Scotts Bluff National Monument
Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has served as a landmark for peoples from Native Americans to emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails to modern travelers. Rich with geological and paleontological history as well as human history, there is much to discover while exploring the 3,000 acres of Scotts Bluff National Monument.
Fees & passes
Free. No entrance fee here.
Hours
| Scotts Bluff National Monument | Daily · Sunrise to Sunset |
| Scotts Bluff Summit Road | Daily · 9:00AM - 5:30PM |
Scotts Bluff Summit Road: hours by date. Standard hours apply on every date not listed.
| Dates | Hours |
|---|---|
| Standard hours | 9:00AM - 5:30PM |
| Sep 8, 2026 to May 22, 2027NowSummit Road Fall/Winter/Spring Hours (early September though late May) | 9:00AM - 4:00PM |
| Nov 26, 2026Thanksgiving Day Closure | Closed |
| Dec 25, 2026Christmas Day Closure | Closed |
| Jan 1, 2027New Year's Day Closure | Closed |
When to go
July draws the most visits here and January the fewest, averaged over 2021 to 2025.
Visitor centers
- Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center ↗Passport stamp
Located just steps away from the route of the Oregon, California, and Pony Express Trails; the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center features exhibits, a theater, and restroom facilities. The visitor center is located in the Mountain Time Zone.
No campgrounds, no webcams or events in Park Service data. What is here comes from the official page. The rest lives there.
Checked nightly. Modules appear as soon as the Park Service publishes the data.
Explore
Things to do
- Viewing the William Henry Jackson Collection20-30 Minutes
A selection of the Scotts Bluff National Monument collection of the works of William Henry Jackson is displayed in the monument visitor center.
Opens on the Park Service site - Drive the Scotts Bluff Summit Road20-60 Minutes
A 1.6 mile drive from the Scotts Bluff Visitor Center Parking Lot to the summit of Scotts Bluff. This drive features scenic views and interesting geology.
Opens on the Park Service site - Scotts Bluff Ranger Programs15-60 Minutes
Learn more about Scotts Bluff National Monument by attending a ranger-guided program!
Opens on the Park Service site - Backcountry Hiking South Bluff60-180 Minutes
Backcountry hiking on South Bluff is difficult and should only be attempted by experienced hikers. Please check in with the ranger at the visitor center.
Opens on the Park Service site - Stamp Your Passport Book5-10 Minutes
Stamp your "Passport to Your National Parks" book in the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center!
Opens on the Park Service site - Become a Scotts Bluff Junior Ranger30-45 Minutes
Earn your Scotts Bluff National Monument Junior Ranger badge!
Opens on the Park Service site
Show all 11Hide
- Hiking Scotts Bluff National Monument
There are nearly four miles of hiking trails at Scotts Bluff National Monument. There is a trail for every ability.
Opens on the Park Service site - Scotts Bluff Cell Phone Audio Tour5-150 Minutes
The Scotts Bluff National Monument Cell Phone Audio Tour is a great way to learn more about the natural and cultural history of this famous landmark on the Oregon and California Trails.
Opens on the Park Service site - Enjoy a Picnic at Scotts Bluff30-60 Minutes
Enjoy a picnic at Scotts Bluff National Monument
Opens on the Park Service site - Bicycling at Scotts Bluff National Monument30-90 Minutes
Bicycling can be a great way to experience Scotts Bluff National Monument. There are two locations in the monument where bicycling is permitted: the Prairie View Trail, and the Summit Road when it is closed to vehicular traffic.
Opens on the Park Service site - Saddle Rock Trail Geology Hiking Tour60-90 Minutes
This 1.6 mile hike on the Saddle Rock Trail features 435 feet of elevation change. Participants will have an opportunity to observe and learn about some unique geological features and the processes that created the landscape of Scotts Bluff National…
Opens on the Park Service site
Films
National Park Service productions, public domain.
Map
Interactive map by the National Park Service
On the National Register nearby
- Saddle ClubBuilding · Scottsbluff · 1.7 mi
- Severin Sorensen HouseBuilding · Gering · 1.9 mi
- Scotts Bluff County CourthouseBuilding · Gering · 2.5 mi
- Gering Courier BuildingBuilding · Gering · 2.6 mi
Public land nearby
Distances are approximate. Wilderness Atlas publishes a center point and an acreage for each area rather than a boundary, so each area is treated here as a circle of the same size and the figure is the gap to that circle.
Nebraska guidebooks
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject.
