You’ll find the Western Trails Scenic and Historic Byway in the western portion of Nebraska. This historic 144-mile route from Ogallala to the Wyoming border roughly follows the path the pioneers took almost 200 years ago. While there is much to see and do here, I have chosen the amazing geological formations that those brave pioneers saw along the way to be the topic of this post.
Courthouse and Jail Rock
 Courthouse and Jail Rocks
Located in the Platte River valley, just outside of Bridgeport, Nebraska, Courthouse and its smaller neighbor Jail Rock were the first two monumental rock features that the pioneers encountered on their journey west. This was an important crossroads where two major Oregon and California Overland trail trunks merged. Because of its importance, a Pony Express station was also located here. Rising 340 feet above the North Platte River Valley, the most significant rock formation was called the “Castle” by some but “Courthouse” by the people who traveled from Missouri because they claimed it resembled the Saint Louis Courthouse. There was never any disagreement about the name Jail Rock for its smaller counterpart since one-room jailhouses were common out west at the time. The name Courthouse Rock finally stuck since you can’t have a jail without a courthouse nearby.
These monuments are the erosional remnants of an ancient plateau. They are composed of Brule clay, Gering sandstone, and volcanic ash. Although they have eroded somewhat since the pioneers' days, they are still impressive formations. They are listed in the National Register of Historic Places and the Nebraska Natural Areas Register.
Chimney Rock
Chimney Rock - A herd of cattle graze in the tall grass prairie at Chimney Rock.
Located about 12 miles to the northwest as the crow flies from Courthouse and Jail Rocks, near what is now the town of Bayard, Nebraska, Chimney Rock is one of the most picturesque landmarks along the Oregon, California, and Mormon trails.
Towering 325 feet above the valley, it sits on a conical base, and the spire alone is 120 feet tall. Chimney Rock is a natural geologic formation composed of layers of volcanic ash and Brule clay. It is the remnant of the erosion of the bluffs at the edge of the North Platte River Valley. General Joel Palmer, who led a surveying party in 1845, described it as having the... appearance of a haystack with a pole running far above its top.
The name "Chimney Rock” more than likely originated with the early fur traders. It was also called Chimney Rock and Chimney Tower for a time. Earlier on, it was referred to as Elk’s Peak and Elk Brick, which were more than likely variations of the Lakota Sioux’s name for it, which roughly translated to “elk penis.”
The first recorded mention of "Chimney Rock" was in 1827 by Joshua Pilcher, a fur trader and owner of the Missouri Fur Company based in St. Louis. Pilcher was journeying up the Platte River to the Salt Lake Rendezvous of the Rocky Mountain fur trappers when he spotted Chimney Rock. By the time the pioneers followed this path, Chimney Rock was so famous that it was mentioned in most of their diaries, with some travelers reporting that it was visible from almost 40 miles away. This was an important landmark because it signaled to the pioneers that they had reached the end of the prairies. Their journey going forward would become more difficult; the trail would be more rugged and steep as they approached the Rocky Mountains. Chimney Rock was designated a National Historic Site in 1956.
Robidoux Pass
Robidoux Pass - The backside of Dome Rock, Crown Rock and Sentinel Rock as seen from Robidoux Pass. Once the shorter and easier Mitchell Pass was discovered, Robidoux was no longer used.
Robidoux Pass, or Roubadeau Pass, is the first of two historic passes through the Wildcat Hills. This trail forced emigrants to swing 30 miles south away from the North Platte River to access a natural gap passing through the Wildcat Hills.
The earliest travelers to use this pass were most likely fur traders and missionaries between the 1820s and the 1830s. The first transcontinental wagon train to pass through was the Bidwell-Bartleson Expedition in 1841. This expedition was comprised of 80 emigrants bound for Oregon along with the Catholic missionary Father DeSmet. Robidoux saw its heaviest use between 1843 and 1851 during the Oregon Migration and the California Gold Rush. Robidoux almost seems to be forgotten. There are no fancy monuments, and none of the historic buildings remain. Along this gravel road, you will find the reconstructed Robidoux Trading Post, a few wagon ruts, and several markers that point out the original trail. A couple of pioneer graves can also be seen along the trail. 
Robidoux Trading Post
While no enduring history of the Robidoux Trading Post exists, this building has been recreated through archaeological research and diary entries made by the travelers who passed through the area. This recreated post was built from 100-year-old, hand-hewn logs on its original site.
One emigrant described this post as: a log shanty with a blacksmith’s forge on one end and a grog shop on the other.
Other trading posts are known to have existed near the pass at that time, but Robidoux’s is the one most often mentioned in diaries.
Located just east of the trail, this trading post was established in 1851 by a French family named Robidoux, who were engaging in free trade with the Plains Indians. The Robidoux Brothers: Joseph, Antoine, Louis, Michael, and Isadore visited here and farther west, trapping and trading with many tribes as early as 1822. This trading post, sometimes referred to as the “winter quarters,” followed an earlier trading post and blacksmith shop just north of this location. Robidoux sold various goods and provided blacksmith services for travelers. Research indicates that Antoine, son of Joseph III, resided here as the post clerk with his Indian wife and children until 1853. Robidoux Pass was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1961.
Scotts Bluff
Thanks to the efforts of the US Army, Mitchell Pass, a much shorter route, was created to pass through the center of Scotts Bluff. It opened in 1851. Wagons had not been able to pass through this pass until then, and once this happened, the Robidoux Pass was no longer used.
Eagle Rock - Eagle Rock towers over a pioneer wagon as it passes through Mitchell Pass on its way out west.
Scotts Bluff is the second most referenced landmark on the Oregon, Mormon, and California trails after Chimney Rock. Rising over 800 feet above the plains at its highest point, Scotts Bluff was a significant milestone for many wagon trains and was gazed upon with a great sense of accomplishment. After two months and 600 miles of travel through “the Great American Desert,” as the semi-arid grasslands of Nebraska were known in the mid-1800s, reaching this point indicated that 1/3 of their journey West was completed. They would now be entering the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
The North Platte River at Scotts Bluff - Looking down from atop Scotts Bluff. Look closely at the flat easy to travel spot of land, you can see wagon ruts here.
Both the Oregon and Mormon Trails paralleled the North Platte River. This river is non-navigable, and the pioneers knew it as a much wider and more dangerous river than it is today. Covered wagons passed Scott’s Bluff on both sides of the river, but they could not get close for fear of getting caught up in silt, gravel, and quicksand. This stretch of Badlands and Scott's Bluff was completely impassable.
Look closely at the image above. On the right side of the image, you can see wagon ruts. 
Dome Rock Panorama
Few pioneers who reached Scotts Bluff ever scaled the cliffs to see these amazing aerial views. This gives an interesting perspective of the difficulties these pioneers faced driving a wagon train through this area.
Part of the Wildcat Hills, Scotts Bluff is an isolated remnant of the ancient high plains. Twenty million years ago, the surfaces of the plains surrounding the bluff were the same height as the bluffs. About five million years ago, the Platte River and its tributaries began to erode the soil and rock, creating canyons that grew wider and wider. 
Overlooking Scotts Bluff
From Scott's Bluff, it was a race against time to get across the Rocky Mountains before cold weather set in. The pioneers faced even more hardships on the way. Wagons began to break down. Food supplies diminished. Cattle and horses gave out. Many emigrants died along the way.
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