Recreation
30
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission 2025 Annual Report
Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail: 30 years of trailblazing
In 2025, Nebraska celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Cowboy
Recreation and Nature Trail with 15 events for every kind of adventurer: First
Day Hikes, historical marker tours, fully inclusive rides, a Nebraska Passport
challenge, and the Cowboy 200 ultramarathon. Nebraska Game and Parks'
signature Valentine celebration included a bike ride, dinner at the Valentine
trail head, and a sunset social on the historic bridge.
The impact was remarkable: 92,000 trail users visited the trail in 2025
— from Nebraska and beyond. National media, including Rails-to-Trails
Conservancy Magazine, highlighted the celebration.
These events honored the trail's history, strengthened communities, and
inspired thousands to explore Nebraska's outdoors — setting the stage for the
next 30 years of trailblazing.
People ride horses along the Cowboy Trail
near Long Pine. ERIC FOWLER
Cowboy Trail mile
marker. ERIC FOWLER
Cowboy Trail 30th anniversary
celebration. JUSTIN HAAG
A bridge over Long Pine Creek on
the Cowboy Trail. ERIC FOWLER
