Saddle Rock Trail
A roughly 3-mile round-trip climb connects the Scotts Bluff visitor center with summit overlooks through changing geology and exposure.
Artwork inspired by William Henry Jackson
Saddle Rock is more than the alternative to driving the summit road. The trail moves from prairie and badlands-like slopes through a pedestrian tunnel and onto the bluff, revealing layers, erosion, vegetation, and the North Platte corridor at walking speed.
The route gains roughly 435 feet and contains exposed drop-offs, heat, wind, and little shade. Begin only after checking closures and weather; if lightning, ice, rockfall, or extreme heat makes the trail inappropriate, the summit road and lower paths still provide meaningful geology and history.
- Distance
- About 3 miles round trip
- Gain
- Roughly 435 feet
- Features
- Tunnel, saddle and summit overlooks
Quick guide
- Route question
- About 3 miles round trip ↔ Roughly 435 feet
- Final evidence
- Leave the visitor center with water and a clear turnaround point.
Quick guide
- Start
- Leave the visitor center with water and a clear turnaround point.
- Tunnels
- Expect narrow rock passages before the route gains the exposed bluff.
- Weather
- Treat heat, wind, lightning, and winter ice as reasons to shorten the climb.
- View
- Use the summit to trace the North Platte corridor rather than only photographing height.
Good to know
A pedestrian tunnel and 435-foot climb expose geology the summit road compresses, but wind, heat, ice, lightning, and open drop-offs can quickly change the safest route.
Notice these
- About 3 miles round trip
- Roughly 435 feet
- Tunnel, saddle and summit overlooks