Cowboy Trail Forum

Going to be riding the trail in September. Will be riding tubeless. Will we have problems with thorns?

It's probably too early to tell what it will be like in Sept, but 2 of us do it out and back every fall and the last 3-4 years the goatheads haven't been too bad. Before that there were years when it was a death trap but trail maintenance has been much better.

I've only had one flat report and it's up for debate if it's from the trail or moving off the trail in towns or a park. If you're tubeless you'll be fine but always have a tube for backup. If you do pick one up, I have had luck just leaving it in. It'll break off and the thorn part will act like a plug, your sealant will do the rest. September is a great time to ride the trail, enjoy the adventure!

I have walked quite a lot of the Oregon Trail auto tour route through Nebraska and this looks very much like something I would like to walk. I’m just curious, do people walk this or only ride it with bikes? I am interested in walking this but also would need to tent along the way each night. Would that be possible do you think? Is the terrain such that it would allow me to get off the trail and camp?

The trail is designed for hikers, bikers, and equestrian and is walkable. You are not supposed to camp on the trail right of way, but most towns have camping available. These parks are mostly right on the trail.

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback!

I've done this 8 times out and back(so 16 CT trips) and maybe run into 3 thru hikers in that time, and I know one of them didn't finish. Heck, I've run into at least 2 bikers that quit b/c it wasn't what they were expecting. It would be totally doable if you're up for it, but the only caution that I'd advise is that although Arabia is listed on the map it's misleading b/c it's only a road that the trail crosses so don't plan on getting water or anything there. Big disappointment my first trip. So it's 25 miles from Valentine to Wood Lake, which seems to me like a long way to carry water. Wood Lake has a nice campground right off the trail with water and a RR but no shower. Someone mentioned parks and campgrounds usually near the trail, but in Bassett it's on the opposite side of town so that's good to know. Don't let me scare you off b/c I love doing this each year b/c it's an adventure. Happy Trails!

Good to know! I just might bike it….. I can walk a 25 mile day, so no worries there, and I have a baby jogger stroller that holds all of my equipment so I will be able to carry water.

Are you currently able to ride the trail on the west end from Valentine to Chadron? I see it is listed as undeveloped, what does this mean? Is it passable?
Thanks for any information.

At the moment, it is rideable only from Gordon to Rushville. Highway 20 has a wide shoulder. Traffic on a lot of the road through Cherry County is light, especially early mornings.

Gordon to Rushville is completed - appx 15 miles. Rushville to about 5 miles east of Chadron will be open sometime later 2026.

Are there any companies that do daily luggage transfers

Give Tony at North Fork Outfitting a call - (402)316-0157. He offers shuttles, not sure about luggage transfers though. Also "Bubbas Pampered Pedalers" may run another fully supported ride next year. They just completed one at the beginning of June.

I stopped here for a break on the Cowboy Trail. Great spot to camp. It was only 10am when I rode by so I didn't camp. It costs $20 has water and electric. A nice shower room with AC and clean towels.

Tilden has great amenities for trail users! Thanks for your report.

Heads up we had some severe storms in the long pine area and have some downed trees blocking parts of the trail. We're getting things cleaned up but just exercise some caution in that area.

Hi, we’re planning to ride the trail in a couple weeks. We’re running tubeless so we need to top off our tires every day or two. Are there bike pumps available along the trail or in the towns? If not, what do others do? We have a mini-pump and CO2 cartridges for flats, but neither is convenient for routine topoffs. Thanks!

I run tubeless all the time and have a Lezyne mini pump strapped to my down tube. I don’t find it a hassle to top off the tires when needed. Alex with Nebraska Game Fish and Parks will know about air in towns.

I also use my mini pump. I make it part of the daily routine. You might invest in a battery powered unit. I do not recall pumps en route, but I never have looked. Happy trails.

We bike all different kinds of trails in the USA and I have a Lezyne Micro Floor Drive XL Pump
It’s only about 12 inches long and fits in my Salsa Frame bag. It can be purchased on line at cambriabike.com for $66.99. (bike shops usually charge $99.00 for it)
We use it on long trips like the 440 mile Natchez Trace and it was excellent topping off our 4 inch tire fat bikes so it would work really well for the Cowboy Trail for air. We don’t leave home without it. ??????????
PS Presta and Shrader compatible

Greetings! We have one bike fix it station with a pump in Neligh by riverside park. Alternatively, there are plenty of gas stations in the towns along the trail which have air available. If you have presta valves it'd be good to carry an adapter. A frame pump or small electric one is a good idea as well. CO2 works too but is better for emergency. Enjoy your trip!

Thank you, everyone!

My husband and I hope to ride the trail next month. We’re wondering what the road riding is like where the trail is closed and you have to detour. How wide are the shoulders? What’s the speed limit? And how much traffic is there? Any other info also welcome. Thanks!

Not to worry. I've done the trail out and back for 7 years and always been impressed by the consideration given to bikers by drivers. There is a nice wide shoulder and even so most will move to the other lane when passing. I think the speed limit is 65. Never as issue with someone passing me close.

