Last Updated on: 17th June 2025, 11:43 am
To most outsiders, Nebraska isn’t particularly known for its geological formations. Quite the opposite, in fact, as most of the state is covered by seemingly endless flat plains. But a visit to sites like Scotts Bluff National Monument in western Nebraska’s panhandle will quickly change your perspective.
As we’ll cover below, there are several additional formations aside from Scotts Bluff which can be visited when traveling from south to north or vice versa. I visited the following sites during my journey between Cheyenne, Wyoming and Crawford, Nebraska.
While we’ll be covering it in-depth in a separate guide, the Toadstool Geological Park is another natural landmark in western Nebraska that shouldn’t be missed.
For more information on where to stay in the region, be sure to check the end of the article.
Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock
Departing from Cheyenne, it was a long and uneventful two-hour drive to get to our first landmark of the day.
And upon laying eyes on Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock, it was easy to understand how 19th-century Mormon pioneers felt when laying eyes on them following long journeys across the plains.
After seeing them from a distance, you’ll have to turn down an unpaved road named Rd 84 to get a closer look. The road is relatively smooth and shouldn’t be a problem for those in a sedan unless it’s recently rained.
Like many similar formations in western Nebraska, Courthouse Rock and Jailhouse Rock are largely comprised of clay and silt that was first laid down here about 35 million years ago. The top layers are estimated to be about 10 million years younger.
These formations were originally named by Mormon travelers during their journeys out west. The Courthouse, however, was also sometimes called the ‘Capitol,’ a name that Mormons also gave to a prominent formation in Utah.
Of course, it’s also worth noting that this region was home to the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho tribes well before the arrival of the first Europeans.
Visiting these formations is simple. Just drive up to the main parking lot and snap some pictures. But as we’ll cover shortly, seeing the next landmark in this guide is nowhere near as straightforward.
Chimney Rock
Next, we proceeded to one of western Nebraska’s most famous landmarks: Chimney Rock, about 20-30 minutes away. It’s clearly visible from the highway, and I was expecting to be able to drive up closer to it, snap some pictures, and then move on.
But that’s not quite how things turned out.
Turning off of W Nebraska 92 onto Rd 75, I soon encountered a large parking lot outside of a structure called the Chimney Rock Museum. But it was still quite a distance from the formation. And looking at the sign, I saw that the museum was charging $8 per entry!
Next to the museum was a walking path. And while it wasn’t clear if management expects people to pay the $8 to use it, I didn’t see anyone checking tickets. In any case, it seems like it would take at least thirty minutes of walking to get close to Chimney Rock.
And with a lot else planned that day, I decided to return to the parking lot.
But before moving on, I decided to head further down Rd 75 toward the Chimney Rock Cemetery to see if that might give us a closer look.
We encountered yet another parking lot and, to my surprise, this area turns out to be managed by a completely different organization: the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation. According to a staff member, this section has no affiliation with the nearby museum.
There’s also a walking path here, and it seems a lot shorter compared with the other one. While I didn’t go all the way and only walked down it for several minutes, I was happy with the views that I got.
Back at the parking lot, the staff member even let me look into a scope for a close-up view of the top of the spire.
The impressive formation now stands at 120 feet high, though it was measured at 200 ft back in 1850. That’s not a result of vandalism, but because these formations are constantly undergoing erosion.
Scotts Bluff National Monument
If you could only stop at one geological formation in western Nebraska, make it Scotts Bluff National Monument. Run by the National Park Service, entrance is currently free for all.
The modern Visitor Center has lots of geological info while there’s also an informational video you can watch. But as I wanted to start exploring, I ended up skipping it.
There are a couple of different ways to explore Scotts Bluff National Monument. Those who aren’t in the mood for hiking can simply drive up to the top of the formation to check out the overlooks.
But if you have the energy, it’s a lot more satisfying to get there on foot.
The main hike at the park is the Saddle Rock Trail, an out-and-back trail that takes you to the top of Scotts Bluff and then back again. Expect it to take you around 90 minutes to two hours depending on how long you spend at the top.
While not actually necessary to make your way around, note that the AllTrails map omits both the South and North overlooks. But both are worth seeing.
After a long and flat portion, the path gradually takes you uphill. While not terribly steep, it will have you breathing heavily, and likely sweating if it’s a hot summer day.
