Scotts Bluff National Monument is one of several historically significant monuments in Nebraska. The park's namesake bluff towers 800 feet above the surrounding plains and was one of the landmarks used to navigate pioneering trails such as the Oregon Trail, the California Trail, and the Mormon Trail, all of which passed through the area on their way west. The history of Scotts Bluff is a bit morbid; it is named after a gentleman who was abandoned near its base after an illness made it impossible for him to travel and he subsequently starved to death. The bluff itself is a vision of whitish sandstone, volcanic ash, and clay, that pops against its surroundings. It is no wonder why the pioneers considered the bluff the gateway into the more rugged mountain country just to the west.
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