Explore the best rated trails in Columbus, NE. Whether you're looking for an easy walking trail or a bike trail like the Jack Sutton Drive and Ridge Road Trail . With more than 17 trails covering 3988 miles you’re bound to find a perfect trail for you. Click on any trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
Located on the eastern side of Seward, Nebraska, the Plum Creek Trail runs for nearly 3 miles through open fields and dense woodland. As its name suggests, the trail follows the course of Plum Creek...
Nebraska's Oak Creek Trail, occupying a former Union Pacific Railroad corridor in the eastern part of the state, offers a truly rural experience. While the trail is only about an hour from both Omaha...
The Monastery Trail is a mile and half along 18th Ave/ Monastery Road in Columbus, Nebraska. The trail is an important link in the the city's trail network, known as Columbus Area Recreational Trails...
The Robert White Trail runs for 1.5 miles between the start of the Bob Lake Trail, where the trails converge near 65th Street, and 18th Avenue/Monastery Road. There is no shade. The trail follows the...
Pawnee Park, is tucked into southwest Columbus. The park straddles both sides of Lincoln Highway (US 81/ US 30), and is bordered by Loup River. The trail runs the length of the park, starting on 6th...
The Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
The scenic Two Lakes Trail runs for 2.4 miles between where 48th Avenue crosses the Loup Canal, and the start of the Bob Lake Trail, and Lakeview Road at 18th Avenue. The trail follows the northern...
As its name suggests, this recreation path lies along Ridge Road in west Fremont. The trail is 8-foot-wide concrete, with intermittent tree cover, and is a flat run, walk or ride. The Ridge Road Trail...
The Bob Lake Trail runs for 1.3 miles between 48th Avenue and the start of the Robert White Trail where the trails converge near 65th Street. The trail follows the southwest shore of Lake Babcock,...
The Third Avenue viaduct was an infrastructure project decades in the making. Before that, travelers had to cross the tangle of Union Pacific tracks at street level. The upgrade, which opened in...
The Wilderness Park Trail offers a convenient, paved route past the popular 42-acre Wilderness Park Soccer Complex with its ten regulation-size fields. The trail is 1.5 miles, but connects with the...
This recreational trail travels along the south side of E. Military Road. The concrete path connects neighborhoods on the east side of Fremont to Johnson Park. The park is home to a fishing lake...
The FEVR Trail borrows its name from the Fremont Valley & Elkhorn excursion line, that ran trains on 17 miles between Fremont and Hooper. The FEVR line is intact but the trail shares right-of-way with...
The Jack Sutton Drive is a concrete path lying along Jack Sutton Drive. The trail extends between Luther Road and the Johnson Crossing Academic Center, and affords students of the adjacent...
The Discoverer Trail is part of the Columbus Area Recreational Area Trails network, in Columbus, Nebraska. Coming in at just under a mile, this trail tracks a U-shaped course. It starts on 41st Avenue...
The scenic Two Lakes Trail runs for 2.4 miles between where 48th Avenue crosses the Loup Canal, and the start of the Bob Lake Trail, and Lakeview Road at 18th Avenue. The trail follows the northern...
The Robert White Trail runs for 1.5 miles between the start of the Bob Lake Trail, where the trails converge near 65th Street, and 18th Avenue/Monastery Road. There is no shade. The trail follows the...
As its name suggests, this recreation path lies along Ridge Road in west Fremont. The trail is 8-foot-wide concrete, with intermittent tree cover, and is a flat run, walk or ride. The Ridge Road Trail...
The FEVR Trail borrows its name from the Fremont Valley & Elkhorn excursion line, that ran trains on 17 miles between Fremont and Hooper. The FEVR line is intact but the trail shares right-of-way with...
The Discoverer Trail is part of the Columbus Area Recreational Area Trails network, in Columbus, Nebraska. Coming in at just under a mile, this trail tracks a U-shaped course. It starts on 41st Avenue...
The Monastery Trail is a mile and half along 18th Ave/ Monastery Road in Columbus, Nebraska. The trail is an important link in the the city's trail network, known as Columbus Area Recreational Trails...
Nebraska's Oak Creek Trail, occupying a former Union Pacific Railroad corridor in the eastern part of the state, offers a truly rural experience. While the trail is only about an hour from both Omaha...
The Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
Pawnee Park, is tucked into southwest Columbus. The park straddles both sides of Lincoln Highway (US 81/ US 30), and is bordered by Loup River. The trail runs the length of the park, starting on 6th...
