Cowboy Trail Forum

Hi all! I just learned of the Cowboy Trail and am excited to check it out sometime soon. With regards to the surface, is it ridable with a gravel bike or is it rougher and more appropriate to ride a mountain bike?

A gravel bike would be great. I recommend running a wider tire though and at a lower psi to make the ride more supple. The trail can have some rougher areas but it pretty smooth in most places.

Thank you Alex! I can't wait to get out there and ride it!

I road from Neligh to Norfolk July 2020. Most areas have well packed gravel that either bike would be fine. Their are a couple of spots with fresh gravel. In those places wider MTB tires would be beneficial.

Looking to ride across Nebraska and include the full length of the Cowboy Trail. A couple questions:

1. Better to ride West to East? Or East to West? For context, this would likely be in June.

2. I know the CT doesn't go across the entire state, so is there a road(s) that's best to ride on after the trails ends on both the West and East sides?

Thanks in advance for any help.

Hello,

I would ride the shoulder on HWY 20 going westbound from Valentine, I believe there are some small segments completed around Chadron you may want to jump back on to check out.

Going east from Norfolk you could take some small county roads to Stanton and then to Beemer (use google maps). Then after that the paved roads are pretty few and far between and pretty busy.

I would maybe have your phone charged up and do some gravel riding.. It also depends on what your terminus is on the east side.

Good Luck

Hello, Is the Cowboy Trail paved or gravel? And can you tell me in what town have a camp ground close to the trail.

Gina a short part of the eastern end of the trail in Norfolk is paved, but the vast majority of the trail is very small gravel.

As you can see in this map: https://bikecowboytrail.com/cowboy-trail-map.aspx
... there are long sections of the trail that run parallel to a highway. Some riders switch to highway shoulder for part of their ride for faster/smoother travel. But of course that's only for people who are comfortable riding on a highway shoulder.

As for camping, here is a trip planner showing all the camping locations that we know of along the trail:

https://bikecowboytrail.com/planner.aspx?scid=1&ecid=19&rt=0&rtid=1&svcs=|4|

Thinking of riding the trail in early October. Based on the wind during that time, is there advice on which direction to ride?

Since you live in Nebraska you are aware of the prevailing westerlies. They aren't a given though, and sometimes an eastern wind can be brutal. If you aren't tied into a specific time slot, it might be wise to get a 6-10 day forecast and go from there. Having said that, there are other reasons for going from west to east....namely elevation. Although you won't be fighting hills, there is a significant drop from Valentine to Norfolk. West to east is the direction my wife and I plan on going when we go.

In addition to what was said above - West to East if you have someone that can drop you off in Valentine and leave you a car in Norfolk. It's nice only having a 2 hour drive home vs a 5 hour drive after a trip on the Cowboy Trail.

We are planning to ride the Cowboy Trail this year and are wondering what month would be best time to ride.

The cowboy trail can be a great experience any time of the year but each season has their pros and cons. Planning for the weather you may experience is the key to having a good experience on the trail IMO. Nebraska's forecasted weather can vary greatly day to day at any time of the year.

Spring - higher potential for rain, but temps are generally pleasant.

Summer - can be windy, can get very hot/humid.

Fall - can get unpredictably cold overnight, rain, hail, snow possible.

Generally I enjoy spring and early fall the most but it helps being local to plan around the weather. If I were to pick, I think the best two months to try and hit the trail are May and September.

Does anyone know where the detours are that require riding on a highway?

https://maps.outdoornebraska.gov/trails

The Norfolk Area Visitors Bureau can help you plan your trip! Visit our website at www.visitnorfolkne.com or email info@visitnorfolkne.com for more information!

The detours are around Neligh. I road from Neligh to Norfolk last July. You can ride a couple of miles from Neligh before being moved to the road because a couple of bridges are out. You return to the trail at the eduge of Oakdale. I know thier is another bridge out by Clearwater but I didn't ride that section.

