Find the top rated trails in Lincoln, whether you're looking an easy walking path or a long bike trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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The multiuse trail sits alongside the Sorensen Parkway, extending from the scenic Fontenelle Boulevard west to N 90th Street and Military Road. It provides a recreational path for residents of the...
The Shanda Dixon Trail borders a residential area along Fremont Street in northeastern Lincoln and makes its way east to Mahoney Park. The trail circles the park, which offers athletic facilities and...
The Field Club Trail occupies an old railroad bed that courses for 2 miles through one of Omaha's older neighborhoods. The northern portion of the trail—beginning just south of the University of...
The South Omaha Trail is a 2-mile rail-trail that connects the Keystone Trail, Karen Park, Karen Western Elementary School and the Field Club Trail south of Vinton Street and Interstate-80. The...
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The Highlands Trail offers a pleasant, 3-mile loop through Lincoln's Highlands neighborhood. The route also passes the Highlands Golf Course with its sweeping and well-maintained grounds. For longer...
The Antelope Valley Trail runs roughly north-south through downtown Lincoln with the University of Nebraska on one end and Lincoln High School at the other. It begins near the Bob Devaney Center, a...
Roper Park Trail provides an oblong loop around a creek in northwestern Lincoln. The narrow, paved pathway (located west of I-180) traverses a wide, grassy area dotted with trees. Short spurs along...
Although one of the shorter trails in Council Bluffs' outstanding system, the Western Historic Trails Center Link provides an excellent connection between two longer trails. In the south, the trail...
The Omaha Riverfront Trail is currently open in three sections along the Missouri River in Nebraska's largest city. In the south, the trail begins at Missouri Avenue/US 275's approach to the South...
The John Dietrich Bikeway—also known as the John Dietrich Trail or simply the Dietrich Trail—winds through urban Lincoln for more than 3 miles. Along its route, the trail skirts the edge of a number...
The Platte River Connection is a short, but critical, route that will one day link the vast trail systems of the two most populous Nebraskan cities, Lincoln and Omaha. Before this can happen,...
Immediately adjacent to its namesake, the Old Cheney Road Trail provides a straight east-west route across southern Lincoln from 27th Street to 70th Street. Although the 3-mile paved pathway isn't...
The Superior Street Trail is primarily a commuter route following its namesake thoroughfare from US 6 (Cornhusker Highway) in Lincoln to the Highlands neighborhood on the western edge of the city. The...
The Keystone Trail is a popular urban-to-rural corridor for commuters and recreationists of all stripes: college students, businesspeople, families and the ranks of the retired who can easily access...
Two sections of the West Papio Trail are currently open for use. The shorter section begins just west of S. 36th Street in Bellevue, Nebraska, where it connects with the Keystone Trail. The trail...
This trail is an 8-mile long winding pathway stretching from north to south along 144th Street (State Route 50). It is an important route for both recreation and transportation, providing safe...
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 Steamboat Trace Trail in southeastern Nebraska rests on a former Burlington Northern railroad corridor stretching from Brownville to just south of Nebraska City. The corridor was railbanked by...
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Council Bluffs' Veterans Memorial Trail runs adjacent to US 275—also known as Veterans Memorial Highway—for its 5 mile route. On the non-highway side of the trail, runners, walkers, bikers and skaters...
For commuters, the 84th Street Trail provides a convenient, north-south route paralleling its namesake road from Mahoney Park and Adams Street to Old Cheney Road. For recreationists, the trail...
The Antelope Creek Trail follows its namesake waterway through suburban sections of southeastern Lincoln, Nebraska. Essentially a direct continuation of the slightly shorter Billy Wolff Trail, the...
The multiuse trail sits alongside the Sorensen Parkway, extending from the scenic Fontenelle Boulevard west to N 90th Street and Military Road. It provides a recreational path for residents of the...
Roper Park Trail provides an oblong loop around a creek in northwestern Lincoln. The narrow, paved pathway (located west of I-180) traverses a wide, grassy area dotted with trees. Short spurs along...
The Hickman Linear Park Trail parallels the rail line between 68th Street at its the southeast end and 7th Street/Hickman Road at its northwest end. The trail is just under a mile and runs through a...
Two sections of the West Papio Trail are currently open for use. The shorter section begins just west of S. 36th Street in Bellevue, Nebraska, where it connects with the Keystone Trail. The trail...
The Superior Street Trail is primarily a commuter route following its namesake thoroughfare from US 6 (Cornhusker Highway) in Lincoln to the Highlands neighborhood on the western edge of the city. The...
The Murdock Trail, named after the businessman who donated the land to the City of Lincoln, travels east-west for nearly 5 miles through northern Lincoln and its Havelock neighborhood. The trail runs...
The Iowa Riverfront Trail in Council Bluffs spans the western side of the city along the Missouri River. For most of the trail's nearly 7-mile route, bikers, runners, skaters and walkers are treated...
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The MoPac Trail in Springfield, Nebraska is an integral component of what is planned to be a more than 50-mile recreational trail between Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska's two largest cities. Four...
