Long Pine
- + Is there still a detour east of long Pine? Also, is there a restaurant in Wood Lake?
Discussion started 06/06/2020 07:11 AM by Jim - 2 replies (last reply by Chuck Haney at 06/06/2020 12:33 PM)Jim from Kearney on 06/06/2020 07:11 AM
Is there still a detour east of long Pine? Also, is there a restaurant in Wood Lake?
Cynthya from Lewis,KS on 06/06/2020 08:54 AM
When we were through Wood Lake in 2017 there were no eating establishments there. We did camp in their city park, right next to the trail. Next little town down the way Johnstown had a really good little restaurant called L Bow Saloon. We only peddled through Bassett. Did not stop to eat but it seems like it was a had several businesses in that town.
Chuck Haney from Whitefish on 06/06/2020 12:33 PM
Rode it this morning. Yes, there is a detour east of Long Pine (just 2 miles).
No food in Wood Lake
Newport
- + FYI...there is no restaurant in Newport.
There IS a “pool hall” with snacks to purchase, so more of a vending situation.
Discussion started 05/25/2020 07:59 PM by Lynn M - 0 repliesLynn M from Leigh on 05/25/2020 07:59 PM
FYI...there is no restaurant in Newport.
There IS a “pool hall” with snacks to purchase, so more of a vending situation.
post to Facebook
or share this link to just this thread:
Newport
https://bikecowboytrail.com/talk.aspx?tid=9863&tonly=1
Bridge by Valentine
- + Is the bridge by Valentine accessible from the west side? I see the approach on the east is closed.
Thanks!
Discussion started 05/14/2020 10:17 AM by Jess - 4 replies (last reply by Tim Dwyer at 05/24/2020 06:49 AM)Jess from Omaha on 05/14/2020 10:17 AM
Is the bridge by Valentine accessible from the west side? I see the approach on the east is closed.
Thanks!
Alex from Lincoln on 05/14/2020 10:56 AM
Correct. It can be accessed from Valentine. A trail segment between the HWY 20 parking lot and the Niobrara bridge is closed due to some flood damage.
Brenton Lammers from Lincoln, NE on 05/18/2020 10:40 AM
I just did the whole trail with my brother last week. We rode from Valentine to Norfolk. There were no closures near Valentine. It is all back open. Some of the trail was soft due to new gravel being put down and rain. There was closures out east. In several places where the road paralleled the trail it was much easier for us to ride the highway shoulder. Whenever the trail branched off from the highway we would get back on the trail.
Dougt from Onawa, Ia. on 05/18/2020 01:07 PM
Appreciate the trail status report. I do Norfolk/Valentine/Norfolk each year and it's often hard to find a trail condition report. Of course, last year it rained 11" over two consecutive nights and no trail report could have prepared us for that adventure!
Tim Dwyer from Omaha on 05/24/2020 06:49 AM
Thank you Brenton, most informative
Multiday Backpacking suggestions ???
- + I'm looking to plan a 4ish day / 60ish mile backpacking trip. Very flexible but would prefer to find sections that aren't all highway side. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. We should ...
Discussion started 05/23/2020 08:03 PM by Dave - 0 repliesDave from Omaha on 05/23/2020 08:03 PM
I'm looking to plan a 4ish day / 60ish mile backpacking trip. Very flexible but would prefer to find sections that aren't all highway side. Any suggestions or advice would be appreciated. We should have two cars so I think a one way route is doable.
Hammock Camping
- + My brother-in-law and I will be biking the trail for 2-3 days this summer. We were hoping to hammock camp along the way. Do the camping areas along the route allow hammocks? I know that some campgr...
Discussion started 05/10/2020 07:02 PM by Brad - 1 reply (last reply by Alex at 05/12/2020 11:19 AM)Brad from Waverly on 05/10/2020 07:02 PM
My brother-in-law and I will be biking the trail for 2-3 days this summer. We were hoping to hammock camp along the way. Do the camping areas along the route allow hammocks? I know that some campgrounds do not allow them.
Alex from Lincoln on 05/12/2020 11:19 AM
The camping areas along the trail are city parks or city owned campgrounds. I doubt you'd have any issue. If you want to find out for sure, contact the towns you plan on camping at and ask them.
Is this trail paved
- + Is this a paved trail
Discussion started 04/24/2020 02:18 PM by Smc - 1 reply (last reply by Cynthya at 04/24/2020 03:34 PM)Smc from Joplin Missouri on 04/24/2020 02:18 PM
Is this a paved trail
Cynthya from Lewis, KS on 04/24/2020 03:34 PM
?????? Through some towns it is paved. For the most part it is gravel and some sandy spots. It can be little hard going but it's well worth riding. We wrote it almost 4 years ago on Ranz recumbent. Loved it even even through the rough spots. O would do it again. In answer to your question. No, the trail is not paved. But again...it is a great ride!