We are thinking to explore our neighboring state and would like to come ride the Cowboy Trail in Spring of 2021. It looks beautiful!

We have road bikes and need to be on pavement or hard compacted surface for most of ride. We go at mid leisure pace and average 30-50 miles per day. Is there a hard copy map we can order? Any suggestions for routes and schedules?
Thanks!
Ruth

We rode The Cowboy Trail in 2017 on Ranz recumbents with 1 1/2 tires. The only time we got off trail was for a detour near Clearwater and a short strip by coop at Ainsworth. A local said bad stickers there.

I'm not sure if there are maps.. other than what you can see when you look up The Cowboy Trail online. After the fact, I ordered a book, The Cowboy Trail off Amazon. It has some information and trail...but it is not recent...I liked it...I'm a book hound


It is a good ride from our perspective...they have had flood damage again since we rode, so there might be that to contend with.

I plan to ride the trail in 2021 as well. I'm making my own map using a Delorme Nebraska Detailed Topographic Map. Then add the symbols of what's available in the towns I'm interested in for refueling and camping purposes. You can find the symbols for each town on the route planner. Hope this helps!

Here's a link to Chuck Haney's article in October's Adventure Cyclist mag on a Valentine Loop ride. https://www.adventurecycling.org/sites/default/assets/resources/20200901_Nebraska_Haney.pdf It's a combination of road and trail riding that might suit your needs.

We can provide you with more information and help plan your trip! The Trailhead is located in Norfolk. Visit www.visitnorfolkne.com for more information.

Two of us did Norfolk to Valentine and back Aug 24-29 and I thought I'd give a trail report since I never got responses to some of my queries. This may be helpful to the Parkinsons group taking off in a few days.
Best maintained area of the trail is Norfolk to Battle Creek, so enjoy that. On both sides of Tilden we ran into areas of thick, loose gravel that is rough to ride. My brother floated over it with 4" tires but I had to put a foot down a few times with my 2" mtn bike tires. One detour to the highway between Oakdale and Neligh, two between Neligh and Clearwater.
After leaving O'Neill we started running into goatheads and started checking every 6-10 miles and removing them. Seriously, we removed DOZENS of them over the 400 miles of riding. I had new tires, Tuffy strips, and x-heavy tubes and never actually had a flat but had slow leaks in both tires the last day and a half. I'll probably look into slime before next year. There's a detour just outside of Long Pine on a gravel road.
It was very hot and very windy for 2 or 3 of our days and two water bottles just didn't do it so water up every chance you have. Long Pine/Valentine is short on water stops. 8 miles outside of Valentine we saw a windmill pumping and watered up with cold water, not even knowing whether it was good water or not, nor caring that much in the moment. The trail is open all the way to Valentine.
In 6 days of riding we met one couple doing the trail and one guy riding solo, and in O'Neill we met 2 couples from Omaha who had decided that this was a lot tougher than the Wabash Trail(correctly) and were calling it quits and heading home.
I always say that this ride the way we do it isn't an easy, fun ride, but more of an adventure. It's addictive but come prepared. Good luck!

Yes, I rode the trail from Valentine to Norfolk 9/3-9/5 as well as Hwy 20 from Hay Springs to Valentine 9/1-9/2. I rode part of the trail from Rushville to Gordon but it was loose and somewhat difficult. I ride a 29er hardtail tubeless so thorns weren't a concern. The trail is in good shape there but not enough riders to pack down the loose rock and create a hard trail. Lots of local riders between Norfolk and Battle Creek on my last day. I only saw one other cyclist between Valentine and Ewing. I did Valentine to Bassett, Bassett to Ewing, and Ewing to Norfolk. I wish they could get the entire trail done to Chadron, but it was an amazing ride between Valentine and Norfolk.