Reference
Wildlife
Seen this monthBighorn Sheep 2× · Prairie Falcon 1× · Western Meadowlark 1×Research-grade observations within 25 km, last 30 days, via iNaturalist
Full checklist: 126 birds, 35 mammalsHide
Raptors & owlsAmerican Kestrel · Bald Eagle · Barn Owl · Burrowing Owl · Golden Eagle · Great Horned Owl · Northern Harrier · Osprey · Prairie Falcon · Red-tailed Hawk · Short-eared Owl · Swainson's Hawk · Turkey Vulture
Waterfowl & wadersBlack-crowned Night-Heron · Blue-winged Teal · Canada Goose · Common Merganser · Double-crested Cormorant · Great Blue Heron · Green-Winged Teal · Snow Goose · Virginia Rail · Wood Duck · great egret
Shorebirds & seabirdsFranklin's Gull · Herring Gull · Killdeer · Spotted Sandpiper · Upland Sandpiper
Gamebirds & dovesEurasian Collared Dove · Mourning Dove · Northern Bobwhite · Ring-necked Pheasant · Rock Dove · Wild Turkey
WoodpeckersDowny Woodpecker · Hairy Woodpecker · Northern Flicker · Red-headed Woodpecker
Hummingbirds & swiftsChimney Swift · White-throated Swift
Also on the checklistAmerican Crow · American Goldfinch · American Redstart · American Robin · American Tree Sparrow · Bank Swallow · Barn Swallow · Bell's Vireo · Belted Kingfisher · Black-billed Cuckoo · Black-billed Magpie · Black-capped Chickadee · Black-headed Grosbeak · Blue Grosbeak · Blue Jay · Blue-gray Gnatcatcher · Brewer's Sparrow · Brown Thrasher · Brown-headed Cowbird · Cassin's Kingbird · Cedar Waxwing · Chipping Sparrow · Clay-colored Sparrow · Cliff Swallow · Common Grackle · Common Nighthawk · Common Poorwill · Common Yellowthroat · Dark-eyed Junco · Dickcissel · Eastern Bluebird · Eastern Kingbird · Eastern Pheobe · European Starling · Field Sparrow · Grasshopper Sparrow · Great_Crested Flycatcher · Horned Lark · House Finch · House Sparrow · House Wren · Indigo Bunting · Lark Bunting · Lark Sparrow · Lazuli Bunting · Loggerhead Shrike · Mallard · Mountain Bluebird · Northern Mockingbird · Northern Oriole · Northern Rough-winged Swallow · Northern cardinal · Orchard Oriole · Pine Siskin · Red Crossbill · Red-breasted Nuthatch · Red-eyed Vireo · Red-winged Blackbird · Rock Wren · Say's Phoebe · Sora · Spotted Towhee · Swainson's Thrush · Townsend's Solitaire · Tree Swallow · Vesper Sparrow · Violet-green Swallow · Warbling Vireo · Western Bluebird · Western Kingbird · Western Meadowlark · Western Tanager · Western Wood-pewee · White-breasted Nuthatch · White-crowned Sparrow · Wilson's Warbler · Yellow Warbler · Yellow-billed Cuckoo · Yellow-breasted Chat · Yellow-headed Blackbird · Yellow-rumped Warbler · brewer's blackbird · bullock's oriole · gray catbird · olive-sided flycatcher
Small mammalsAmerican Beaver · Ord's kangaroo rat · Plains pocket gopher · black-tailed prairie dog · bushy-tailed woodrat · deer mouse · desert cottontail · eastern cottontail · eastern mole · fox squirrel · hispid pocket mouse · house mouse · meadow vole · muskrat · porcupine · prairie vole · western harvest mouse
Predatorsbadger · coyote · long-tailed weasel · mink · raccoon · red fox · striped skunk
Hoofed mammalsPronghorn · mule deer
BatsBlack Bat · Fringed Myotis · Little Brown Bat · Northern Bat · Small-footed Myotis · big brown bat
Also on the checklistOdocoileus virginianus · Virginia opossum · domestic dog
Activities
Activity guides for this park Hiking in the national parks
All 17 activitiesHide
Weather & climate
Summers at Scotts Bluff are generally dry and high temperatures are usually in the 80's and 90's, although they can reach above 100 on occasion. Hikers are strongly advised to carry water. Winter daytime temperatures are usually in the 40's or low 50's, with overnight lows below freezing and, on occasion, below 0 degrees Fahrenheit. Although it can be windy any time of the year, spring is the windiest season.
Questions people ask
Does Scotts Bluff charge an entrance fee?
No. Scotts Bluff is free to enter.
Source: National Park Service
What are the hours at Scotts Bluff?
Standard hours are Sunrise to Sunset, every day.
Source: National Park Service
How busy is Scotts Bluff?
182,392 recreation visits in 2025, number 178 of 387 units that report visitation.
Source: Most visited parks
Is there cell service at Scotts Bluff?
At the park's reference point, FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 4G LTE, and T-Mobile 5G. Coverage inside the park varies by location.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
What is the weather like at Scotts Bluff?
Summers at Scotts Bluff are generally dry and high temperatures are usually in the 80's and 90's, although they can reach above 100 on occasion. Hikers are strongly advised to carry water.
Source: Weather & climate
Follow this park
- Alerts feed (RSS)
- Every active Park Service alert for this unit, one item each, rebuilt with the nightly data refresh.
- Add dates to your calendar (.ics file)
- Fee-free entrance days that apply here and each published hours exception, as all-day events.
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