While Nebraska has a reputation for its flat, agricultural landscape, don’t be fooled by long stretches of Interstate 80. There’s so much more to the Cornhusker State than what you can see from the highway. It’s home to one of the quietest places on earth along a river trail with towering cliffs and a sandy, windswept road considered one of the most beautiful in America, not to mention one of the most iconic roadside attractions of them all, a bizarre tribute to Stonehenge made of vintage cars. So it should come as no surprise that along with the picturesque Sandhills to the north and stunning Oglala National Grassland to the northwest, you’ll find another gem near Nebraska’s western border with Wyoming: Scotts Bluff National Monument.
By far the best way to experience this beautiful region is on foot. Open from sunrise to sunset every day of the year, the park’s nearly 4 miles of trails boast views of native prairie, juniper ravines, the surrounding North Platte Valley, and of course, the iconic bluff itself. If Fido’s along for the ride, pets are allowed on all trails, too.