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Chimney Rock , Scotts Bluff , and Courthouse And Jail Rocks are outcrops along the northern and western edges of the Wildcat Hills. ECOLOGY The plant and animal life in the Wildcat Hills is atypical for Nebraska; the ecology resembles that of the Laramie Mountains , 60 miles to the west. The dominant tree in the region is the Ponderosa Pine . Bighorn Sheep , Pronghorn , Elk , Mule Deer , and Wild Turkey s live in and around the hills. Mountain Lions , which had been eradicated from the region around 1900, returned to the area in the early 1990s. The Wildcat Hills (along with the Pine Ridge ), are the only areas in Nebraska with a sizeable permanent population. HISTORY The Oregon and California Trail s passed just to the north of the Wildcat Hills; the rock formations were frequently mentioned in emigrant journals and letters. The Nebraska Game And Parks Commission acquired land for a recreation area in stages between 1929 and 1980; the Wildcat Hills Nature Center opened in 1995. Today, the Wildcat Hills are a popular Hiking and wildlife viewing destination. EXTERNAL LINK Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area |
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