Find the top rated mountain biking trails in Nebraska, whether you're looking for an easy short mountain biking trail or a long mountain biking trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a mountain biking trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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I was on the MoMac Trail East this morning. It was easy to find. The parking spot was adjacent to a bathroom. The weather was perfect. And the scenery was magnificent. I wish I was here for longer so I could do more of it! What a blessing!
I was traveling through on my way back to Ohio, but I wanted to ride on portions of this trail. I had stayed overnight in Chadron and saw the trail along the road as I drove east. That part was rough looking and not finished as per TrailLink. I never did find a location of a trail head in that area. I stopped in Rushville to see the trail there. The 15 miles between Rushville and Gordon were complete, so the crushed stone was a much better surface. Due to lack of time and not wanting to bike against 25-30 mph winds, I went on to Valentine. I parked in the lot by a grocery store, which was close to the trail. I wasn't sure where else to park in town. I rode the trail to the bridge. While researching this trail, TrailLink had said that the Nicobara Bridge over the Niobrara River was closed, but I was at least hoping to see it. In fact, it was open. It was awesome to see and the views were great. It was a little nerve racking with the winds at 25-30 mph and higher gusts, I felt like I was going to blow over the railing. :-) I went to the parking area on the other side and turned around. I then biked to the trailhead on the west side of Valentine. There is a good ice cream shop on Main Street for those who like to bike to eat treats.
I then drove to Norfolk. The next morning I went to the trailhead there and biked 5 miles out and 5 back. The surface was cement for the first 2 miles, but then changed to crushed stone. Still a good surface. The trail went through the country and along the Elkhorn River.
I did the 2 endpoints, so maybe someday I will ride the middle portion.
In May 2025, I parked near the dog park in Riverside Park and got on the trail. (There is a parking lot facing the river near the dog park). Going one way, I was soon at the west end point by S Beltline Hwy W. I then went in the other direction. It followed the North Platte River. Construction on a bridge prevented users on the trail under it. The bridge does have a separate lane for pedestrians and bikers, who are asked to walk their bikes. The trail goes along ponds and roads. At one intersection I had trouble finding the trail on the other side of it, so I ended up going past it. Every sidewalk looked like the trail. From the road, it looked like a driveway but the trail was at the far end of it. I had seen the driveway, but not the trail. An extra sign would have been helpful. I have to dig into my front bag for the phone to use TrailLink each time I want to use it. Those who use techy devices the entire ride probably would not have had the trouble I did. I did ride the trail to the visitor center at Scottsbluff National Monument. It was more narrow, hilly and little bumpier than I expected, but doable. The scenery makes it worth while.
If you take it do it from Peru to Brownsville. I did it from Neb City all the way to Brownsville and the first part was not maintained at all and then a boring 5 miles thru a farm. In Peru they have a nice bathroon if it was open. I get real mad knowing these trail town get money to maintain this stuff yet allot do nothing especially in Nebraska. Once again no trash cans, bathrooms and honestly except Brownsville no real towns to speak of and it was a long ride when you have to do it there and back. I think Peru to Brownsville if fixed up and maintained could host some cool biking events and add some running events in it. Its got some nice views.
Ok section, kind of dull. Agriculture & cows. Found a bit of shade by a grain elevator for lunch. Several washouts filled with tumbleweeds as you get closer to Lind.
Went from Peru to Brownville. Definitely more utilized than Brownville to end.
As a biker, I appreciate the route that this trail takes. It’s not the most scenic, but it certainly is scenic nonetheless, not so much in nature, but in old historic views. My pet peeve, and it’s a big one, is that it’s crushed limestone. This would be forgivable if it were a straight trail, but it’s one of the curviest out of all the bike trails. It also has parts where the surface is actually slanted, which is frankly unreliable if you’re not ready for it. I watched one of my buddies with my own eyes slide across the limestone surface and down the bank of Salt Creek (yes he was ok) when he rounded a bend too fast. This will all be avoided if they would finish paving this trail like they started to do with the northern area of it, and that alone would add two extra stars to the rating, possibly all three depending on if they fix the slant of the surface
It provides a quick way to get from UNL campus to the Highlands, where several of my buddies live. As a biker, I appreciate that it’s paved. I also like it runs next to Oak Lake, although I wish it provided an alternative route around the lake to get some extra scenery. It is also my opinion that this could and should be the same trail as N. 1st St. Trail, but they decided to separate these two by a small section of sidewalk. Oh well.
It’s all that they don’t directly connect this to the trail that runs next to Oak Lake. That said, there is a sidewalk that connects them, and I’m not so petty to complain riding on the sidewalk for a couple hundred feet. This way takes you after the Superior St., Trail and Highland Loop, which is useful. For me at least, despite being boring, it gets a bonus star for being literally the only quick way to connect me from UNL Campus to some of my buddies in the Highlands.
As the title says, the trail itself feels a little bit utilitarian. I probably wouldn’t pick this one to go on a fun leisurely ride. That said, I’m very glad this is here, because I don’t want to ride in the road and I hate riding sidewalks. There are times when you need to take this direction to get to places, whether they be stores like The Home Depot near 27th and Superior, or other trails like Highland Loop or Dietrich Connector. I also appreciate this trail is paved.
As the title states, what else can I say. This trail is simply perfect as far as bike trails go. I expect most people will probably get onto this trail via Helen Boosalis. In that case, you have two equally good routes to take, north or southwest. Both make for perfect round trips because they connect seamlessly with other trails, SouthPoint at the south and Billy Wolff at the north. This is also the most scenic trail out of all of them, with the possible exception of Jamaica North that runs through Wilderness Park. But what ranks this trail higher is the paved, well maintained surface. With the exception of Helen Boosalis, this is by far the trail that I feel safest on, despite being secluded for at least a portion of the ride. You go through a woody area that are just absolutely beautiful, and there are a lot of runners and other bikers.
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