The second part of our Oregon Trail exploration took us across Nebraska to Scotts Bluff National Monument. Scotts Bluff is an 800 foot rise in an otherwise flat landscape. It was a landmark for navigation and a significant milestone for the Pioneers because it signified the completion of the first third of their trip, the end of the plains and the beginning of the mountains.
The bluff was named after Hiram Scott, a fur trader, who in 1828, was mysteriously found dead on the bluff. There are many theories about his death but none were ever substantiated.
One of the many hardships for the Pioneers crossing the plains to the bluff was spending all day in a dust cloud. Imagine what it must have been like to spend a 10 hour day consumed by the dust kicked up by the hundreds of animals, wagons and people around you. I tried to imagine it then, I got to really experience it.
right: the infamous dirt road
On the drive to Scotts Bluff, we had missed a turn and since it is impossible to make a U-turn in the RV, we decided to cut over at the next road. The next road happen to be a dirt road and we spent the next 8 miles overwhelmed by a dust cloud that we created. All of the windows were closed but a roof vent was open and the interior of the RV was filled before we could figure out how it was getting in.
It was difficult to breath and see in the RV. Fortunately, we only had to endure it for 15 minutes. The Pioneers had to endure it for weeks. The entire inside of the RV was coated in a fine grit which took a few days to completely clean out. * Note to self, avoid all dirt roads.
There is a small visitor center at Scotts Bluff which houses some original paintings by William Henry Jackson. There is also a 1.6 mile road and hiking trail to the top. It being 90 degrees, we decided to drive to the top.
The views were spectacular in every direction. The Hippygeek and the Big Dude decided they would walk back down on the hiking trail. The Lil’ Dude and I, having a more sensitive constitution, would drive back down and meet them at the visitors center.
Originally, the Pioneers had to go around the bluff. In 1851, a pass was blasted through the middle shortening their trip by at least a day. A modern road still goes through the pass(now called Mitchell Pass) but the old wagon trail is still preserved.
I again, was very excited about seeing original wagon ruts and hoped that they would be more obvious than the ones we had seen in Independence. So, the Lil’ Dude and I took a hike toward the pass. The swales left by the wagon trains, which had to funnel down to single file, looked as if the wagons had passed through that day. It was very exciting to think that we were walking on the exact same trail used by approximately 400,000 pioneers, that is, until we heard a rattling sound.
We had warned the Dudes that we were in Rattlesnake territory and that they would need to be wary. Once he heard this news, the Lil’ Dude kept repeating “I want to see a rattlesnake, I want to see a rattlesnake!”
Now, I would have taken a picture of the huge snake but, the Lil’ Dude and I were too busy leaping over Mitchell Pass in a single bound. After the encounter, the Lil’ Dude kept repeating “I don’t want to see any rattlesnakes, I don’t want to see any rattlesnakes!”
right: The original wagon trail!
The Hippygeek and the Big Dude also saw a rattlesnake on their walk down from the Bluff and we saw two more “babies” by the visitor’s center. It was time to get out of rattlesnake territory!
We stayed at a beautiful campsite that night (not on the ground with the rattlesnakes like the Pioneers did), one of our favorites to date. It had large manicured lawns, flower gardens and an amazing view of the sun going down over the Bluff.
This would end the Oregon Trail part of our trip. We traveled in two days what would have taken the Pioneers about two months to accomplish. Although it would have been fun to do the whole trail, there are just too many other things to see and do. So, on we go!
“Go West, young man, and grow up with the country.” Horace Greeley
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