Free admission set for holiday lights at Scotts Bluff Monument

GERING – The Summit Road at Scotts Bluff National Monument will be open, weather permitting, from 4:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 19, 20 and 21, so visitors may view the holiday lights of the surrounding area.

Entrance fees will not be charged during these hours. The gates to the summit will be closed at 8 p.m. each day, and all vehicles must be down from the summit by that time.

Visitors coming to the National Monument to view the lights are reminded that winter conditions on the summit can be hazardous due to ice and snow. Visitors should use caution when walking at night, stay on the paved trails and bring a flashlight. Drivers should be alert for other visitors in the summit parking lot.

As in previous years, the Scotts Bluff National Monument Visitor Center and Summit Road will be closed on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day. The remainder of the park will be open from sunrise to sunset and the public is welcome to park in the parking lot and take advantage of the hiking trails.

Pedestrians may also make use of the summit road since no vehicles will be driving on it on those days. Pets are welcome as long as they are leashed and their owners clean up after them.

For more information about monument programs and schedules, call (308) 436-9700, check the calendar on the website or visit them on Facebook or Twitter.