The 70th Street Trail follows its namesake thoroughfare for just over two miles, providing a convenient, north-south route through residential Lincoln. Along the way, trail-goers will pass Holmes Lake...
The Billy Wolff Trail provides Lincoln residents with a connection to nature, running through a string of parks—Pansing Park, Roose Park, Antelope Park and Holmes Lake Park—as it winds its way from S....
For commuters, the 84th Street Trail provides a convenient, north-south route paralleling its namesake road from Mahoney Park and Adams Street to Old Cheney Road. For recreationists, the trail...
Although one of the shorter trails in Council Bluffs' outstanding system, the Western Historic Trails Center Link provides an excellent connection between two longer trails. In the south, the trail...
The Chief Standing Bear Trail spans 22.9 miles from the southeast Nebraska town of Beatrice to the Nebraska/Kansas state line. It's named after a Ponca chief and the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska owns the...
Omaha's Big Papio Trail follows the route of Big Papillion Creek from southern Omaha to the city's northwestern corner. The paved trail begins along the creek at Harrison Street in Seymour Smith Park,...
Council Bluffs' Veterans Memorial Trail runs adjacent to US 275—also known as Veterans Memorial Highway—for its 5 mile route. On the non-highway side of the trail, runners, walkers, bikers and skaters...
The John Dietrich Bikeway—also known as the John Dietrich Trail or simply the Dietrich Trail—winds through urban Lincoln for more than 3 miles. Along its route, the trail skirts the edge of a number...
The tree-lined Tierra Williamsburg Trail—also known as the Tierra Park Williamsburg Trail or more simply as the Williamsburg Trail—traverses through the distinctive Williamsburg Village neighborhood...
The Lake Manawa Trail in Council Bluffs links the city's industrial core along US 275 with Lake Manawa State Park, a popular destination for hiking, camping, boating, fishing and swimming. In the...
The Boulevard Trail (also known as the Happy Hollow Trail) is a 10-foot, 3-mile trail winding through the tree-lined, historic neighborhoods of midtown Omaha. The trail splits off from the Keystone...
The John Dietrich Bikeway—also known as the John Dietrich Trail or simply the Dietrich Trail—winds through urban Lincoln for more than 3 miles. Along its route, the trail skirts the edge of a number...
The MoPac Trail follows the old corridor of what used to be the Missouri Pacific Railroad's Omaha Belt Line (hence "MoPac"). This eastern segment is the more rural and extends between Lincoln and...
The Field Club Trail occupies an old railroad bed that courses for 2 miles through one of Omaha's older neighborhoods. The northern portion of the trail—beginning just south of the University of...
Roper Park Trail provides an oblong loop around a creek in northwestern Lincoln. The narrow, paved pathway (located west of I-180) traverses a wide, grassy area dotted with trees. Short spurs along...
This trail is an 8-mile long winding pathway stretching from north to south along 144th Street (State Route 50). It is an important route for both recreation and transportation, providing safe...
Note: A portion of the Jamaica North Trail south of Pioneers Boulevard is temporarily closed as Lincoln Parks & Recreation works to repair severe flood damage. See the city's official website for...
Although one of the shorter trails in Council Bluffs' outstanding system, the Western Historic Trails Center Link provides an excellent connection between two longer trails. In the south, the trail...
The tree-lined Tierra Williamsburg Trail—also known as the Tierra Park Williamsburg Trail or more simply as the Williamsburg Trail—traverses through the distinctive Williamsburg Village neighborhood...
The Lake Manawa Trail in Council Bluffs links the city's industrial core along US 275 with Lake Manawa State Park, a popular destination for hiking, camping, boating, fishing and swimming. In 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...
Immediately adjacent to its namesake, the Old Cheney Road Trail provides a straight east-west route across southern Lincoln from 27th Street to 70th Street. Although the 3-mile paved pathway isn't...
The South Omaha Trail is a 2-mile rail-trail that connects the Keystone Trail, Karen Park, Karen Western Elementary School and the Field Club Trail south of Vinton Street and Interstate-80. The...
For commuters, the 84th Street Trail provides a convenient, north-south route paralleling its namesake road from Mahoney Park and Adams Street to Old Cheney Road. For recreationists, the trail...
The Southpointe Trail extends from Densmore Park to the Tierra Williamsburg Trail in Lincoln's Southern Hills neighborhood. This suburban route passes by Williamsburg Village, one of the city's most...
The 70th Street Trail follows its namesake thoroughfare for just over two miles, providing a convenient, north-south route through residential Lincoln. Along the way, trail-goers will pass Holmes Lake...
The Homestead Trail follows the route of a rail corridor put up for abandonment by Union Pacific in 1999. Construction began on the trail in 2007 and was completed in the summer of 2012 by a...
The Bison Trail runs across southwestern Lincoln from the intersection of W. Prospector Court and S. 1st Street (south of State Route 2) to the entrance of Pioneers Park Nature Center on S. Coddington...
The Antelope Valley Trail runs roughly north-south through downtown Lincoln with the University of Nebraska on one end and Lincoln High School at the other. It begins near the Bob Devaney Center, a...
