Cowboy Trail east of O'Neill, NE

Cowboy Trail

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.

  • The trail is constructed of crushed limestone and compacted to make a smooth surface
  • Generally mountain or hybrid bikes are best for riding, or anything with a wider tire
  • Footwear for hikers is whatever one finds comfortable on hard surfaces
  • All horseback riders are required to ride on the right-of-way and to stay limestone surface
  • Some communities along the trail provide camping and all welcome and enjoy travelers to use their amenities. Most are located 10 to 15 miles apart