Average miles per day
- + Planning a 2 day bike ride with friend. (50+ women in decent shape). Trying to figure out about how many miles per day is realistic (taking in a few rest and sight seeing in the trail). Anyone with su...
Discussion started 03/03/2020 08:21 AM by Mason - 5 replies (last reply by Rosie at 03/14/2020 08:30 AM)Mason from Neligh on 03/03/2020 08:21 AM
Planning a 2 day bike ride with friend. (50+ women in decent shape). Trying to figure out about how many miles per day is realistic (taking in a few rest and sight seeing in the trail). Anyone with suggestions of best parts to ride.
Ray [webmaster] on 03/03/2020 07:55 PM
This varies a lot from person to person - for some people it might be 20 miles a day, for others it could be 80 miles.
Luckily you are close to the trail, so you can go out there and take some test rides on weekends. Maybe try riding just 5 or 10 miles out and 5-10 back. If you still feel good, do another 5+5 or whatever feels attainable. Try again the next weekend, adding distance, to see what feels right.
Don't just go out and ride 50 miles without a little advance riding, or it will not go well. You might be in great cardiovascular shape with strong legs, but your butt will be screaming if you you haven't gotten some "saddle time" in advance.
So that's not a very straightforward answer, but it's (I think) good advice. Once you get out and do a few long rides, your body will tell you the ultimate answer of what distance works for you.
Good luck and happy trails!
Mason from Neligh on 03/04/2020 08:57 AM
Thanks. My family is from Neligh but I live in SW Iowa and have the Wabash Trace trail realy close. Did a 20 mile ride in about 4 hours-but was sore. Thanks for the tip
Rosie on 03/04/2020 01:11 PM
My friend and I, 50s and 60s, average about 20 miles a day, but we have done more. We are so recreational, and enjoy exploring every little town. We talk and talk and pedal and pedal and take pictures, and talk and talk and pedal and pedal.
Cynthya from Lewis, KS on 03/04/2020 02:15 PM
My husband and I rode almost 3 years ago. We would park in a town and ride 20 miles east one day and west the next day. So we could say we rode from Valentine to Norfolk and back. We had an absolutely wonderful ride and time. Love the trail
Lumps, bumps and all. All good!
Rosie from South Dakota on 03/14/2020 08:30 AM
My friend and I, 50s and 60s, just finished our longest days of 35 and 40 miles. That was big for us, but we still had fun along the way. We think exploring the towns are a big part of the trail. Very tired at the end of those days!
Is Valentine to Norfolk currently open and passable with hybrid bikes?
- + My wife and I have always wanted to ride the Cowboy Trail from one side to the other and were thinking of possibly attempting in late April, 2020. Can anybody please tell us if the current trail has ...
Discussion started 03/03/2020 04:18 PM by Jamie Bray - 1 reply (last reply by Rosie at 03/14/2020 08:26 AM)Jamie Bray from Lincoln, NE on 03/03/2020 04:18 PM
My wife and I have always wanted to ride the Cowboy Trail from one side to the other and were thinking of possibly attempting in late April, 2020. Can anybody please tell us if the current trail has been repaired to travel on since the flooding last year? Also, for those who have traveled the Cowboy Trail, are hybrid bicycles ok to travel with on this trail? We've biked the Katy Trail but from reading through these posts there seems to be quite a difference. Thanks for all your help!
Rosie from South Dakota on 03/14/2020 08:26 AM
A friend and I just finished the section from Norfolk to O Neill on March 12 and 13. The trail was often quite soft and resistant. There are marked detours for washouts and missing bridges. There was one large washout that needed some creative passage. Be aware, have fun, take the highway that parallels the trail when necessary.
Bike Rentals/Full Service Shuttle
- + Hey folks, just fyi, we have solid tire 7 speed Specialized hybrid rental bikes, other bikepacking related gear for use on the trail, as well as a full service shuttle. Call 402-316-0157 for info or ...
Discussion started 03/08/2020 09:43 AM by North Fork Outfitting LLC - 0 repliesNorth Fork Outfitting LLC from norfolk on 03/08/2020 09:43 AM
Hey folks, just fyi, we have solid tire 7 speed Specialized hybrid rental bikes, other bikepacking related gear for use on the trail, as well as a full service shuttle. Call 402-316-0157 for info or reservations!
