Location: From Wyoming along the Oregon Trails to Lake McConaughy Length: 119 miles (191.5 km) Time To Allow: 3 hours Description/Highlights/Points of Interest Travel through history along the Western Trails Historic and Scenic Byway. Drawn by the forgiving terrain and fertile land along the Platte River, tens of thousands of the nation's pioneers traveled through this valley on their way west. The Oregon and Mormon trails, Pony Express, stagecoaches and steam locomotives, outlaws and immigrants all followed making this passage the main street of America in the 1800s. Suggested Itinerary Traveling from east to west along the Western Trails Scenic Byway, stop at Boot Hill in Ogallala. Since cowboys generally were buried with their boots on, the first cemetery in the area was aptly named Boot Hill. A hundred or more people were rolled in canvas and dropped into a shallow grave from 1874 to 1884, a remarkable death rate for a settlement that never exceeded 130 permanent residents. Front Street is a replica front of some typical businesses to old western towns such as Ogallala, with a museum, saloon, restaurant and gift shop inside. Evening entertainment during the summer months begins with a shootout on the street followed by a lively musical on stage in the Crystal Palace Saloon, featuring cowboys and dance hall girls. The Bald Eagle Viewing Center is open for eagle-viewing late December to early March. Lake McConaughy also provides the opportunity for year-round bird watching. The variety of habitat at the reservoir and the surrounding environs attracts one of the largest and most diverse bird populations documented in the United States. The Ash Hollow State Historical Park in Lewellen has been a haven for weary travelers since the dawn of man. Windlass Hill to the south was one of the first major hills the pioneers had to cross on their way to the west. Wagon ruts are still visible from heavily laden wagons as they slid down the hill. Relics of ancient tribes and the more recent Oregon Trail can both be found at Ash Hollow. A fascinating bit of everything: geology, paleontology early man, and the pioneer trek west, plus captivating scenery. Park entry permit required. "Towering to the heavens" is how one pioneer described Chimney Rock, the most recognized landmark along the Oregon Trail. Today, an interpretive center operated by the Nebraska State Historical Society pays tribute to those who traveled the trails and features original maps made from Captain John C. Fremont's 1842-1843 exploration of the Oregon Trail. Three miles (5 km) west of Gering on Highway 92 is Scotts Bluff National Monument, a majestic natural landmark used by Native Americans, fur trappers, pioneers and modern travelers. This site preserves the memory of the historic Oregon, California and Mormon Trails. The museum and visitors center contain exhibits about the human and natural history of the area and also holds a unique collection of watercolor paintings by the frontier photographer and artist William Henry Jackson. Visitors can either walk or drive to the summit of the monument for a breathtaking view of the surrounding valley, with Laramie Peak and Chimney Rock visible in the distance. In Gering is the North Platte Valley Museum, an authentic 1890s sod and log houses with period furnishing. Indoor exhibits include a Native American display, Robidoux Trading Post, cowboy chuck wagon, early print shop, schoolroom and general store. See a 1919 Patriot truck, fur trader's bull boat, horse drawn transportation, tools, furnishings and clothing typical of early settlers, ethnic settlement exhibit, CCC and WPA activities, the story of Dr. Georgia Fix (pioneer lady doctor), early photographs and much more. Wildlife World at the Wyo-braska Natural History Museum in Gering features one of the finest collections of mounted zoological specimens to be found anywhere. Over 300 animals from seven continents are displayed in beautiful artistic hand-painted dioramas showing the animals in their native habitats. Wyo-Braska is the only museum in the United States that displays the Baluchithere, Wood Bison, Nebraska Roadrunner and the Black Footed Ferret. The Baluchithere is the only authentic replica of its kind, and at 19 feet tall and 30 feet long, was the largest mammal to walk the earth. Other prehistoric animals include the Triceratops, Hyracadon and the Kinohyus. If you like animals, you will be surely amazed with this beautiful and realistic collection. This is most definitely can be classified as a Nebraska "must see". Ten miles (16 km) south of Gering on Highway 71 is Wildcat Hills, 1,000 acres of pine-covered bluffs and rugged terrain that rise abruptly from the flatness of the plains. The Wildcat Hills offer hiking trails, picnic facilities and cross country skiing. The nature center boasts a 60-seat auditorium, displays and educational opportunities in ecology, biology and geology. This ruggedly beautiful spot contains a state game reserve with buffalo, elk and deer. It has picnic facilities with clear running water and contains several miles of footpaths. Riverside Zoo features a diverse collection of both native and exotic wildlife exhibits contained within 22 spacious acres. With over 300 animals, representing over 97 species, the zoo provides an up-close encounter in a lush park setting in Scottsbluff. North of Scottsbluff on Highway 71 is the Lake Minatare State Recreation Area, spanning over 2,000 acres of water with facilities for boaters, campers, fishermen and outdoor enthusiasts. Full service restaurant and store located near the lake to fulfill travelers' needs. The lake also has one of only seven inland lighthouses in America. A park entry permit is required. Agate Fossil Beds National Monument and its surrounding prairie are preserved in a 3,000 acre national monument. Once part of "Captain" James H. Cook's Agate Springs Ranch, the nearby beds are an important source for 19.2 million year-old Miocene epoch mammal fossils. Cook's ranch also became a gathering place for Chief Red Cloud and other Oglala Lakota (Sioux) Indian people. The monument's Cook Collection of American Indian Artifacts reflects years of gifts brought by the Indians during visits to the ranch from the 1880s through the early 1900s. For more information about this byway, contact: Bald Eagle Viewing Center Chimney Rock National Historic Site Farm And Ranch Museum Riverside Zoo Scotts Bluff National Monument