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Scotts Bluff National
Monument July 6, 2006: Gering & Scotts Bluff, Nebraska. We are in Robidoux RV-Park operated by the city of Gering, Nebraska N41° 48.757' W103° 40.644' phone: 308-436-2046. They have paved interior roads with concrete pull-thru pads featuring green grass overlooking Scotts Bluff the bluff so often mentioned by travelers on the Overland Trail: 50-amps, water and sewer, $15. Joyce and I generally look for a PPA (Pass Port America) Campground but we did not find one in Gering.
We headed north out of Greeley on the 5th of July heading to Scotts Bluff, Nebraska where we plan to meet up with the old Overland Trail (Oregon Trail, Mormon Trail, California Trail). While the Overland Trail started in Independence, Missouri we are going to start following it west from Scotts Bluff, Nebraska.
Scotts Bluff, the landmark on the Overland Trail that had to be navigated around
Scotts Bluff National Monument is the landmark on the Overland Trail that presented an obstical to westward travel on the south side of the North Platte River. Emigrants were forced to go aground Scotts Bluff either over Robidoux Pass or Mitchell Pass. Before 1850 emigrants detoured about 9-miles south of the North Platte River over Robidoux Pass but that route took the emigrants further away from the North Platte River and the water needed. Around 1850 Mitchell Pass became open as a single file trail that stayed closer to the North Platte which even though it was a tougher climb and no shorter it did keep the travelers closer to the precious water of the North Platte River that they were following west.
Joyce took this picture of the towns of Scotts Bluff and Gering, Nebraska from Scotts Bluff National Monument
We were able to drive to the top of the bluff that overlook the towns of Scotts Bluff and Gering. Visiting Scotts Bluff National Monument is a must for anyone interested in history and expecially those following the Overland Trail.
Mitchell
Pass and Scotts Bluff National
Monument
While there we also walked part of the Overland Trail that went through Mitchell Pass. That is Mitchell Pass in the picture to the left. The Overland Trail over Mitchell Pass is only a short distance to the right of the highway. The old trail is hard to follow out here where wagons did not travel in a single line. The Overland Trail is much easier to recognize in the places where all wagons had to get in single file. In those places the wagons created deep indentations in the sandstone that are visible 160-years later.
Wagon Trail over Mitchell Pass that was used by emigrants to get around Scotts Bluff
Pioneers used a variety of routes to negotiate Scotts Bluff. Over the years different routes were used. Mitchell Pass was the shortest route thus the preferred even though it was a tough climb and very narrow. We walked the narrow part where all wagons were forced to form a single line. The gouge in the soft sandstone in the pass was around 6-feet deep even though the wagon ruts were not visible. Time and erosion of the soft sandstone over the past 130-plus years has erased the ruts and all that remains is the deep gouge across Mitchell Pass.
Mike standing next to a freight wagon on display at Scotts Bluff National Monument
Mike standing with a freight wagon that would hold up to 5,000 pounds and was pulled by a team of 10 or more oxen.
Normal pioneer wagon used by emigrant families on the Overland Trail
To the right is a normal pioneer wagon that would hold up to 1,500 pounds and be pulled by two oxen.
Sun setting over Mitchell Pass and Scotts Bluff
We could see the sun setting over Mitchell Pass from our RV. Joyce was outside to record the event.
Scotts Bluff as it plunges into the North Platte River
Joyce captured this sunset picture of Scotts Bluff as it plunges into the North Platte River
Scotts Bluff as it plunges into the North Platte River
The sunset mixed in with the strange forms of those bluffs really made for an exciting event.
The two days we spent in Gering
and Scotts Bluff couldn't have
been any better, we visited and experienced a number of historical landmarks including
Chimney Rock, the North
Platte River, Scotts Bluff
National Monument, Mitchell Pass
and Robidoux Pass. The two days we spent in Gering and Scotts Bluff couldn't have been any better. Until next time remember how good life is. Click here for more Nebraska travellogsUntil next time remember how good life is. More Nebraska AdventuresExciting Drives ** More 2006 Travel Adventures
Mike & Joyce Hendrix
Mike & Joyce Hendrix who we are We hope you liked this page. If you do you might be interested in some of our other Travel Adventures: Mike & Joyce Hendrix's home page Travel Adventures by Year ** Travel Adventures by State ** Plants ** Marine-Boats ** Geology ** Exciting Drives ** Cute Signs ** RV Subjects ** Miscellaneous Subjects
We would love to hear from you......just put "info" in the place of "FAKE" in this address: FAKE@travellogs.us Until next time remember how good life is.
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