Traveling northwest from Ash Hollow, emigrants encountered three natural features of the North Platte Valley that became well-known milestones. Court House Rock rose abruptly from the plains as the vanguard of the bluffs farther on, and observers likened this gigantic formation to a great public building or medieval castle. No single sight along the trail attracted as much attention as Chimney Rock, whose tower could be seen for miles and served as a beacon for weary travelers; many camped nearby, and it appears in more trail accounts than any other landmark. Though its spire is slowly crumbling from erosion, Chimney Rock remains a unique natural wonder. Near the end of the journey across Nebraska, wagon trains were greeted by a series of citadel-like eminences dominated by the imposing bulk of Scott’s Bluffs, named after fur trader Hiram Scott. Visible traces of the great migration still survive in some areas, and these landmarks remain along the route of the Great Platte River Road.