Rising 800 feet above the North Platte River valley, Scotts Bluff was one of the most dramatic landmarks on the 19th-century emigrant trails. Between 1841 and 1869, an estimated 400,000 people passed through Mitchell Pass at its base — emigrants on the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails making their way west. The bluff served as a visible landmark from miles away in flat country, confirming to wagon trains that they were on the right track.
The national monument preserves both the geological formation and the wagon ruts that are still visible in the pass. The visitor centre contains an excellent collection of watercolours and photographs by William Henry Jackson, the frontier artist who documented the region in the 1860s. You can drive to the summit on a paved road or hike up via the Saddle Rock Trail, a moderate 1.6-mile climb that passes through a tunnel blasted through the rock. From the top, views extend across the Platte River valley and, on clear days, into Wyoming.