Nebraska Trails
Nebraska offers an extraordinary variety of trails — from the 317-mile Cowboy Trail rail-to-trail across the northern plains, to the wagon-rutted tracks of the Oregon Trail through the Platte Valley, to the float-worthy Niobrara National Scenic River in the north-central Sandhills. Whether you’re hiking, biking, paddling, or following in the footsteps of pioneers, Nebraska’s trail network spans the entire state.
Rail Trails
Nebraska’s rail-to-trail conversions offer long-distance riding on former railroad corridors.
- Cowboy Trail — 317 miles, Norfolk to Chadron. Longest rails-to-trails in the US; 187 mi surfaced (Norfolk to Valentine). See also: Cowboy Trail Corridor.
- Homestead Trail — 40 miles, Lincoln to Beatrice. Limestone surface.
- Chief Standing Bear Trail — 22.9 miles, Beatrice to Kansas border. Owned by the Ponca Tribe.
- Steamboat Trace Trail — 22 miles along Missouri River bluffs, Nebraska City to Brownville.
- Fort Kearny Hike-Bike Trail — 13.2 miles, Fort Kearny State Historical Park to Kearney.
- Oak Creek Trail — 13 miles, Valparaiso to Brainard.
- Al Bengston Trail — 20+ miles in the South Sioux City area, northeast Nebraska.
- Great American Rail-Trail — Coast-to-coast trail; Nebraska segment uses portions of the Cowboy Trail.
National Historic Trails
Five National Historic Trails cross Nebraska, sharing the Platte Valley emigrant corridor.
- Oregon National Historic Trail — ~450 miles. Key sites: Rock Creek Station, Fort Kearny, Courthouse Rock, Chimney Rock, Scotts Bluff NM.
- California National Historic Trail — Shares the Oregon Trail route through Nebraska.
- Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail — North bank of the Platte River. Historic Winter Quarters (Omaha), Chimney Rock.
- Pony Express National Historic Trail — Gothenburg Pony Express Station, Sidney monument.
- Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail — Follows the Missouri River (~400 NE miles). NPS HQ Omaha; Fort Atkinson State Historical Park.
National Scenic & Multi-State Trails
- Niobrara National Scenic River — 76 miles, Cherry/Keya Paha/Knox counties. Tubing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing. Smith Falls State Park.
- American Discovery Trail — Coast-to-coast; Nebraska segment crosses the state.
Historic Highway Corridors
- Lincoln Highway — US-30, east-west. America’s first transcontinental auto highway (1913).
- Meridian Highway — US-81, north-south. Historic pre-highway route.
- Great Platte River Road — Collective name for the Platte Valley emigrant corridor (Oregon, California, Mormon, Pony Express trails).
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