Cowboy Trail
| Cowboy Trail | |
|---|---|
Flooding in June 2010 collapsed this former railroad bridge carrying the Cowboy Trail across the Elkhorn River near Norfolk. | |
| Length | 195 miles (314 km) |
| Location | northern Nebraska |
| Established | 1996 |
| Designation | National Recreational Trail |
| Trailheads | Norfolk, Nebraska Valentine, Nebraska |
| Use | Hiking, Cycling, and Horseback Riding |
| Grade | 2% or less |
| Surface | finely crushed gravel, short sections have concrete |
| Right of way | Chicago and North Western Railway |
The Cowboy Trail is a rail trail in northern Nebraska. It is a multi-use recreational trail suitable for bicycling, walking and horseback riding. It occupies an abandoned Chicago and North Western Railway corridor. When complete, the trail will run from Chadron to Norfolk, a length of 321 miles (517 km), making it the longest rails-to-trails conversion in the United States. It is Nebraska's first state recreational trail. The trail runs across the Outback area of Nebraska.