OutdoorNebraska.gov | 39
I
n 1994, when the Nebraska Game and Parks
Commission accepted the gift of the abandoned
Chicago and Northwestern Railway right-of-way, it
became the nation's longest rail-to-trail conversion
and Nebraska's first state recreational trail.
Acceptance of this gift from the Rails-to-Trails
Conservancy was authorized by the Nebraska
Legislature under provisions of Federal Rail Banking
Statutes governing abandoned rights-of-way.
The Cowboy Trail, when finished, will stretch 321
miles from Norfolk to Chadron. Currently 196 miles
is complete from Norfolk to Valentine, and in 2019
a 15-mile segment of the Cowboy Trail was also
surfaced between Gordon and Rushville, NE.
The trail corridor contains 221 bridges between
Norfolk and Chadron. The trail's largest bridge,
located just east of Valentine, spans a quarter
mile over the scenic Niobrara River and stands
148 feet tall. The trail guides you through many
of Nebraska's unique landscapes, such as the
Sandhills of north central Nebraska to the Elkhorn
River Valley of the east, with abundant wildlife
viewing opportunities in many areas of
the trail. In 2016 milkweed and other pollinators
were planted in various parts of the trail corridor
to aid in monarch butterfly conservation.
Towns are spaced roughly 8 - 10 miles apart and
give you the opportunity to resupply. Most towns
have campgrounds you can stay at and larger ones
have hotels for lodging as well. Major trailheads
are located in Valentine, Long Pine, O'Neill, Neligh
and Norfolk, but the trail is accessible from any
town along the trail. The trail is open to hiking,
bicycling, and horseback riding; we ask that horses
utilize the right of way when possible to preserve
the limestone surfacing.
TRAIL ETIQUETTE:
· Leave no trace
· Respect private property
· Do not use trail when wet
· Stay to the right, pass on the left
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Phone: 402-471-5443
Email: alexander.duryea@nebraska.gov
Website: https://OutdoorNebraska.gov/cowboytrail/
Online Map: https://maps.OutdoorNebraska.gov/
Trails/
NOTE: Flooding in 2019 damaged several
portions of the Cowboy Trail. See the online
map for current closures.
COWBOY RECREATION AND NATURE TRAIL
