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Aug 09, 2023

Travel: Ash Hollow: Pioneer oasis welcomes travelers

A paved walking path leads to an excavated rock overhang used as shelter by Native Americans and pioneers. Pioneers heading to Oregon and California in the mid-1800s had traveled about 500 miles from

A paved walking path leads to an excavated rock overhang used as shelter by Native Americans and pioneers.

Pioneers heading to Oregon and California in the mid-1800s had traveled about 500 miles from departure points along the Missouri River when they arrived in mid-June at Ash Hollow, one of the most delightful places they would encounter along the entire 2,000-mile journey. By now the travelers had walked alongside their wagons across the northeast corner of Kansas to reach and follow the south bank of the Platte River west through most of present-day Nebraska.

The Platte River Valley was relatively flat and offered good grass for livestock, at least for wagon trains that arrived in the early spring. On the downside, the stretch was often dusty, lacked trees for firewood and was subject to severe thunderstorms. The river, often said to be a mile wide and an inch deep, offered water that tended to be gritty and generally unpleasant to drink. The journey to this point hadn’t been particularly difficult, but the pioneers knew the terrain ahead would be considerably more rugged.

In the early years of the trail wagon trains crossed the Platte’s primary southern tributary approximately 15 miles west of present-day Ogallala, Nebraska, where oxen strained to pull loaded wagons up the first major incline often called “California Hill.” The trail then meandered 18 miles across a ridge to “Windlass Hill,” that required a steep descent emptying into Ash Hollow and the North Platte Valley. Pioneers generally tackled the hill by locking the back wheels and using ropes to lower wagons from the summit to the head of the hollow.

Ash Hollow proved an oasis that offered grass, flowers, trees, fruit, game for hunting and, most importantly, clear spring water for drinking. Here the pioneers gathered wood, tended to needed repairs and enjoyed some downtime before continuing their journey. Departing Ash Hollow, wagon trains exited the mouth of the canyon and turned west on the south side of the North Platte River they would follow to Fort Laramie. Along the way the travelers were fascinated by famed landmarks including Courthouse Rock, Chimney Rock and Scotts Bluff.

Ash Hollow and Windlass Hill today are components of Nebraska’s Ash Hollow State Historical Park. Windlass Hill, described in some pioneer diaries as a perpendicular descent, is located a few miles south of the hollow. A paved and relatively steep walking path leads from the parking area and follows the eroded depressions made by pioneer wagons to the crest of the hill. From here views of Ash Hollow and the surrounding land are outstanding.

The larger section of the park is home to Ash Hollow, the location of the park visitor center that rests on a bluff overlooking the historic trail and freshwater spring where pioneers made camp nearly 200 years ago. A walking path from the visitor center leads to an overhang used as shelter by humans for several thousand years. The interior can be viewed from an interpretive center at the entrance. A longer path descends the bluff to the historic trail and spring. A 1903 schoolhouse constructed by settlers using native rocks is at the south end of this section of the park.

We enjoyed 40 summers traveling throughout the U.S. before discovering Ash Hollow in 2010 when we first followed the route of the Oregon Trail. Although spending only a couple of hours in the park during this first visit, it was evident why pioneers had described Ash Hollow so favorably in journals. Our initial visit was one of the highlights of our trip and we have returned to the park on four occasions including earlier this year. Ash Hollow is 1,500 miles from our home in South Georgia, an indication of our love for the park.

Ash Hollow State Historical Park is open year-round although the visitor center and cave interpretive center are open only from Memorial Day to Labor Day. The park is located in western Nebraska, on Highway 26, three miles southeast of the small community of Lewellen. The detached Windlass Hill section is 2 ½ miles south of the park visitor center.

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