DougT: Thanks for the update - very nice of you! I am with a non-profit bicycle touring club (People Cycling) (free to join) and a group of us (24) are going cross country next year from Seattle to NYC. On July 4 we go from White River, SD to Valentine so we can pedal the Cowboy Trail. The fifth of July we will go from Valentine to Ainsworth (short day) then the 6th we go to O'Neill. Then the next day, after a half day on the Trail we depart south towards Albion. Your posting was very helpful - - and I am going to start another (new) thread to post up our x-c and to invite anyone who wanted to pedal along with us for any of what I mention above but wanted to invite you since you are doing the right thing by giving such an awesome trail report. Regards, rick of Bicycle Habitat, NYC

Rick, thanks for the invite but I wouldn't be available in July to ride w/you guys. Sounds like an interesting ride across country, and I hope you can leave an update on this site after riding the trail. Conditions vary from year to year as to trail maintenance and the dreaded goatheads so I'm always curious before I ride it in Aug or Sept. Enjoy and stay safe, bud!

Will do - - and will report back after next July

Thanks everyone for your information on trail conditions and the issues in areas of concern.

I do not understand why the state of Nebraska cannot see the diamond in the rough and take more care of the cowboy trail.
Nebraska Game & Parks should look at making repairs to the trail like packing the loose gravel areas and spraying for the goatheads so groups like yours can enjoy the ride and promote Nebraska's Outdoors so others will come and ride the trail.
Bike Trails bring in dollars to small communities along the trails like the Katy Trail, Mickelson Trail, Wabash Trace and others.
I hope this will improve by 2021.

looking to ride WEST of Valentine.. The trail Is "undeveloped"

Is there a trail really there? but hard to ride? or should I just count on taking the highways instead.

Hi, You can pick up the trail again heading west in Gordon ( on the right) to around Rushville ( maybe not all the way there). Between Gordon and Valentine it looks like there could be a very undeveloped trail.

Hope that helps,

Renée

West of Valentine is mainly a grassy trail. Areas closer to communities do have more of a dirt trail from what I've noticed driving Hwy 20. A few weeks ago as I walked the trail, I met a biker using the grassy trail west of Valentine, so it's possible.

I talked to the Nebraska Game and Parks about the trail west of Valentine. They are responsible for the whole trail. They said it is not developed but they do spray for weeds there. On google maps you can see the railroad line with railroad ties next to it. That looks to be the worst part of it. Plus, it is only 17 miles long. Or, you can just take HWY 20 for that part. I am planning on doing hiking the whole trail until Chadron in 2021. I also found the railroad map for all railways in
nebraska, in the library of congress, or on-line https://www.loc.gov/collections/railroad-maps-1828-to-1900/?fa=subject:nebraska

Look for the map from 1889. It shows the length between towns and the name of the towns Along with the topography to show river, creeks, and ect..

Chad,do you have an itenary mapped out for your 2021 hike of Cow oy Trail? I would be intrested in seeing it, if your willing to share. A friend of mine and I have been discusssing hiking this for a year or so. 5

I have a fear of heights. Is this a problem on the Cowboy Trail?

Several bridges are VERY high, so not sure if it's for you.

My first thought was the first bridge east of Valentine. It is high and crosses a long span. The view is fabulous. My husband is not one who likes heights.... but he made it. It's a sight worth seeing...but??? It's 3 miles east of Valentine. You could ride to.. look see and ride back.

There are other bridges... that first stands out in my mind. To my memory none of the others are quite as long...not nearly that high... I mainly enjoyed the view. I'm not bothered by heights, but have to say the first bridge out of Valentine is high abd long, but it is a sight to behold

I have a fear of heights. Is this a problem on the Cowboy Trail?

Thanks for responses to my previous questions, now I have a few more.

Can you use 28 mm tires on the trail? Or do you need bigger ones?

While it is possible with 28c tires, your experience will be better on the trail with at least a 35c. Ideally stuff the widest tire you can in your bike frame and run a lower psi to make your bike more supple. Running tubeless with sealant is best as well in case goatheads are present or at least tubes with some sealant in them.

