Scotts Bluff National Monument

Family Nature Club is designed for children and their grown-ups as an opportunity to spend time in nature, regardless of the season, to play interactive & engaging games together, and to learn about Western Nebraska’s unique wildlife and landscape.

Every month will feature a new nature topic. Family Nature Club is intended for children and their grownups. Each family group will receive an Exploration Kit to use during the series to explore the natural world around them at home. Family Nature Club will be outside the entire time unless otherwise noted. Please dress comfortably for the weather and bring snacks/water as needed.

Family Nature Club is presented by educators with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Nebraska Programs. 

Family Nature Club is designed for children and their grown-ups as an opportunity to spend time in nature, regardless of the season, to play interactive & engaging games together, and to learn about Western Nebraska’s unique wildlife and landscape.

Every month will feature a new nature topic. Family Nature Club is intended for children and their grownups. Each family group will receive an Exploration Kit to use during the series to explore the natural world around them at home. Family Nature Club will be outside the entire time unless otherwise noted. Please dress comfortably for the weather and bring snacks/water as needed.

Family Nature Club is presented by educators with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Nebraska Programs. 

Attention all bird lovers & birders of all abilities! Fly over to the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center to learn about, observe, count, and celebrate our western Nebraska winter birds as part of the 29th Annual Great Backyard Bird Count (GBBC).

There will be a brief presentation on how to participate in this free and fun global event, as well as provide tips, tricks, and resources for identifying local winter birds. After the talk, participants are welcome to stay for a short, easy birding walk to observe winter birds around the visitor center.

Binoculars will be available to borrow. Please join us for a morning of connecting with birds, nature, and each other. 

The GBBC is a community science project hosted annually by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, the National Audubon Society, and Bird Canada. 

Family Nature Club is designed for children and their grown-ups as an opportunity to spend time in nature, regardless of the season, to play interactive & engaging games together, and to learn about Western Nebraska’s unique wildlife and landscape.

Every month will feature a new nature topic. Family Nature Club is intended for children and their grownups. Each family group will receive an Exploration Kit to use during the series to explore the natural world around them at home. Family Nature Club will be outside the entire time unless otherwise noted. Please dress comfortably for the weather and bring snacks/water as needed.

Family Nature Club is presented by educators with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Nebraska Programs. 

Family Nature Club is designed for children and their grown-ups as an opportunity to spend time in nature, regardless of the season, to play interactive & engaging games together, and to learn about Western Nebraska’s unique wildlife and landscape.

Every month will feature a new nature topic. Family Nature Club is intended for children and their grownups. Each family group will receive an Exploration Kit to use during the series to explore the natural world around them at home. Family Nature Club will be outside the entire time unless otherwise noted. Please dress comfortably for the weather and bring snacks/water as needed.

Family Nature Club is presented by educators with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Nebraska Programs. 

Family Nature Club is designed for children and their grown-ups as an opportunity to spend time in nature, regardless of the season, to play interactive & engaging games together, and to learn about Western Nebraska’s unique wildlife and landscape.

Every month will feature a new nature topic. Family Nature Club is intended for children and their grownups. Each family group will receive an Exploration Kit to use during the series to explore the natural world around them at home. Family Nature Club will be outside the entire time unless otherwise noted. Please dress comfortably for the weather and bring snacks/water as needed.

Family Nature Club is presented by educators with Bird Conservancy of the Rockies - Nebraska Programs. 

Steven Rolfmeier is scheduled to present a Spring Wildflower Walk on Tuesday, May 26 at 6:30 p.m. along the trails near the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center located at 190276 Old Oregon Trail in Gering, NE.

Enjoy blue skies, green grass and wildflowers as we kick off the summer program season. Rolfsmeier, director of the High Plains Herbarium and instructor at Chadron State College, will lead the group on a short walk on the trails near the monument visitor center, identifying wildflowers and plants along the way. Wear comfortable shoes for this one-hour long walk.

Jeff McManus is scheduled to present his program Wagons of the Emigrant Trails on Tuesday, June 2 at 7:00 p.m. at the wagons on the Oregon Trail Pathway just west of the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center located at 190276 Old Oregon Trail in Gering, NE.

Join Jeff, a member of the National Stagecoach and Freight Wagon Association, as he describes the essential features of a covered wagon, highlighting key components such as the wagon box, running gear, canvas cover, and braking systems. Visitors will learn how each part played a vital role in protecting supplies and ensuring the wagon’s durability on the trail while also examining how the overall weight of a fully packed wagon influenced the difficulty of travel and the number of oxen required to pull the wagon efficiently across varying terrain.

In the event of inclement weather, the program will be moved inside to the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center Theater.

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Join park ranger and aspiring photographer Eric Grunwald as he tells the story of Scotts Bluff National Monument and its amazing natural and cultural resources as illustrated by his original photographs. Each image reveals a new facet of the bluffs, from towering formations to the historic trails that once shaped westward migration. Join us as we explore the natural beauty and cultural legacy that make this landmark unforgettable. Let the visuals guide you on a journey across time, terrain, and the enduring spirit of the High Plains.

The Annual Pony Express Re-ride is scheduled to arrive at Scotts Bluff National Monument on Thursday, June 18 at 4:00 pm. At 3:30 pm, before the scheduled arrival of the rider, monument volunteer Jerry Lucas will give a short talk about the Pony Express and its lasting impact on the American imagination on the lawn in front of the monument visitor center.

 Each June, members of the National Pony Express Association recreate the Pony Express in a Commemorative Re-Ride over a 10 days period. Letters are carried in a mochila over the original trail. The 1,966 mile, eight state event is conducted 24 hours a day until the mail is delivered to its destination. Over 750 riders participate and around 1,000 letters are mailed each year. While the rider is scheduled to arrive at Scotts Bluff at 4:00 pm, the Pony can run early or late due to weather and other factors.