I second Doug's comment - people driving on HWY 275/20 are very considerate of cyclists using the shoulder. You can use google street view to take a look if you'd like.

Street View example by Oakdale, NE:
https://www.google.com/maps/@42.0846279,-97.9720433,3a,60y,25.76h,82.91t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sqdDb0tizxBVEA2hMasz2KQ!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D7.093527642591681%26panoid%3DqdDb0tizxBVEA2hMasz2KQ%26yaw%3D25.760790871554676!7i16384!8i8192?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI1MDUwNi4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

Sorry that link was bad - use this instead:

https://maps.app.goo.gl/zLTXM7M4Mjum2p2s8

Thanks so much!

I rode the entire trail in mid May 2024 and had no flats. In 2023 I had 4 flats in 110 miles during that same time. None of the flats were on the trail, all on streets with the worst by a grain elevator. I presume trucks were carrying the burrs in from fields. I am back again in 2025 with tubes and repair kits just in case.

I'll bet that was in Bassett? A couple of years ago there were goatheads growing in the trail in the city limits by the grain elevator. Two of us did the trail out and back last year with no flats. 4 flats in 110 miles can give a guy a bad attitude!

I think the goat heads are seasonal and worse in the fall. We road the trail in august/sept and had an average of 5-6 a day between two bikes. Of course we were riding fat tires so we were sweeping the trail of goat heads for the two riders that were with us. They averages less than one a day.

Anyone interested in sharing a shuttle from Norfolk to Valentine on either the morning of Friday, May 23 or Saturday, May 24?

Hi
My friend and I are planning to ride the Cowboy Trail Norfolk to Valentine mid June this year.
We fly into Omaha, is a Greyhound bus the best option for transport to Norfolk or is there a better option.
Thanks for any advice.
We also plan to continue riding into South Dakota if anyone has advice it would be really appreciated.
Thanks MA

Greetings from the other side of the world! Greyhound is an option - looks like they have a bus that leaves from Omaha Airport at 7:45 am, so depending on your flight arrival, that could work. It might require an overnight to get that timing to work and I'm not sure on their capacity to shuttle a bicycle as well, if that service is needed. The other option I'd propose to you is renting a pickup truck from a truck rental place called U-Haul. The challenge with rural Nebraska is car rental and buses are scarce. U-Haul is more geared towards people moving, but can be used for transport as well. There are U-Haul locations in Omaha, Norfolk, and Valentine which makes it a viable method for transportation. That might help you get to South Dakota as well if you don't plan on riding.

https://www.uhaul.com/

I provide shuttles from Omaha, Lincoln, or Sioux City as well as to or from Valentine. 402-316-0157 North Fork Outfitting LLC.

I have ridden the Cowboy Trail and South Dakota’s Mickelson Trail, and I would strongly recommend that you put the Mickelson as the top priority, because that trail is absolutely amazing in every way, while the Cowboy was a massive disappointment (when I was there several years ago). The Mickelson is on my list for a repeat ride, and the Cowboy is at the top of my “never again” list!

The main factors: trail conditions; access to water and bathrooms; scenery; complete lack of shade vs less exposure on a hot day.

I can't argue that the Mickelson is more scenic and has more support structures than the Cowboy. I've done trails out and back all over the midwest and it's tough to rival the Black Hills, but I wouldn't sell the Cowboy Trail short by any means. I've done it out and back for 8 years, and it's something I view as more of an adventure than the other trails I've done. You don't run into many riders, you might have to check out the town to find water and RR in parks, and you'll need to be prepared for whatever the trail throws at you. You mentioned trail conditions, which were pretty poor when I started doing it, but the last 3 years I found the trail in really good shape, and they've had a handle on the Dreaded Goathead Thorns from Hell. I guess that it depends upon your comfort zone and sense of adventure. I'm hooked!

Am working on a plan to travel the Cowboy Trail on my recumbent during May of this year. Would it be possible to leave my automobile in Valentine, pedal my way to Norfolk, and then travel back by road from Norfolk to Valentine?? West to East seems to be the best way, hoping the wind is at my back, yea right. But it seems that no matter what, the wind is always in my face, must be my good luck. Thank You in advance for your comments.

Hello! Yes it is possible. You have two options, shuttle with North Fork Outfitting (somewhat expensive if solo), or rent a U-Haul truck in Norfolk and drive it back to Valentine (not cheap, but less expensive if solo). U-Haul was about $250 last I checked. May the winds be in your favor!

Don, have you settled on dates yet? I’m working on plans to ride the trail in May, west to east. Maybe we could share a shuttle.

Hi Chris and Don. I'm looking at dates in late May to ride the trail. Definitely looking to share a shuttle to save on the cost.

I too am looking at a ride early May '25 and it likely would be Valentine to Norfolk. Makes no difference which end I park at and then shuttle to the other end. Would like to share a shuttle, solo is too expensive. Let me know if interested in sharing and what your expected date is to see if it could work.

