Cowboy Trail Maps, Businesses, Events, Mileage, and more

Cowboy Trail Guide: Maps, Businesses, Mileage, and More

About Nebraska's Cowboy Trail

The Cowboy Trail runs 321 miles across northern Nebraska, following the old Chicago & Northwestern rail route. The railroad called this the "Cowboy Line."

When completed, the Cowboy Trail will be the world's longest rails-to-trails bike trail. Currently about two-thirds of the route has been surfaced: the 195 mile stretch between Norfolk and Valentine (where you'll cross a magnificent old 148 foot high railroad bridge). Some surfaces are paved, while most of the trail uses finely crushed gravel.

The maps on this website only show the trail to Kilgore, but the trail is actually planned to run all the way to Chadron. We will update the maps as other sections of trail are developed. The trail west of Valentine is not officially open, and any usage of undeveloped trail should be considered "at your own risk."


Near Valentine, the Cowboy Trail crosses 150 feet above the Niobrara River

Cowboy Trail Resources

An interactive MAP of the Cowboy Trail

BUSINESSES and SERVICES along the trail

An interactive TRIP PLANNER provides details specific to your trip

Trail MILEAGE CHART

Discuss the trails on the COMMENT FORUM

EVENTS on or near the Cowboy Trail

Journals and TRIP REPORTS from others' Cowboy Trail travels

ELEVATION (altitude) of towns along the trail

WEATHER along the trail

Cowboy Trail Conditions

Trail conditions are currently good, to the best of our knowledge.

Upcoming Events on or near the Cowboy Trail

Nebraskans love a good celebration - make your Cowboy Trail experience even more memorable by enjoying a small-town festival.

Where	What / When
Norfolk Mile 0	Norfolk Ethnic Festival June
Ainsworth Mile 150	Middle of Nowhere Carnival June
Ewing Mile 58	Ewing Funfest First weekend in June
Long Pine Mile 141	Long Pine Days Second weekend in June
Battle Creek Mile 10	Battle Creek Fun Days Third weekend in June
Clearwater Mile 45	Clearwater Rodeo Last weekend in June
Meadow Grove Mile 18	Corn Daze Last weekend in June
Ainsworth Mile 150	Middle of Nowhere Bike Ride Second weekend in July
O'Neill Mile 81	O'Neill Summerfest Second weekend in July
Tilden Mile 23	Prairie Days Festival Last weekend in July
Wood Lake Mile 171	Wood Lake Community BBQ Last Saturday in July
Atkinson Mile 99	Hay Days First Weekend in August
Ainsworth Mile 150	Country Music Festival Second weekend in August
Bassett Mile 131	Rock County Fair Second week in August
Inman Mile 71	Inman Pioneer Days Second weekend in September

These are the events for the next three months. To see events past that timeframe, please visit the Events page.

Let us know

Alberta's Cowboy Trail

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