The Cowboy Trail, one of the country’s longest rail-trails, stretches 189 miles between the Nebraska towns of Valentine and Norfolk (beginning at Ta-Ha-Zouka Park south of town). When complete, the...
The Bob Lake Trail runs for 1.3 miles between 48th Avenue and the start of the Robert White Trail where the trails converge near 65th Street. The trail follows the southwest shore of Lake Babcock,...
The Third Avenue viaduct was an infrastructure project decades in the making. Before that, travelers had to cross the tangle of Union Pacific tracks at street level. The upgrade, which opened in...
This recreational trail travels along the south side of E. Military Road. The concrete path connects neighborhoods on the east side of Fremont to Johnson Park. The park is home to a fishing lake...
The Jack Sutton Drive is a concrete path lying along Jack Sutton Drive. The trail extends between Luther Road and the Johnson Crossing Academic Center, and affords students of the adjacent...
The Wilderness Park Trail offers a convenient, paved route past the popular 42-acre Wilderness Park Soccer Complex with its ten regulation-size fields. The trail is 1.5 miles, but connects with the...
Located on the eastern side of Seward, Nebraska, the Plum Creek Trail runs for nearly 3 miles through open fields and dense woodland. As its name suggests, the trail follows the course of Plum Creek...
Traversing just over 8 miles in central Nebraska, the Dark Island Trail runs from the small town of Central City to the even smaller village of Marquette. For those experiencing the trail by bike,...
Nebraska's Oak Creek Trail, occupying a former Union Pacific Railroad corridor in the eastern part of the state, offers a truly rural experience. While the trail is only about an hour from both Omaha...
Pawnee Park, is tucked into southwest Columbus. The park straddles both sides of Lincoln Highway (US 81/ US 30), and is bordered by Loup River. The trail runs the length of the park, starting on 6th...
The Third Avenue viaduct was an infrastructure project decades in the making. Before that, travelers had to cross the tangle of Union Pacific tracks at street level. The upgrade, which opened in...
Traversing just over 8 miles in central Nebraska, the Dark Island Trail runs from the small town of Central City to the even smaller village of Marquette. For those experiencing the trail by bike,...
Located on the eastern side of Seward, Nebraska, the Plum Creek Trail runs for nearly 3 miles through open fields and dense woodland. As its name suggests, the trail follows the course of Plum Creek...
The Monastery Trail is a mile and half along 18th Ave/ Monastery Road in Columbus, Nebraska. The trail is an important link in the the city's trail network, known as Columbus Area Recreational Trails...
The Bob Lake Trail runs for 1.3 miles between 48th Avenue and the start of the Robert White Trail where the trails converge near 65th Street. The trail follows the southwest shore of Lake Babcock,...
This recreational trail travels along the south side of E. Military Road. The concrete path connects neighborhoods on the east side of Fremont to Johnson Park. The park is home to a fishing lake...
The Wilderness Park Trail offers a convenient, paved route past the popular 42-acre Wilderness Park Soccer Complex with its ten regulation-size fields. The trail is 1.5 miles, but connects with the...
The FEVR Trail borrows its name from the Fremont Valley & Elkhorn excursion line, that ran trains on 17 miles between Fremont and Hooper. The FEVR line is intact but the trail shares right-of-way with...
The scenic Two Lakes Trail runs for 2.4 miles between where 48th Avenue crosses the Loup Canal, and the start of the Bob Lake Trail, and Lakeview Road at 18th Avenue. The trail follows the northern...
The Robert White Trail runs for 1.5 miles between the start of the Bob Lake Trail, where the trails converge near 65th Street, and 18th Avenue/Monastery Road. There is no shade. The trail follows the...
The Jack Sutton Drive is a concrete path lying along Jack Sutton Drive. The trail extends between Luther Road and the Johnson Crossing Academic Center, and affords students of the adjacent...
The Discoverer Trail is part of the Columbus Area Recreational Area Trails network, in Columbus, Nebraska. Coming in at just under a mile, this trail tracks a U-shaped course. It starts on 41st Avenue...
The Cowboy Trail, one of the country’s longest rail-trails, stretches 189 miles between the Nebraska towns of Valentine and Norfolk (beginning at Ta-Ha-Zouka Park south of town). When complete, the...
The Great American Rail-Trail highlights some of the country’s most iconic landmarks, well-known geography and storied history across a 3,700-miles-plus route between Washington and Washington....
As its name suggests, this recreation path lies along Ridge Road in west Fremont. The trail is 8-foot-wide concrete, with intermittent tree cover, and is a flat run, walk or ride. The Ridge Road Trail...