The Shanda Dixon Trail borders a residential area along Fremont Street in northeastern Lincoln and makes its way east to Mahoney Park. The trail circles the park, which offers athletic facilities and...
The MoPac Trail in Springfield, Nebraska is an integral component of what is planned to be a more than 50-mile recreational trail between Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska's two largest cities. Four...
We live close to the trail and enjoy riding our bikes on it. This spring they put too thick of gravel on it and way too big of sized rock. You couldn't even ride a mountain bike on it.
So we hit the shoulder on the hiway and get yelled at by motorist driving by to use the trail.
We miss not being able to ride on the trail and are afraid it will be years before we will be able to again.
Very disappointed.
I cycled the southern portion of the Homestead Trail and continued to the Chief Standing Bear Trail and on to the Blue River Trail. It was a hot and humid day. I had not cycled the Chief Standing Bear trail before but was very impressed. I was pleased to see the rest stops with restrooms, water hydrant and picnic shelter. The facilities were great and upon starting my trip I had no idea of the rest stops. The trail was in excellent shape and the scenery is hard to beat. Great trail experience!
We're in our 60's and look for biking experiences where we can park our car safely, ride 20-40 miles, stay in a comfortable place, and return the next day. The Chief Standing Bear Trail combined with the Blue River Trail of Kansas gave us such an experience. We elected to start at Marysville KS and take the Blue River trail to the southern endpoint of the Chief Standing Bear trail at the KS/NE state line, and continued to the north endpoint in Beatrice NE, where we stayed in a motel. The Chief Standing Bear trail has excellent gravel surface for biking, good vegetation control, safe bridges, good mileage markers, and passes through some deep shade areas but is mostly in open space, and has nice views of the Blue River. They recently added bathrooms, trail maps, historical info and drinking fountains at intervals along the trail. There are 2 towns where food is available; Barneston about 4 miles north of the state line where there is a bar & grill about 1 block off the trail, and Wymore which has some stores & restaurants that require about a 2 mile detour off the trail to find. The Chief Standing Bear trail ends a few blocks south of downtown Beatrice. Motels are about a mile north of downtown on highway 77. Safest way of getting to the motels is by heading north and west on city streets about 8 blocks from the trail end up to the beginning of the Homestead trail on highway 136 near the old train depot; you can take this paved trail up to highway 77 and be a few blocks away from a motel. There is a nice National Monument tribute to the Homestead movement a few miles west of Beatrice, that is worth a brief visit. On the Chief Standing Bear trail take hats/sunscreen and do your research on where to stay, what to do. Its a nice outing.
Have rode the MoPac several times. (It is 7 hours from where I live, but get to Lincoln several times a year.) Started my ride about 5 miles east of Lincoln and rode to Elmwood and back. A few critter holes in a section about 2 miles long, but other than that, trail was in great shape. I started shortly after sun up and saw less than a dozen people on the trail.
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.
I rode this trail using the Heartland B Cycle system (Omaha and Council Bluffs; there is a station right on the trail where it intersects the John Kerry Pedestrian Bridge).
The surface was in decent condition except for a detour at Harrahs casino. Limited Omaha and Missouri River views.
The Western Trails Interpretive Center at the southern end is worth a stop.
The John Kerry Pedestrian Bridge is great.
Warning: the section from Princeton to Cortland, NE is horrendous. It runs along HWY 77, right next to it. After that it's a beautiful, peaceful trail! There is another section that is kind of cool in midsummer, but sort of boring and long in the spring. It's about 2 miles through a cornfield, after Pickrell, NE. I love the section after that, going to Beatrice, NE. I'm so excited that the Blue River Rail Trail is soon to be connected to the Homestead!!
It has been under repair for so long! Once you leave the Jamaica Trail, heading south from Lincoln, you enter the Homestead Trail, which leads to the Blue River Rail Trail, and those are five star trails, because they are beautifully maintained! My Hubby loves the trails in Wilderness Park that you can enter at various points along the Jamaica. Enjoy!
The section of the West Papio Trail between Dodge and Blondo Streets that was undermined by the creek about 18 months ago reopened in early March 2017.
1. This trail now connects to the Field Club trail near 35th and Vinton Streets near the many grain silos.
2. There is now a trailhead at 42nd and D Sts. with parking. This is directly across the street from the McDonald's at 42nd/D.
3. I walked it today, but bikers prevail in numbers. The lack of significant scenery seems to fit the bike mode.
4. At the western end of this trail near the Keystone connection, I have seen a flock of turkeys in a forested area with is part of a Kiewit storage site. ( that was 18 months or so ago)
5. Long hills on the eastern half of the trail...
I previously reviewed this trail from a ride from its southern end, at Brownville, to Peru, NE. This review is of the leg from Peru to just south of Nebraska City. It is an attractive stretch of trail, and the trail itself was generally in good shape. The only negative that keeps me from giving more stars is that much of the trail is exposed to whatever wind may be blowing, and in Nebraska the wind is usually blowing. If it turns out to be a headwind then that is a serious negative. That would be significantly reduced if some windbreaks were planted alongside the trail, especially on the west side since that's where the wind usually comes from.
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