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Chimney Rock National Historic Site, Bayard, NE

Photo: Mike Tigas from Columbia, MO, United States, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

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Chimney Rock National Historic Site

See the rock spire that guided Oregon Trail emigrants and tour the museum about their journey west.

9822 County Rd 75 · Bayard, NE

About Chimney Rock National Historic Site

Chimney Rock is a spire of Brule clay, volcanic ash and Arikaree sandstone whose peak stands 4,228 feet above sea level, high over the North Platte River valley. In the mid-1800s it was a landmark for travelers on the Oregon, California and Mormon trails, which ran along its north side. History Nebraska runs the site, and the visitor center has museum exhibits and a video about the pioneers and the westward migrations, plus a gift shop.

  • #oregon trail
  • #historic site
  • #rock formation
  • #museum
  • #landmark

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What's around here?

The closest stops to Chimney Rock National Historic Site, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

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    Scotts Bluff Area

    No admission fee

    Visitor bureau for the Scottsbluff and Gering area of the Nebraska Panhandle, home to Scotts Bluff National Monument and Chimney Rock.

    19 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums

    Legacy of the Plains Museum

    Under $25

    A private, nonprofit museum in Gering, Nebraska, covering pioneer life, farming, and High Plains history beside Scotts Bluff National Monument.

    19 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Scotts Bluff County

    No admission fee

    Nebraska Panhandle county anchored by Scotts Bluff National Monument, historic Oregon Trail landmarks and Wildcat Hills.

    Transit: reachable by public transit

    20 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing

    Scotts Bluff National Monument

    No admission fee

    A 800-foot bluff above the North Platte River that marked the route for pioneers, Native peoples, and modern travelers.

    21 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Quirky Fun

    Carhenge

    No admission fee

    Walk around a full-size replica of Stonehenge built from gray-painted vintage cars on the Nebraska plains.

    39 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
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    Agate Fossil Beds National Monument

    No admission fee

    See Miocene mammal fossils and Lakota gifts in the visitor center, then hike prairie trails to the historic dig sites.

    54 mi awayMore like this

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