Cowboy Trail
Spanning a sizeable chunk of America’s outback, the Cowboy Trail experience is largely what one makes of it. It can be a pleasant escape for an evening nature walk, a family getaway for a bicycling weekend, a course for a grueling long-distance run or a convenient route to explore the Great American Plains on horseback.
Beginning in Norfolk and spanning 321 miles west to Chadron, this is one of the largest Rails-to-Trails projects in the United States. The trail is developed between Norfolk and Valentine consisting of 187 miles of crushed limestone surfacing. Recently, an additional 15 miles of trail has been developed between Gordon and Rushville as well which is now open.
Whether biking, hiking or horseback riding, the trail offers a few givens for all who travel it. Read on to learn about the nature, history and special features of Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail.
Find more information at outdoornebraska.gov/cowboytrail or https://bikecowboytrail.com/atkinson.aspx. Download a printable map by clicking here.