So the NDOT map suggests using 275 to get back to Omaha from the eastern end of the trail but that road has trucks traveling at 75 mph! Any other ideas about how to get back on county roads (far less traveled)?

The NDOT map is not recommending using 275, the map shows the traffic volumes of the road and marks 275 as red which is a high traffic roadway and thus should be avoided. Utilize roadways that are either purple or green which are lower traffic routes according to the map. Note that the width of the line indicates whether or not the road has a shoulder and also the width of that road shoulder.

Can anyone suggest the best parts to do? I don't want to go on the highway and it sounds as if the trail does that in a few places. Thanks

Many regard the stretch between Long Pine and Valentine to be the most scenic but it depends what you're into. And the trail doesn't go on the highway at all but runs adjacent to it in some areas. It's usually separated by at least 50 - 75 feet. There are some damaged areas though that require detours. See NGPC's map for where those areas are.

https://maps.outdoornebraska.gov/Trails/

Thanks

I would echo Alex's reply. WAs up in the Valentine/Longpine area last weekend. Some people ride on Highway 20 where the trail parallel's it but there is no need to. Beautiful country!

Hello,

Three of us are planning to ride from Seattle to Omaha next June. I think we might use the Cowboy Trail to cross NE.

Two questions:
1. Will we have to worry about goatherds that time of year? (She asks, hoping the answer is no)
2. Any advice about getting from Norfolk to Omaha?

And where is the bunkhouse?

There is always the potential for goat heads in the summer, just have to be prepared. To get from Norfolk to Omaha, take a look at NDOT's bike map. It shows highway usage so you can pick a route with low traffic.

https://dot.nebraska.gov/media/7032/bicycle-map-side-2.pdf

I think you're referring to the Long Pine Bunkhouse? If so: https://goo.gl/maps/NEnUHrm9gbxqBcy78

Go tubeless and as others have mentioned don't pull them out. I was on a section of it last weekend in the longpine/valentine area with no issues.

Can anyone suggest the best parts to do? I don't want to go on the highway and it sounds as if the trail does that in a few places. Thanks

Can anyone suggest the best parts to do? I don't want to go on the highway and it sounds as if the trail does that in a few places. Thanks

Can anyone suggest the best parts to do? I don't want to go on the highway and it sounds as if the trail does that in a few places. Thanks

Nothing about this place has changed, even with new ownership! The staff is still rude and the place is unprofessional and incredibly unclean!!
My recommendation is to take your money elsewhere!

Just wondering if anyone knows the condition of the Trail from Valentine west... or possibly Chadron east?

The trail west of valentine was never developed. Recently though a 15 mile section between Gordon and Rushville, NE has been completed.

Going about 10 miles west of Bassett there is a bridge out with a decent detour.

Wondering if there are hot showers available at this campground.

Not 100% sure but there is a pool there so most likely they do.

I have camped at the City Park and there are not showers, but nice restrooms!

Is the City park in Ewing available for camping our first stop


We are riding from Norfolk to Valentine starting Thursday sept 10th As board memebers of Parkinson's Nebraska (an organization that helps people with Parkinson's and their care givers on a daily bases) we will be stopping, shopping, eating and hopefully making more people aware of how we can help those who suffer from Parkinson's.

we hope to do about 50 miles a day

Do you have a site following your journey? Wonderful cause. Wish you the best!

What direction is best to ride? Start in Norfolk or Valentine?

Both have the pros and cons. Riding Valentine to Norfolk gives you prevailing winds. Norfolk to Valentine, you end with the bridge over the Niobrara River. I live in Lincoln so I prefer Valentine to Norfolk so it's only a 2 hour drive home vs 5 hours when I finish the trail.

Thanks Alex!

Does anyone know what is the fastest time on foot to complete Norfolk to Valentine?

There's been a few Ultra marathons on the trail. I think one guy ran the whole thing in a weekend a few years ago.