Is anyone else thinking about doing the trail during the weekend of May 9th? I'd like to share a shuttle. :)

The Comfort Inn in Valentine is right on the Trailhead. I don't know their policies on this, but you might see if you can park your car there if you stay a night.

Was wondering what the trail condition west of Oakdale is. Can it be walked or is the bridge still out over the river or can you walk to the river?

You can walk out to the river but crossing the river in anything but low water levels would be not advised. There is a 300-foot gap where the elkhorn river now flows, between the remaining embankment and bridge. The scope of work to fix this site is still under review at FEMA.

My girlfriends and I plan on riding from Valentine the end of May. Some have their own bikes (recumbent ebikes), two will have to rent e-bikes. We plan to ride out from Valentine and back, and the 2nd day trailer to perhaps Ainsworth and back. Are there a lot of inclines? (We have ridden the Mickelson trial and are curious if the surfacing is similar?)
Any advise and/or suggestions greatly appreciated!!

Hello! Yes if you are looking for just a day ride, Valentine to Arabia Ranch and back is a scenic ride, about 16 mi one way or 32 mi round trip. A longer day could be made if you venture to Wood Lake which would be 25 mi one way or 50 miles round trip. There is a small cafe (Ma's Cafe) for lunch in Wood Lake and a small park with restrooms. Be sure to check hours for the cafe or call ahead, they have somewhat odd operating hours.

For a ride starting in Ainsworth - you could ride from Ainsworth to Bassett, about 17 mi one way or 34 mi round trip. Recommend checking out Range Cafe for lunch.

Surface is similar in my opinion - as long as you use a wider tire (1.8"+) you should be fine. Recommend running slime or tubeless and carrying extra tubes if you can, just in case.

Hi all,
I was hoping to walk from Valentine to Norfolk with my pup. I have a large dog stroller and was going to tote what we needed with us. Do you think this is a fool's errand or do you think it is possible?

A second question, is there enough camping grounds/hotels along the way to accommodate a journey like this? I am a teacher so I have all summer off and plan on starting mid May.

Thanks for any input!

Hi Matt. Most people ride the trail on bicycles. You could get a bike and a trailer to hook up to the back of the bike with your pup. People have hiked it but it’s about 10 to 15 miles between towns and not every town has camping and places to stay. It seems like camping is very popular on the Cowboy Trail. There is a shuttle to transport you and your pup if needed so you can walk one way. Valentine to Norfolk seems to be the best way because it’s downhill with the wind at your back hopefully when not a cross wind.
It would take some planning but you two could do it. May seems like a good month because it gets hot in June and the rest of the Summer months. You will be walking in wind almost all the time too they say on the Cowboy Trail but it seems very popular. We were going to ride the trail in the first week of November but the weather turned too cold. Maybe we could ride it in May next year and see you and your pup on the way, I’m no expert of course because we didn’t ride it yet but I did did do a lot of planning for it and people helped me on the forum so I felt I wanted to help you. Apparently the best part of the trail is the other bikers you meet and the great people you meet in Nebraska. Best regards, Paula

Hello! Thanks for reaching out about the Cowboy Trail. The trip is certainly doable - while hiking the entire trail is not done as frequently as riding a bike or horse, people do it for sure!

Some considerations:
- I'd recommend something similar to a jogging stroller, or one that at least doesn't have the small hard plastic wheels.
- The longest stretch will be Valentine to Wood Lake which does have a campground for tents but the distance is about 25 miles. The rest of the trail towns are 8-15 miles apart.
- I'd say all towns have at least a place to camp, may need to talk to the city about camping at the city park. The larger ones have hotels, google maps will be your friend.
- The trail is dog friendly, a 6' leash is required though by park regulation.
- May can be wet, bring a rain jacket.

With proper planning the trip is absolutely doable. I hope you come out and do it!

If interested:

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/20/travel/great-american-rail-trail-progress.html?unlocked_article_code=1.bU4.u434.aPPQyNphOe7Q&smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare

The trail east of Long Pine no longer has a giant crater in it. Thanks for the patience while we got this one done.

Excellent!!

All - the repair 2 miles west of Neligh next to the highway is complete and passable. Some minor work remains but it can be used again. Thanks for everyone's patience.

PS - the Long Pine Hole is nearly complete, hope to see it open in at the beginning of November.

Hi folks, we have updated our shuttle, and are offering a fall special...up to 2 additional riders free!($150 value) Total cost for 1-6 riders $450! Call 402-316-0157 for reservations.

I plan to ride Norfolk to Valentine and at the end would like to return to Omaha somehow. Are there any shuttles that run Valentine to Omaha?

Only shuttle service I'm aware of is North Fork Outfitting in Norfolk, NE. (402) 316-0157 Give Tony a call!

I can hook it up, it will be a 10 hour drive for me, so I'll need to make arrangements to get my kid to school, but that's not a major issue. That being said, you may want to call and discuss the cost...402-316-0157.