Nebraska

Parks

  • National Monument

    Agate Fossil Beds

    Harrison, NE

    In the early 1900s, paleontologists unearthed the Age of Mammals when they found full skeletons of extinct Miocene mammals in the hills of Nebraska -- species previously only known through fragments. At the same time, an age of friendship began between rancher James Cook and Chief Red Cloud of the Lakota. These two unprecedented events are preserved and protected here... at Agate Fossil Beds.

    The Agate Fossil Hills where mammal fossils were excavated in the early 1900's

  • National Historic Trail

    California

    Various States CA,CO,ID,KS,MO,NE,NV,OR,UT,WY

    Follow in the footsteps of over 250,000 emigrants who traveled to the gold fields and rich farmlands of California during the 1840s and 1850s: the greatest mass migration in American history. The California National Historic Trail is over 5,000 miles long and covers portions of 10 states. Step into history along more than 1,000 miles of ruts and traces from travelers and their overland wagons.

    Chimney Rock was an important emigrant landmark in western Nebraska

  • National Historical Park

    Homestead

    Beatrice, NE

    The Homestead Act of 1862 transformed the world. Millions were invited to file claims including families, women, immigrants, and formerly enslaved people. Over 10 percent of the United States was homesteaded! The land, long inhabited by indigenous cultures, changed forever. Homesteaders created settlements and farms, drove industrial advancement, and built our nation chasing the American Dream.

    A pile of Homestead National Monument of America Quarters with

  • National Historic Trail

    Lewis & Clark

    Sixteen States: IA,ID,IL,IN,KS,KY,MO,MT,NE,ND,OH,OR,PA,SD,WA,WV

    The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail winds nearly 4,900 miles through the homelands of more than 60 Tribal nations. It follows the historic outbound and inbound routes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1803-1806 from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to the Pacific Ocean. Follow the trail to find the people, places, and stories that make up the complex legacy of the expedition.

    photo of a replica keelboat with a crew member on the bow at sunset

  • National Recreational River

    Missouri

    Yankton, SD,NE

    Imagine a 100-mile stretch of North America's longest river, a vestige of the untamed American West. The Missouri National Recreational River is where imagination meets reality. Two free flowing stretches of the Missouri make up the National Park. Relive the past by exploring the wild, untamed and mighty river that continues to flow as nature intended.

    An explosion of light as the sun strikes the waters of the Missouri National Recreational River

  • National Historic Trail

    Mormon Pioneer

    Various States IL,IA,NE,UT,WY

    Explore the Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail across five states to see the 1,300-mile route traveled by Mormons who fled Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1846-1847.

    Martin's Cove at Devil's Gate in Wyoming

  • National Scenic River

    Niobrara

    Valentine, NE

    With a little something for everyone, the Niobrara National Scenic River is a destination for crossing adventures off your bucket list. Most popular for river recreation, you can float the Niobrara River on a canoe, tube, or kayak as a beginner and have a blast. Hiking, biking, and wildlife watching keep our visitors busy. Oh! And we haven't even told you about the waterfalls yet.

    The Niobrara National Scenic river comes alive with color in the fall.

  • National Historic Trail

    Oregon

    Various States ID,KS,MO,NE,OR,WA,WY

    Imagine yourself an emigrant headed for Oregon: would promises of lush farmlands and a new beginning lure you to leave home and walk for weeks? More than 2,000 miles of trail ruts and traces can still be seen along the Oregon National Historic Trail in six states and serve as reminders of the sacrifices, struggles, and triumphs of early American settlers.

    Scotts Bluff National Monument is located in western Nebraska, landmark for the Pony Express, Oregon, California and Mormon Pioneer national historic trails

  • National Historic Trail

    Pony Express

    Various States CA,CO,KS,MO,NE,NV,UT,WY

    It is hard to believe that young men once rode horses to carry mail from Missouri to California in the unprecedented time of only 10 days. This relay system along the Pony Express National Historic Trail in eight states was the most direct and practical means of east-west communications before the telegraph.

    Three men on brown horses walk up a sagebrush covered ridge.

  • National Monument

    Scotts Bluff

    Gering, NE

    Towering 800 feet above the North Platte River, Scotts Bluff has served as a landmark for peoples from Native Americans to emigrants on the Oregon, California and Mormon Trails to modern travelers. Rich with geological and paleontological history as well as human history, there is much to discover while exploring the 3,000 acres of Scotts Bluff National Monument.

    Scotts Bluff from Eagle Rock to Saddle Rock

By The Numbers

These numbers are just a sample of the National Park Service's work. Figures are for the fiscal year that ended 9/30/2020.