In fact, Chimney Rock is the most frequently mentioned landmark in the pioneer diaries. Scotts Bluff comes in second, probably due to its size and its position next to the river where it caused wagon trains to divert to the south.
Few people could enjoy this view until the 20th century. After Scotts Bluff National Monument was established in 1919, local residents lobbied the Park Service for easy access to the top. The first project was the Scout, or Zig Zag Trail on the east side along with a picnic area. In 1931 the director of the Park Service visited and agreed to build a road to the summit. Depression Era program enrollees dug tunnels, graded the road and parking area. Young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) planted trees, sodded the side of the road, built a picnic area in Mitchell Pass and built many of the present park structures of adobe.
If you had the opportunity to protect an untouched Scotts Bluff, what improvements would you allow?
Image: A watercolor painting of a distinctive sandstone formation with a tall spire.
Image Caption: Chimney Rock is obviously smaller than in the 19th century, but it is still visible on the horizon from this point.
Credit: "Chimney Rock" watercolor by William Henry Jackson, Scotts Bluff National Monument collection.
Image: A black and white image of men working with hand tools to level the ground.
Image Caption: Civil Works Administration enrollees level the summit parking area by hand in 1933. Since the road was still being built, they hiked to the top each day. Credit: NPS Photo.
Wayside Layout: At the top of the wayside is a thin black banner with white text. Aligned to the left is "Scotts Bluff National Monument". Aligned to the right is the text "National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior," and finally the National Park Service arrowhead. The title of the wayside is below the black banner in large black font. The panel has a light gray-colored background. Black text is arranged in three columns on the upper half of the wayside. Below the text are two images.
Wayside Title: A Landmark for the Ages
Text: From prehistoric times to the present, people have used this geologic edifice as a waypoint.
Once thought to be the tallest point in the state of Nebraska, Scotts Bluff is a striking natural landmark. Rising from the plains, over 800 ft. (244 m.) higher than the North Platte River, it has beckoned to hunters, explorers, emigrants, traders and vacationers over the centuries. For travelers from the east, it gives a welcome visual relief from the monotony of the plains.
Named for Hiram Scott, an unfortunate fur trader who died near the base in 1828, the bluffs were once part of a higher plain. Only a few elevations remain after rivers carried away the soft sedimentary stone which wind, water and humans continue to erode. Layers of sandstone, siltstone, Brule clay, volcanic ash, and pipy concretions of limestone are exposed along the faces of the bluffs, telling the story of geologic processes in the area.
Although Chimney Rock, visible 23 miles to the east, is made up of the same layers as Scotts Bluff, it lacks the limestone that acts as a cap for these bluffs. Emigrants in the wagon trains commented on how long Chimney Rock might last, some giving it only a decade. In fact, Chimney Rock is the most frequently mentioned landmark in the pioneer diaries. Scotts Bluff comes in second, probably due to its size and its position next to the river where it caused wagon trains to divert to the south.
Few people could enjoy this view until the 20th century. After Scotts Bluff National Monument was established in 1919, local residents lobbied the Park Service for easy access to the top. The first project was the Scout, or Zig Zag Trail on the east side along with a picnic area. In 1931 the director of the Park Service visited and agreed to build a road to the summit. Depression Era program enrollees dug tunnels, graded the road and parking area. Young men of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) planted trees, sodded the side of the road, built a picnic area in Mitchell Pass and built many of the present park structures of adobe.
If you had the opportunity to protect an untouched Scotts Bluff, what improvements would you allow?
Image: A watercolor painting of a distinctive sandstone formation with a tall spire.
Image Caption: Chimney Rock is obviously smaller than in the 19th century, but it is still visible on the horizon from this point.
Credit: "Chimney Rock" watercolor by William Henry Jackson, Scotts Bluff National Monument collection.
Image: A black and white image of men working with hand tools to level the ground.
Image Caption: Civil Works Administration enrollees level the summit parking area by hand in 1933. Since the road was still being built, they hiked to the top each day. Credit: NPS Photo.