A Little Bit of Nebraska

En route to South Dakota, we stopped for a couple of nights in Gering, Nebraska, where we learned more about the Oregon Trail and what people traveling West via covered wagon during those days went through. And I will be the first to admit that I probably wouldn’t have made it! Times were rough!

Our first stop was at Scotts Bluff National Monument, which stands 800 feet above the North Platte River, and was named after Hiram Scott, a fur trader who traveled west to gather pelts; he became ill before his return to St. Louis and died somewhere in the area. Scotts Bluff was a landmark for Native Americans, as well as the emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails. Since we’ve made a lot of stops along the Oregon Trail (doing it sort of backwards from the end of the trail heading East), I found the stories of those making their way West to be most interesting about this region. Also, there really isn’t a ton of information about what earlier peoples had to say about the bluffs, while the pioneers traveling West mentioned the area in journals. So, it is well documented as being a landmark for those traveling through from 1843-1869.

According to the National Park Service, Chimney Rock (just 24 miles East of Scotts Bluff) was the most mentioned landmark by the pioneers, and Scotts Bluff was the second most mentioned.

To begin, Rayne and Jayden decided to participate in the Junior Park Ranger program, completing an activity booklet after visiting the visitors center and watching a short film. They were then sworn in as junior rangers.

After that, we checked out some covered wagons and went up to the top of Scotts Bluff to see the views.

We also drove over to Chimney Rock, since it is the “most famous landmark” on the Oregon Trail. (I didn’t know that, but then again, I really didn’t know that much at all about the Oregon Trail before our trip…)

We took a little detour to Robidoux Trading Post, a replica of a fur trading post out in the country – down a gravel/dirt road. This stop is directly on the path that the first fur traders and early pioneers to the area used.

Another little side stop that we made, which has nothing to do with early settlers, was Lake Minatare State Recreation Area. The dogs got some beach time, and we explored a historic mock lighthouse built by the Veterans Conservation Corps in 1939 (as a lookout point).

Of course, the girls continued their playground tour of America and were lucky to have a pretty good one right at the RV Park where we stayed. It was so fun that the dogs joined in for some play time!