Cowboy Trail 30th Celebration
Celebrate 30 years of Nebraska's Cowboy Trail in 2025!
Your Pathway Through the Plains
In 2025, Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail will saddle up for an extraordinary milestone — its 30th anniversary! This scenic, 317-mile stretch of adventure winds through the heart of the Cornhusker State, offering a trail of rich history and breathtaking landscapes. From the rolling plains to vibrant small towns, the Cowboy Trail has become a symbol of Nebraska’s rugged spirit and its deep connection to the Great Plains.
As we celebrate three decades of exploration, the Cowboy Trail invites adventurers, history enthusiasts, and families to experience the legacy of the trail by joining in on fun events throughout 2025. Dust off your boots, pack your gear, and get ready for a trailblazing celebration like no other!
Events & activities
Nebraska Game and Parks and its partners are hosting fun events and activities along the trail in 2025. Find one near you:
| Event | Date & Time | Host | Location | Event website |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| First Day Hike | Jan. 1 from 1-2 p.m. | Nebraska Game and Parks | Cowboy Trail Broken Bridge, Norfolk | More details |
| Historical marker tour | Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 | Nebraska Historical Society | Multiple locations | More details |
| Meet Ya in Clinton – Celebrate the Cowboy Trail | April 26 | Cowboy Trail West, Nebraska Game and Parks | Rushville/Gordon – Clinton | More details to come. |
| Your Parks Adventure: Trail Trek | May-October | Nebraska Game and Parks | Multiple locations | More details |
| National Trails Day | Saturday, June 7 | Nebraska Game and Parks | The Cowboy Trail | More details |
| Bubba’s Pampered Pedalers Cowboy Trail Bike Tour | June 8-14 | Bubba’s Pampered Pedalers | The Cowboy Trail (Valentine to Norfolk) | More details |
| Stars, Strolls and S’mores | July 9 | Lower Elkhorn NRD, Visit Norfolk & Nebraska Game and Parks | Cowboy Trail Parking Lot by Broken Bridge, Norfolk | More details to come. |
| Bioblitz | Saturday, Aug. 23 | Nebraska Game and Parks | Norfolk | More details to come. |
| Cowboy Trail 30th Celebration Party | Friday, Sept. 5 | Nebraska Game and Parks | Valentine | Will include a bike ride, dinner and evening social on the historic bridge. More details to come. |
| CowVal Bike Ride | Saturday, Sept. 6 | ROAM Share, Nebraska Game and Parks | Valentine to Wood Lake (50-mile ride) or Valentine to Long Pine SRA (108-mile ride) | More details to come. |
| Cowboy 200 (100- and 200-mile footrace) | Friday, Sept. 26 at 6 a.m. (200-mile) Saturday, Sept. 27 at 8 a.m. (100-mile) | Ultraverse Supplements | Norfolk (200-mile start point) Ainsworth (100-mile start point) | Details & registration |
Support the trail
Get a specialty license plate
You can support trail maintenance on the Cowboy Trail by ordering this specialty plate.
Make a donation
Those interested in making financial donations to help fund maintenance and development of the Cowboy Trail, along with several other recreational trails in Nebraska, can donate to the Nebraska Trails Foundation.
Tag us on social
Share your adventures on the Cowboy Trail with us! Tag us @NEgameandparks on Facebook or Instagram, and/or geotag the Cowboy Trail, for a chance to be featured on our social channels.
Our partners
Special thanks to our partners who help support and advocate for Nebraska’s Cowboy Trail!
