I came up from the south after having visited the Banner County highpoints a few minutes before. Scotts Bluff - the city, the county and the general area - is well known for its dramatic sandstone hills and promontories as well as its history as a major stopping and staging point for the many travelers crossing the country back in the 19th century. My interest lied specifically with the highpoint, which by previous accounts seemed easy and didn't take too much time. Instead, the real treat would be the drive to the highpoint. From NE-71 a few miles south of the city of Scotts Bluff, I went west on paved Carter Canyon Road about 6 miles until its pavement gave way. The dirt continuation zigged and zagged past some homes and small ranches until it started to gain into the Wildcat Hills. Honest to Gosh, I was actually driving up a steep road with lots of pretty pine trees on either side ... in Nebraska! A hidden gem, no doubt. Once on top the ridge, I went southwest past a big ranch to the highpoint area. I pulled off on a two-track and parked near an unlocked gate, just a couple hundred feet from the highpoint hill.

There are actually seven areas reaching 4,930 feet, but previous visitors had shown conclusively that only one of the hills was the true highpoint. While getting my boots on another guy drove up the road. I went to greet him, figuring he was the landowner, but he was the county surveyor out doing his rounds. He seemed pretty interested in my hobby and he even gave me an exact measurement he'd just taken at a nearby section corner... not that I could effectively use it. But he was real nice. I asked him if he knew these hills to be the county highpoint and he most certainly did. I let him go on his way and he mine, and I made the short hike up the low grass and sparse cactus hill to the top. I shimmied through a fence and walked a short bit to the highpoint cairn, which I was surprised to find, and found the register, even more surprising! I signed in, the fifth visitor this year. I hiked back to my vehicle then thought a photo would be nice, so I grabbed the camera and rehiked the short hike, snapping a photo for posterity. Back to my vehicle I took an extended break for lunch. It was just about 1 p.m. and I had plenty of time. Next up on the docket was the eastern Wildcat Hills in Morrill County.