We rode this trail from Toulon to Princeville today. It was great! The path was very good. It is mostly shaded. Excellent. We stopped in Wyoming on our way back for lunch. Ate at 111 Coffee Shop. Don’t be fooled, this is NOT just a coffee shop. The lunch was delicious. And it is decorated all with bikes! Perfect for us bikers. And check out the bathroom. Cute!!! Can’t wait to do more of the route from Princeville going south.
Perfect nature walk for non-athlete wanting fresh air and comfortable pace. Crops ready for harvest and trees ablaze with color. Small water channel provided a peaceful stop. The native grasses were heavy with seed. The reservoir lapped with small waves while the stray duck flapped in the distance. Ideal setting for meditation.
This trail is a must, beautiful views and extremely secluded! We didn't see another person on the trail from Brainard to Loma. The trail is in really good shape for the exception of quite a few deep critter holes. I wouldn't suggest ridding at night! We will be back!
This is a great trail out in the countryside. The surface is the perfect size crushed limestone. Starting at Valparaiso, it's a steady climb to the other end at Brainard. The first half of the trail has some horse ruts, and the second half of the trail has some animal holes, but neither is that bad. There are several gravel road crossings on this trail, so be careful to monitor for cross traffic. The first half is more protected with trees along the trail, and the second half is more open prairie. There is a bar at each end that you can get food and drinks. Overall, this is a great trail, and it's in great shape.
Trail from Norfolk to the west was well maintained. I stayed in Neligh to ride both east and west. The bridge 6 miles west of Neligh looks to be permanently gone. Much of the trail parallels the main roads, but a small portion doesn't. The experience away from the main roads was great.
I love the empty beauty of the Sandhills and you feel you're out in the middle of nowhere riding east from Valentine, on a stretch where the trail veers away from the road.
I rode my hybrid 16 miles out and then back (to the big cell tower where the trail rejoins the road). There's been some ATV travel on the trail, but generally the surface was good. I met a cyclist or two close to Valentine, but that was it.
On warm days, take plenty of water - there's little shade to be had.
I rode 25 miles out and 25 miles back from Valentine, to Wood Lake. The Niobrara trestle is spectacular and only a couple of miles outside Valentine. The grass was green and the sunflowers in bloom. The people at the motel where I stayed let me park my car. I went in late August after viewing the eclipse over in Wyoming. The weather was hot and humid and very windy (headwind going out). Coming back the wind was lighter, but still a headwind (!) I camped at Wood Lake (pop 60) in the town park (no fee, no one will bother you, rest rooms, picnic tables, shade trees, grass to pitch a tent, electric hookups, excellent drinking water, small playground for kids). The only person I met was the Post Mistress who was helpful and friendly. The cafe is closed, contrary to the trail guide. I was told there is a lady who serves coffee, out by the highway, but the town felt like a ghost town, except for a couple of friendly dogs who came over. I met no one else. Trail conditions were sandy in places and sometimes weedy with washboards where the farmers had used the trail as a road, despite "no motor vehicles" signs. Usually I could avoid the washboards by riding in the center or edge of trail. This is NOT a manicured trail, at least at the western end. I used semi-fat mountain bike tires (26x2.5" Surly Extraterrestrials) with Flat Attack sealer because of thorns and had no trouble with flats or in places where the sand was several inches deep. I rode a few miles on the parallel highway which has good shoulders and is smoothly paved with very light traffic. The places where the trail veers from the highway are the most interesting and scenic; the parts that parallel the highway are a bit boring. I met no other cyclists except within five miles of Valentine. Along the trail I saw two garter snakes, horses, a turtle, a frog, songbirds, ducks, and birds of prey. The Cowboy Trail lacks the social component that more popular trails have. It presents a solitary and perhaps more peaceful experience because there are so few users. One amenity it lacks that more popular trails have are the rest areas with shelters every so often that also serve as gathering places for trail users to meet and swap stories. In between towns there is really no place to get out of the weather and rest or eat a snack unless you sit on the ground. I only explored the western end so perhaps the middle and eastern end have more facilities. The Cowboy is a very long trail and would make a good alternative to highways if you were planning on biking across the whole country.
When you write a review its useful to know what kind of bike.700 would probably suck. While a 29 would make the ride easy.
Road from Valparaiso to Brainard and back. We saw about 6 other bikers and a few walkers/joggers. Total of about 10 people the entire ride. Trail is in great shape. Some of the intersections with county roads have a lot of loose gravel, but other than that, no issues. Stopped for a burger and a beer at Husker Bar II in Brainard. Had a great time on this ride.
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