Scotts Bluff National Monument
National Monument · NE
Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has served as a landmark for peoples from Native Americans to emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails to modern travelers. Rich with geological and paleontological history as well as human history, there is much to discover while exploring the 3,000 acres of Scotts Bluff National Monument.
- NPS site
- nps.gov/scbl
- Location
- Scotts Bluff National Monument (41.835, -103.707)
Track your visit to Scotts Bluff National Monument
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Passport stamp locations
- Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Scotts Bluff National Monument Store
- Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center
Hours
Scotts Bluff National Monumenttoday: Sunrise to Sunset
- Sat Oct 3Sunrise to Sunset
- Sun Oct 4Sunrise to Sunset
- Mon Oct 5Sunrise to Sunset
- Tue Oct 6Sunrise to Sunset
- Wed Oct 7Sunrise to Sunset
- Thu Oct 8Sunrise to Sunset
- Fri Oct 9Sunrise to Sunset
Scotts Bluff National Monument is located in the Mountain Time Zone. These hours are for the grounds, picnic area, and trails only. The hours for the Visitor Center and Summit Road are different. See below for Summit Road and Visitor Center hours.
Scotts Bluff Summit Roadtoday: 9:00AM - 4:00PM
- Sat Oct 3
Visitor centers
1
- Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Centertoday: 8:30AM - 4:30PMDirections
Self-guided tours
3
Oregon Trail Pathway Audio Tour30–60 minutes · 6 stops
Learn more about how emigrants travelled the emigrant trail through Scotts Bluff National Monument on this 1 mile long (round-trip) hike of the Oregon Trail Pathway. While some sections of the trail are paved, others have a natural surface. Be aware of uneven and slippery surfaces.
Saddle Rock Audio Tour60–90 minutes · 6 stops
Learn more about the prairie ecosystem and geology of Scotts Bluff National Monument on this 1.6 mile long (one way) walking tour of the Saddle Rock Trail.
Saddle Rock Geology Hiking Tour90–120 minutes · 11 stops
The Saddle Rock Trail, a 1.6 mile paved trail with 435 of elevation change, features the most accessible exposures of the Arikaree and White River Groups in western Nebraska. A wide variety of sedimentary structures, diagenetic features, trace fossils, and volcaniclastic sediments can be seen along the trail. This tour is based upon the Geological Society of America Centennial Field Guide, North-Central Section developed in 1987 by James B. Swimehart and David B. Loope.
Entrance fees
No entrance fee.