Trail B Stop 1
Welcome to Trail B—a shorter but powerful walk that invites reflection on the Native nations who have lived in this region for centuries.We begin with a land acknowledgment.The land surrounding Chimney Rock is the ancestral homeland of many Indigenous nations, including the Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho peoples. We recognize and honor their deep and enduring relationships with this landscape—past, present, and future.This place holds meaning far beyond what emigrants once wrote in their diaries. Here, the land itself tells stories: of ceremony, of survival, of connection.The Walk to the Rock Trail System, including this Trail B, is maintained by the Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to preserving Nebraska’s diverse and complex history. That includes amplifying Native voices and caring for places of memory with respect.As you walk this short loop, consider how many meanings a single landmark can carry. Look outward—but also listen inward.
Trail B Stop 2
Chimney Rock as a landmark was nothing new to peoples in the North Platte Valley. Prior to the white explorers, fur trappers, and overland emigrants, the various Native American tribes used Chimney Rock as a landmark for their hunting grounds. It became a good point of reference for tribes to gather around as they conducted their hunting parties for bison.As thousands of white settlers traveled westward, they too used this unusual rock formation as a landmark. For many of the emigrants this formation resembled a "chimney" and therefore referred to it as Chimney Rock.But here, Native perspectives remain. Just 20 miles west at Scotts Bluff, a 14-year-old Lakota boy named Curly Hair once climbed to the summit for his first vision quest. For four days and nights, he fasted and prayed, offering his pipe to the East each morning, and to the West each evening. During that time, he received a vision that shaped his life.Three years later, he was no longer Curly Hair. He was Crazy Horse—one of the most respected warriors and leaders in Lakota history.This landscape is not just scenic. It’s sacred.
Trail B Stop 3
The lands surrounding Chimney Rock were once part of a vast cultural and ecological network. The Lakota, Northern Cheyenne, and Arapaho lived here—hunting, trading, moving with the seasons.The Lakota were made up of many bands, including the Oglala, Brulé, and Miniconjou. These communities were deeply connected to the American Bison, or buffalo, which provided food, shelter, clothing, tools—even fuel.With the arrival of horses in the 1700s, these nations became highly mobile. They expanded their territories, refined their hunting techniques, and engaged in both conflict and diplomacy with neighboring tribes.Trade also flourished. Fur traders who settled in the North Platte Valley exchanged metal tools, colorful cloth, glass beads, and firearms for pelts and hides. This exchange was valuable for both sides and lasted for decades.But in the mid-1800s, everything changed. The arrival of thousands of emigrants—heading to Oregon, California, and Utah—stressed the land and upended long-standing Indigenous ways of life. As territories shrank and treaties were broken, tensions erupted into violence. Losses were felt on all sides.And yet, Native nations remain. Today, their descendants continue to live, speak, sing, and pray across this land—preserving languages, lifeways, and traditions that connect directly to places like Chimney Rock.
Trail B Stop 4
As you complete Trail B, we invite you to pause and reflect. You’ve walked a short distance, but through stories that stretch back centuries.The Nebraska State Historical Society Foundation is proud to steward this trail and share the full, diverse history of this place. From supporting museum grants across Nebraska to ensuring Native stories are honored here at Chimney Rock, the Foundation’s work is driven by respect—for people, place, and the past.If you found meaning in this experience, we invite you to support its future. A suggested donation of $5 per person helps maintain the trails and expand interpretive programming that centers many voices—including those too often left out.To make a gift, scan the QR code on the signage or visit nshsf.org.Thank you for walking with care—and for listening deeply.
