Western Trails Byways - The Most Scenic Drives in America: 120 Spectacular Road Trips - page 629

5. Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge
Golden eagles soaring overhead in search of prey, a lone coyote stalking a white-tailed
deer,potholelakesthatshimmerinthesettingsun,aseaofsunflowersinfullbloom—such
are the sights that await visitors at Crescent Lake Wildlife Refuge, located 28 miles to the
north of Oshkosh. Here the hills and valleys fringing the North Platte River give way to
open prairies dotted with grazing cattle.
Encompassing some 46,000 acres of marshes and meadows, the refuge lies within the
Nebraska sandhills—the largest dune formation in the Western Hemisphere. (Because of
sandy roads, four-wheel-drive vehicles are recommended.) Among the rarities that can be
seen here are the pronghorn antelope, the bald eagle, and the endangered peregrine falcon,
together with many more common species of wildlife.
6. Courthouse Rock and Jail Rock
After 500 weary miles on the cojoined Oregon, Mormon, and California trails, westward-
bound pioneers must have welcomed the sight of this picturesque pair of natural sediment-
arypromontories. Courthouse RockandJail Rock—sonamed because theyreminded trav-
elers of man-made structures remembered from back home—were the first of several nat-
ural “road signs” encountered on their grueling 2,000-mile journey across the plains.
7. Chimney Rock National Historic Site
Abitfartheralongtheway,thesolitaryspireofChimneyRockpunctuatesthenakedplains.
Of all the strange rock formations beside the Oregon Trail, none intrigued pioneers more
than this lonely column that rises to a height of nearly 500 feet. Visible from as far as 30
miles away, it signaled travelers that they were about to begin the second leg of their jour-
ney—a trek across much rougher terrain. Chimney Rock looks especially dramatic after
dusk, when it is illuminated for several hours.
Just west of Bridgeport on Rte. 26, modern-day travelers can sample the pioneer spirit
at the Oregon Trail Wagon Train, which offers covered-wagon tours of the trail ranging
from three-hour jaunts to 24-hour treks with evening cookouts. For a hands-on opportunity
to “pack your wagon,” visit the Chimney Rock VIsitor Center, open year-round.