Eventually, you’ll encounter a fairly long tunnel that will take you to the other side of the formation, after which the trail continues.
As with some of the nearby formations mentioned earlier, Scotts Bluff is comprised of materials like sandstone, volcanic ash and siltstone, with the oldest layers dating back to around 31 million years ago.
And about halfway up the trail, you’ll encounter an interesting series of hoodoo-like formations. This is actually Saddle Rock itself, after which the trail was named, though visitors are prohibited from getting up close.
As you make your way higher, the contrast between the Nebraskan plains and remnants of the ‘ancestral high plains’ becomes especially striking. And the top of Scotts Bluff reveals how many similar formations western Nebraska is home to.
The top of Scotts Bluff National Monument is quite large and flat, and there’s still plenty to explore once you get there.
Interestingly, the summit of Scotts Bluff is marked by a metal post installed here in 1933. And while post has remained in place, we can now clearly see how much of the formation has eroded over the past century.
It’s only a matter of time, of course, before Scotts Bluff disappears completely.
Nearby is the Scott Memorial, dedicated to Rocky Mountain Fur Company employee Hiram Scott who died around here in 1828. While the plaque doesn’t tell us the full story, he’d been tragically deserted by his companions.
In any case, he’d probably be happy to learn that this entire formation and nearby town would later be named after him.
As mentioned above, the top of Scotts Bluff is home to the North and South Overlooks, both of which are accessible via trails. If you’ve made it all the way up here, they’re well worth the extra bit of effort to see.
But of course, you can also just drive to the top and walk from the upper parking lot as well.
Those who’ve hiked the Saddle Rock Trail will ultimately need to make their way down the same way they came. But with such scenic surroundings, it’s hard to complain.
Back near the entrance, don’t miss the replica pioneer wagons displayed at the base of the formation.
Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
For those heading north from Scotts Bluff National Monument, there’s yet one more landmark that you may want to check out. But rather than unique geological formations, this one is known for paleontology.
Admittedly, while I would like to know more, I don’t have a strong interest in paleontology, and I was also exhausted by this point in the day. As such, the following description doesn’t quite do this free National Monument justice.
If paleontology is indeed your thing, the area is considered to be extremely important due to all the ancient fossilized skeletons discovered here.
Upon arrival, I checked out the Visitor Center and watched an informational video on the discoveries made in this region. But the main thing to do at Agate Fossil Beds is to hike.
Though I’d end up skipping it, the Fossil Hills Trail supposedly takes you to real fossils preserved in situ. It seems to take about an hour roundtrip. But there’s also a shorter hike you can do as well, which is what I did instead.
The ‘Daemonelix Trail’ is not located by the Visitor Center, but right near the turnoff from Highway 29. So you’ll have to backtrack a bit and park near the small lot by the trailhead.
As the name suggests, the main attraction here is seeing a preserved Daemonelix. But what even is that?
Daemonelix spirals are perfect spirals preserved in the earth that research teams first came across in the late 1800s. Fascinatingly, the corkscrew shapes were formed by the burrowing of an ancient type of beaver known as a Palaeocastor that lived millions of years ago.
It’s amazing to see such a unique and symmetrical shape created by an animal that no longer exists preserved up until the present day.
Finished with the trail, it was finally time to head to my final destination for the day, Crawford, Nebraska. As we’ll cover in a separate guide, Crawford makes for a great base for the excellent Toadstool Geological Park, an excellent stopover on your way to the Custer, South Dakota area.
Additional Info
With a population of just around 65,000, Cheyenne isn’t your typical state capital, and wherever you decide to stay, you probably won’t be too far from the center.
I stayed at the Cheyenne Guest Inn to the southwest of town, and have no complaints for the price. A simple breakfast is included, while the hotel also features a laundry machine.
Staying somewhere in western Nebraska is a great way to break up your road trip journey between Rocky Mountain National Park / Cheyenne, Wyoming and Custer, South Dakota. But where, exactly?
The area lacks any major cities, and there are very few hotel options overall. I ended up staying in an Airbnb in the charming town of Crawford, which is conveniently located near Toadstool Geological Park.
If you’d prefer a traditional hotel, consider making a detour to Chadron, where they have a Holiday Inn Express and Super 8.
North of Crawford, meanwhile, is the Our Heritage Guest Ranch.