Experiencing Scotts Bluff

Monday morning, we headed up early to Scott Bluff National Monument.  This was a very interesting location and we learned a lot about the pioneer trails in this area.

They had an excellent walking trail and with your smart phone you could link up to an audio tour as you walked along this path.  We enjoyed it so much that we listened to the sections which applied to part of the trail which was closed because of a rock slide when we were there.  It included bits of information about the land and the history of the area.

The Pony Express traveled through this area so this was a marker to them

 These are the view of the land formations which form the Scotts Bluff

You have to appreciate the trail markings which warn of snakes in the area.  My great grandfather spoke of a few experiences of snakes along his journey.  We didn't see any.

Jena and Gary looking at the trail markers along the way.  You can see the space between the two large sections of the Scotts Bluff and why this became a route for the pioneers.

 A robin watching us as we were watching him......

Even more warnings on this trail markers......It reminded me of Hong Kong.  Sometimes you would turn into a street and see about six signs one on top of the other about what type of vehicles were allowed at what times of the day...at least when you are walking you have time to read all of the warnings.....

Inside the wagon on display.....

A handcart--

Jena standing by the "plastic" oxen this time.....

As mentioned before in some locations there are signs of where the wagons actually passed over 160 years ago.  Scotts Bluff is one location.

 A section of pioneer ruts---created by the volume of wagons passing over the same location year after year.

 Some of the views as we walked along the ruts.....

 Some shots inside the museum at Scotts Bluff.....

I included this picture because my great grandfather described seeing Native Americans traveling with their goods being pulled by their horses.  He had several experiences with Native Americans (Indians) as they traveled and they were mostly peaceful as my great-grandfather approached them in peace.

They had indicated that there was a van which could take you up to the top of a section of the Scotts Bluff (our RV was too long to travel through two of the three tunnels on the way up).  However we were too early for the van ride.  As we were getting ready to leave, the park ranger approached us and said they had found a driver to take us up.  We had a great drive up with one of the full-time employees who keeps the park in good condition.  He grew up in this area and truly loved the park.  It was fun to share the time with him.

These are the views from the top.  They said that often when the pioneers were camping near by, the young men would spend their free time climbing up some of the surfaces of the Bluff-- sounds like boys---after walking all day, they still want to climb a mountain for fun.

Our own personal tour bus up the Scotts Bluff