The Cowboy Trail - Lincoln, Nebraska

One of the most unique walks you’ll ever have in Nebraska is along the Cowboy Trail. Because of the great move west in the 19th century, the area became thick with different types of travel routes, whether by foot or train. Many of them don’t exist in our modern world, while there are some that have stood the test of time. Yet, there is one that is not only still around, it has been resurrected to fit in better with our modern life.

The building of The Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad (FE&MV) had already begun in 1871, and with the railroad running out of funding, it was resurrected once gold was discovered in the Black Hills of the Dakota Territory, as it was used to transfer supplies up north. As it expanded, this small railroad was swallowed by the much larger Chicago & North Western Railway (C&NW). Once the railway reached Lander, Wyoming, it was decided they were done building and expanding, and the route that now stretched from Norfolk through Chadron became known as the Cowboy Line.

Sportsmen and visitors wanting to see Mt. Rushmore used the Cowboy Line, but the majority of the railway business was transporting freight and livestock. With the boom of highways and the use of automobiles, railway use stalled some, but the Cowboy Line was put to further use during World War II as it moved troops, oil, and supplies. Once the war ended, passenger service died out as well on the Cowboy Line, ending for good in 1958. The C&NW abandoned the Cowboy Line altogether in 1992.

Recreation trail advocates came up with a unique idea as many other railroad lines were being abandoned as well. It was their thought that these once majestic railroads, instead of becoming disassembled and part of a bygone era, could instead be resurrected into unique nature trail systems. Congress approved this idea in 1983, and the United States Supreme Court upheld this idea in court. A non-profit organization, The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, was formed to see this idea through, in the hopes that a nationwide network of trails could be formed.

Rails-to-Trails bought the old Cowboy Line in 1993, then donated it to the state of Nebraska the following year. This made the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission now responsible for what was basically a 3,893 mile linear park that covers 321 miles across the state of Nebraska. The trail is being completed piece by piece. Rails and ties are being removed, bridges are being repaired, and sides and decking are added in to to hold better pedestrian and bicycle traffic, making it the Cowboy Trail.

The Cowboy Trail has become a place where you can take a short walk or a weekend trip. There are no steep hills to walk or bike over, as this area was graded for railroads. Motorized vehicles are not allowed on the trail, and horses are only permitted on the right-of-way, not the actual trail. Riders must dismount before crossing bridges.

Nature is bountiful along the trail with bald eagles and turkey vultures in the air and other animals taking shelter under the bridges. Neligh Mills, a water-powered grist mill, still contains its original equipment, dating back to the 1800s, and is open to the public. The O’Neill depot still stands as well, used as a trailhead after it was restored. The Long Line Depot and the crew quarters next to it are also restored and available for overnight travelers.

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
c/o Duane Westerholt
2200 N. 33rd St.
Lincoln, NE 68503
(402) 471-5511

The Cowboy Trail - Lincoln, Nebraska