AJ Dahm
Oregon Trail Days in Gering entertains attendees with a quilt show, car show, concerts, fair food, parade, mud volleyball, chili cookoff, art show, horseshoe tournament, wine tasting, carnival and more. Organizers proclaim it the longest continually running celebration in Nebraska.
17, and continue one mile west to the parking area. In 1851, Plains Indians brought their trapped mammal furs to Robidoux Trading Post (pronounced ROO-bidoo). In the early days of the Oregon Trail, it was one of the first signs of civilization after many weeks and months on the prairie. The sod-roofed building has been reconstructed with 100-year-old hand-hewn logs and period furnishings. Robidoux Trading Post is located in beautiful Carter Canyon, on the
50 • 2018 JOURNEY TO WESTERN NEBRASKA
original Oregon Trail route before savvy travelers began using Mitchell Pass, known to settlers as Devil’s Gap, at what is now Scotts Bluff National Monument. The winding, 23-mile Carter Canyon Road takes you through rugged country, past pioneer graves marked and unknown and to the trading post. Brake for huge turkey flocks and herds of mule deer. Golden eagles, bighorn sheep, elk, bobcats, small game, occasional mountain lions and a variety of other wildlife inhabit the area.
Entrance to the road is two miles south of Gering off scenic Highway 71. For travelers seeking entertainment of a faster variety, Hi-Way 92 Raceway Park, two miles east of Gering on Highway 92, has stock car races on Saturday nights all summer and has since 1968. It is one of only two asphalt circle tracks in Nebraska. The track’s new owners have added an exciting farm truck race class. The track also has a fully stocked concession stand so families can enjoy race night without anyone at home having to do the cooking. Enjoy your night out. (308) 436-7223. Bicycle enthusiasts can travel the scenic U Street Pathway from 10th Street in Gering, take in the views of the river and Wildcat Hills and ride all the way to Scotts Bluff National Monument. It is also a popular thoroughfare for walkers and joggers. Family functions, corporate conventions, meetings and community events take place at Gering Civic Center. The facility in the heart of downtown along the Oregon Trail has an on-site caterer and seating for 1,150 guests. (308) 436-6888. Visitors looking to take a dip will find Gering’s public swimming pool south of the civic center on 11th Street in Oregon Trail Park. There are also tennis courts, horseshoe pits, sand volleyball courts, skate park, 16 ball fields and plenty of space for relaxation. (308) 436-5096. For more information on Gering, contact the Gering Convention & Visitors Bureau at (308) 436-6886 or visit www.visitgering.com.