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The Cowboy Trail is a rail trail in northern Nebraska, which, when complete, will traverse the abandoned Chicago and North Western Railway (C&NW) corridor between Chadron and Norfork, both of which were railroad towns on the C&NW. THe Cowboy trail is a multi-use recreational trail suitable for bicycling, walking and horseback riding with the proposed total length of 321 miles (517 km), which will make this the longest rails-to-trails conversion in the United States.
The Cowboy Trail is the first recreation trail in the state of Nebraska and traverses the Outback area of Nebraska.
Railway History:
Originally built by the Fremont, Elkhorn and Missouri Valley Railroad in the late 1870s and early 1880s, but later acquired by the C&NW, the Cowboy Line east of Norfolk was abandoned by C&NW in 1982 and the section west of Norfolk in 1992. Instead of upgrading their rail line to accommodate heavey coal traffic, the C&NW purchased traffic rights on the Union Pacific Railroad west of Omaha.
In 1993, the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy purchased the railroad right-of-way for $6.2 million and then donated it to the state of Nebraska. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission is responsible for the development and maintenance of the trail. Development of the Cowboy Trail has occurred at a rate of about 10 to 20 miles per year and by the summer of 2009, the trail consisted of a continuous segment of 195 miles.
The current finished section of the trail, about 195 miles, are covered with crushed limestone, and has trailheads located at Valentine and Norfolk.
Cowboy Trail Route:
There are 221 bridges located on the Cowboy Trail, all of which have been converted to recreational use. The bridge across the Niobrara River located east of Valentine, Nebraska is a quarter-mile long (1320 feet) and is 148 feet in height. The bridge across Long Pine Creek near Long Pine, Nebraska is 595 feet long and 145 feet in height.
The Cowboy trail parallels US 20 and US 275 for almost the entire length. Also, the Cowboy trail traverses a variety of ecosystems including Pine Ridge, the Sandhills, the valleys of Niobrara River, Long Pine Creek and Elkhorn River.
Major communities along the trail route include: Chadorn, Gordon, Valentine, Ainsworth, O′Neil, Neligh, and Norfolk.
Cowboy Trail Information:
(At current length of 195 miles)
Trail Type:
Rail Trail
Trail Use:
(Multipurpose) Hike, Bike, Horseback
Trail Waymark:
Right of Way:
Chicago and North Western Railway
Length:
195 miles
Proposed Finish Length:
321 miles
Location:
Northern Nebraska
Trailheads:
Norfolk, Nebraska; Valentine, Nebraska
Grade:
2 percent or less
Surface:
Finely Crushed gravel, some short section are concrete
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