Current conditions
- + Does anyone have "eyes on" trail conditions RIGHT now? Most interested in the section from Norfolk to O'Neill. Curious about early spring riding. Thank you
Discussion started 03/04/2020 01:08 PM by Rosie - 2 replies (last reply by North Fork Outfitting LLC at 03/08/2020 09:27 AM)Rosie on 03/04/2020 01:08 PM
Does anyone have "eyes on" trail conditions RIGHT now? Most interested in the section from Norfolk to O'Neill. Curious about early spring riding. Thank you
Pepper from Grant NE on 03/04/2020 04:38 PM
I have just talked to Games and Parks and he said from Oakdale to Neligh the bridge is washed out. Also, from Neligh to Clearwater should probably take the highway.
North Fork Outfitting LLC from norfolk on 03/08/2020 09:27 AM
Both are very short detours, the trail is 50 yards from the highway, so fairly easy.
Panda Trans
- + Has anyone used Panda in Valentine for shuttle. I didn't get an answer when I called.
Discussion started 02/24/2020 11:36 AM by George - 3 replies (last reply by North Fork Outfitting LLC at 03/08/2020 09:21 AM)George from Poncha Springs CO on 02/24/2020 11:36 AM
Has anyone used Panda in Valentine for shuttle. I didn't get an answer when I called.
DandyDon from Fairfield, Ohio on 02/24/2020 06:01 PM
Last summer six of us used North Fork Outfitting and were shuttled from Valentine to Norfolk. It worked out just fine.
George from Poncha Springs CO on 03/04/2020 09:27 PM
Thanks for the info.
North Fork Outfitting LLC from norfolk on 03/08/2020 09:21 AM
Hi George, give me a call at 402-316-0157 to hook up a date.
Cowboy Trail Maps/Information
- + Hi All,
I am an architecture student at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. My thesis revolves around the Cowboy Trail. I would like to design campsites and bike shops along the trail along with ...
Discussion started 02/26/2020 01:01 PM by NG - 0 repliesNG from Omaha on 02/26/2020 01:01 PM
Hi All,
I am an architecture student at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. My thesis revolves around the Cowboy Trail. I would like to design campsites and bike shops along the trail along with other programmatic spaces. I was wondering if anyone had any information about the trail. I am looking for:
- Maps
- Drawings
- How towns along the trail use the cowboy trail
Any information would be awesome. Thanks!
Panda Transportation in Valentine
- + Do you do bike rentals or recommend a place that does? Family with 7 or maybe 8 riders .... too many for us to transport...
Discussion started 02/20/2020 10:27 PM by AJK - 1 reply (last reply by George at 02/23/2020 05:02 PM)AJK from Overland Park, KS on 02/20/2020 10:27 PM
Do you do bike rentals or recommend a place that does? Family with 7 or maybe 8 riders .... too many for us to transport...
George from Poncha Springs CO on 02/23/2020 05:02 PM
What is the price from Valentine to Norfolk. Looking for late September.
Trail to Chadron
- + So what's the trail like from Valentine to Chadron? Is it passable, it is fairly well kept? We've ridden all but that part and would like to come back finish it and then go on up to the Michelson fo...
Discussion started 02/10/2020 09:35 AM by Stephen McGregor - 3 replies (last reply by Alex at 02/11/2020 09:41 AM)Stephen McGregor from Hannibal, MO on 02/10/2020 09:35 AM
So what's the trail like from Valentine to Chadron? Is it passable, it is fairly well kept? We've ridden all but that part and would like to come back finish it and then go on up to the Michelson for a couple of days of riding.
Thanks
Karl from West Nyack,NY on 02/10/2020 10:28 AM
The trail from Valentine to Chadron is called US Route 20. I rode that way last May on a cross country ride, and was hoping to ride stretches of the “unimproved” trail, but it really doesn’t exist, and is behind cattle fences most the way. You might see a couple of old rail trestles off the road, but nothing rideable. I might be forgetting some rideable stretch here or there, but I don’t remember seeing any.
Cynthya from Lewis, KS on 02/10/2020 10:43 AM
We traveled Valentine to Norfolk and back in August of 2017. When we questioned in Valentine about the passability of the trail from Valentine to Norfolk the report was not encouraging, however that was not the case. The trail was passable better in some places than others, but definitely worth the trip.. My understanding is there is a short segment west of Valentine complete, but that for the most part, it is still rough and incomplete to Chadron. We have been hoping for that to open up. We would love to ride all The Cowboy Trail... Trail building takes time, money and people with the desire... Maybe with some
oordination, people wanting to ride could supply some labor...but takes coordinating and cooperation..
Alex from Lincoln on 02/11/2020 09:41 AM
There is 15 miles of newly surfaced trail between Gordon and Rushville, NE. Other than that, it is just the railroad bed (ballast/dirt) between Valentine and Chadron. Technically the cowboy trail ends about 5 miles east of Chadron at Mile Marker 400.
