By Justin Haag
As emigrants moved across the continent on the Oregon Trail in the 1800s, they often made note of Chimney Rock in their diaries. Visitors these days may be taking note as a new trail gives them a closer look at Nebraska’s iconic 350-foot-tall landmark south of Bayard.
Thanks to the opening of the newly constructed Walk to the Rock trails in late summer 2023, visitors now can get within 300 yards of the landform’s base. The system of 10-foot-wide trails courses over 2 miles on the land that spans between Chimney Rock and its Abbott Visitors Center. Those points are just under a mile apart as the crow flies.
The trails were surfaced with finely crushed gravel and include two 130-foot bridges over small ravines. A new parking lot with a small shelter at the south edge of the property allows people to get near the landmark with a shorter hike.
Loren Pospisil, Chimney Rock site supervisor, said the trail has been popular as most who come to the visitors center take a stroll through the property. Not only do they get closer to Chimney Rock, but they also experience the natural features of the Wildcat Hills escarpment.
“Visitors have always wanted to get closer to the rock when coming here and this allows them to do it,” Pospisil said.
The trail became a possibility in 2018 when the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation purchased the 360 acres of land between the visitors center and the landform from the family of the late Gordon Howard, a pioneer of tourism who operated a popular wagon train operation there for decades. The Nebraska Environmental Trust and a private Lincoln-based foundation made large financial contributions to the purchase.
The trail construction followed a $1.8-million renovation to the visitors center, which highlights the geographic, environmental and cultural significance of the site. It was originally opened in 1996.
Chimney Rock and the 80 acres surrounding it have been managed by the Nebraska State Historical Society since 1941. The site earned a National Historic Landmark designation in 1956.
Visitors may take in the full Chimney Rock experience by visiting when the Abbott Visitors Center is open, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day of the summer months and Tuesday to Saturday in the off-season. For those just wanting to take a hike, the trail is open during daylight.
Correction: The Walk to the Rock trail is managed by the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation on 360 acres adjacent to the Chimney Rock National Historic Site, which is managed by the Nebraska State Historical Society. The two properties operate independently and have separate fees. A story in the May edition did not clarify this separation.