Gold Rush Byway
Chimney Rock National Historic Site, NE

"Towering to the heavens" is how one pioneer described Chimney Rock, the most recognized landmark along the Oregon Trail. Today an interpretive center operated by the Nebraska State Historical Society pays tribute to those who traveled the trails and features original maps made from Captain John C. Fremont's 1842-43 exploration of the Oregon Trail. This feature played a significant role in the westward migration because of its prominence as a landmark for those traveling west.