While a handful of people have attempted the portion west of Valentine, it is not easy and is not maintained as an open trail. I would not encourage anyone to do it, but it is possible if you're prepared. A fat bike or plus sized tire is almost required I'd say.
If you are seriously interested, give me a call - 402-471-5443
Fully supported Valentine to Norfolk 4 day bike Adventure Sept. 2020
- + Hey folks, I want to promote a fully supported 200 mile 4 day Cowboy Trail Adventure ride in September of 2020. I am looking for volunteers from Neligh, O'Neil, and Long Pine or Bassett to use money ...
Discussion started 12/17/2019 12:38 PM by North Fork Outfitting LLC - 4 replies (last reply by North Fork Outfitting LLC at 02/02/2020 01:03 PM)North Fork Outfitting LLC from norfolk on 12/17/2019 12:38 PM
Hey folks, I want to promote a fully supported 200 mile 4 day Cowboy Trail Adventure ride in September of 2020. I am looking for volunteers from Neligh, O'Neil, and Long Pine or Bassett to use money provided to purchase food from local grocery and prepare it for the evening meal in the city park, along with local entertainment. I am planning to cap at 100 riders, who would either camp in the park or rent local hotel/motel rooms.(camping costs would be included in ride fees.) I will be calling a meeting of those interested in promoting your city in Norfolk in early January. Please get me your contact info if you would like to be included. Thanks!
North Fork Outfitting LLC from norfolk on 12/17/2019 12:41 PM
We will be donating a portion of the proceeds to help repair the flood damaged areas of the trail.
Trail Rider from Hampshire, IL on 01/02/2020 03:52 PM
I see that you are maybe planning a 4 day ride on the Cowboy Trail. I would love to ride with this group. I will keep watching for more information. What a great fund raising idea. I would gladly contribute.
North Fork Outfitting LLC from norfolk on 01/11/2020 10:45 AM
A bit more planning to do, but looks like the ride will be Labor Day weekend. $300 per person will include shuttle to Valentine, snack/water checkoints every 15-20 miles, 3 nights of camping with evening meal and local entertainment, town to town gear shuttle, 2 on trail support riders and 1 on highway, An event T-shirt and a local business "goody bag"! Please like us on Facebook for more info. We have a final planning meeting the first week in Feb., web site will be up to date and ready to start registering then.
North Fork Outfitting LLC from norfolk on 02/02/2020 01:03 PM
REGISTRATION NOW OPEN! nforkoutfitting.com
Panda Transportation in Valentine
- + Hoping to ride 100 miles of this trail from Valentine this spring. Where will you pick up along the trail and how much is the cost per person?
Discussion started 12/29/2019 02:35 PM by Nancy Working - 0 repliesNancy Working from Golden CO on 12/29/2019 02:35 PM
Hoping to ride 100 miles of this trail from Valentine this spring. Where will you pick up along the trail and how much is the cost per person?
HEARTLAND FLOOD: The long road to recovery for Nebraska's Cowboy Trail
- + Eight months after massive floods in Nebraska washed out chunks of one of the nation’s longest stretches of trail, crews are still trying to repair the scenic pathway used by hikers, bikers and horse ...
Discussion started 12/07/2019 10:54 AM by Ray (webmaster) - 0 repliesRay (webmaster) on 12/07/2019 10:54 AM
Eight months after massive floods in Nebraska washed out chunks of one of the nation’s longest stretches of trail, crews are still trying to repair the scenic pathway used by hikers, bikers and horse riders
....
Source: WOWT
Full story:
https://www.wowt.com/content/news/HEARTLAND-FLOOD-The-long-road-to-recovery-for-Nebraskas-Cowboy-Trail-565662191.html
Goathead thorns
- + When is the WORST time for Goathead thorns? I'm planning a trip for the cowboy trail in late May or early June. Or should I plan for a different time of year?
Thanks,
Lee
Discussion started 11/11/2019 10:13 AM by Lee - 3 replies (last reply by Alex at 12/06/2019 10:25 AM)Lee from DENHAM SPRINGS on 11/11/2019 10:13 AM
When is the WORST time for Goathead thorns? I'm planning a trip for the cowboy trail in late May or early June. Or should I plan for a different time of year?
Thanks,
Lee
Donna from Glasco on 11/11/2019 10:32 AM
Early spring before they firm up and dry out to reek their
Havoc..
Maynard from Lincoln on 12/05/2019 09:12 PM
The only place I found thorns was just west of Ainsworth, and it was only for 1/4 to 1/2 a mile. I bought thicker tires and put kevlar inserts in them. Never had a problem after that.
Alex from Lincoln on 12/06/2019 10:25 AM
I'll second "goatheads just west of Ainsworth". That's the only place I've ever had trouble getting flats with them on the entire trail.