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Ash Hollow Historical Park


category : Historic Parks
Ash Hollow Historical Park Nebraska Game & Parks describes Ash Hollow as the state's "most intriguing and unusual" state park. Relics of bygone ages mingle with more recent yesterdays to present a kaleidoscope of time found in few places in the High Plains. Here have been found the bones of prehistoric rhinoceros, mammoths, and mastodons, all ancient mammals that once roamed the Great Plains.

Settlers on their way west came through the area starting in the 1830s and called the valley "Ash Hollow" because of the ash trees growing there. Modern travelers can view the deeply eroded ruts on Windlass Hill, where wagons were winched down a treacherous passage. They can also visit the cave shelter that migrating Indians used for thousands of years, view relics of the Blue Creek Massacre site near Ash Hollow, and visit the tiny stone schoolhouse that served early settlers' children.

The modern visitor center interprets the geological, paleontologic, prehistoric, native American Indian, military, and 19th century fur trappers, explorers and pioneers. A 16-minute visual show traces how man used Ash Hollow from prehistoric times through the emigrant days of the mid-1800s.

The Ash Hollow Indian Cave, now covered with a building for protective purposes, further interprets the geologic history. More than 30 million years of geologic history can be examined at the park. the geologic history of rocks exposed in the park spans that many years. A large number of fossils from various species including Tertiary mammals can be found in sediments and rocks in the area.Crest View

Ash Hollow was a principal stopping point on the Oregon, California, and Mormon Trails with some 400,000 to 500,000 emigrants passing through or by Ash Hollow. As a part of the park, Windlass Hill, described by emigrants as the "steepest descent east of the Rockies," is located on a separate tract 2 1/4 miles south on U.S. 26.
Development there includes an interpretative shelter and informal signs. A concrete walkway provides access to the crest of the hill to view the deep ruts carved by those thousands upon thousands of wagons that traveled the trail those many decades ago.

In 1835, the area was the site of a major battle between the Pawnee and the Sioux and is near the site of the largest engagement between the U.S. troops and Native Americans ever fought in Nebraska's territory, the Battle of Blue Water of 1855, one of the 12 largest engagements between Native Americans and the white man. (History)



Admission: Park Entry Permit Required
Address: 1/2 mile east and 3 miles south of Lewellen on U.S. 26, or 30 miles northwest of Ogallala
Phone: 308-778-5651

Grounds open year-round, 8:00 a.m. to sunset, including Windless Hill center
Interpretive Center, Visitors Center and Cave open daily, May 5 to September 5, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Handicapped Accessible

Come visit us in Oshkosh, Nebraska

Attractions and Upcoming Events

Oregon Trail Marker

This marker of the Oregon Trail is located on the walking path that leads visitors to the crest of Windless Hill in Ash Hollow State Historical Park.

Oshkosh, NE Historical Markers

Battle of Blue Water

This historical marker recounts the largest engagement between United States troops and Native Americans ever fought in Nebraska territory, and one of the 12 largest engagements between Native Americans and the white man. On September 5, 1855, the U. S. Army's 600

Oshkosh, NE Historical Markers

Garden County Museum

An early 1900s school house and an old opera house/theater located downtown are filled with historic items, Indian artifacts, fossils, and a bird collection of 300 stuffed specimens. A second museum building at the south end of Main at E Avenue is a larger building for larger exhibits.

Oshkosh, NE Museums

Directional Stone Marker

This stone marker has been moved from its original location and placed just north of the Nebraska Historical Marker of the John Hollman grave.

It is inscribed - "TO THE PIONEERS WHO TRAVELED THIS TRAIL, erected by GARDEN CO.

Oshkosh, NE Historical Markers

Cresent Lake National Wildlife Refuge

Crescent Lake National Wildlife Refuge is part of a nationwide system established for the preservation of waterfowl. The 48,000-acre refuge is approximately 30

Oshkosh, NE Wildlife Refuges

Things to do Historic Parks near Oshkosh, NE