All Bike Trails

What a trail! When finished, this hiking, biking and equestrian trail will stretch 321 miles across Nebraska from Norfolk to Chadron. The trail parallels Highway 275 from Norfolk to Valentine, Highway 20 from Valentine to Chadron.

We had planned to begin at Norfolk, but that end of the trail is a drop-off in a corn field. We were told that a land dispute has kept them from finishing it to the park. So we drove to the next town west, Battle Creek. There you can park right beside the trail.

The trail is hard-packed sandstone and passes through beautiful farm land. We enjoy it most when it leaves the view of the highway, which it does most all the way from Battle Creek to Norfolk. We enjoyed driving the 186 miles between Norfolk and Valentine and looking for evidence of the trail. Several sections were opened, others were being worked on, and it was easy to spot where it will be in many of the places where no work is being done. The bridges on the entire trail (a total of 221) have been refurbished for foot traffic, complete with wooden decking and hand rails.

A five-mile section in Valentine features a Trailhead Park, complete with a windmill and small pond, which is located on the corner of First and Main streets. The surface of the trail through the city is paved. The longest bridge on the Cowboy Trail is on the east end of this section. It is 1/4 of a mile long and is 170 feet in the air. It is impressive!! See picture below.

This is a great trail now, and will only improve. If you go West, don't miss it.