Nebraska has a number of trails with minimal obstacles. Some are very easy and others are wheelchair accessible. Here are just a few of them.
These links were found through Internet search. I would love to have some first-hand recommendations. With your help, we can share our knowledge with disabled people everywhere and also increase awareness of the need for more accessibility. Please e-mail me with your suggestions using the form in the sidebar.
Federal
State
Local
Private
Miscellaneous
Federal
Homestead National Monument
Homestead preserves 100 acres of restored tallgrass prairie. Although…”a restored prairie will never exactly repeat the original mix of plant and animal life…the species composition of the tallgrass prairie at Homestead successfully resembles that of presettlement times.” Cub Creek Woodland is a “…ribbon of lowland bur oak forest along Cub Creek and on the edge of the Great Plains…” Despite 140 years of cutting, grazing, and lack of fire “…this forest represents the best example of what settlers in Nebraska would have encountered. It is the edge of the world of tree to the east; a last creeping finger of shade.”
Thanks to Tara Burnette of the National Park Service for sending me the link for Accessibility at Homestead. She writes, “Although, it does not go into great detail about the natural prairie trails there, they exist. A great “nature fix” does exist there in the spring, summer and fall from experience. The staff there is very proactive in including people with disabilities.” Wheelchairs are available, call ahead.
Hiking Trails Here is the Monument’s website. Phone 402-223-3514 Brochure
“The hiking trails consist of crushed rock and/or mowed grass, and have moderate inclines in places. There are hard-surfaced sidewalk paths from the Heritage Center to the Palmer-Epard cabin and from the Education Center across the Cub Creek walking bridge.”Nebraska National Forests and Grassland
Pine Ridge National Recreation Area
“The Nebraska National Forest encompasses nearly 1.1 million acres of land in central and northwest Nebraska and in central and southwest South Dakota. The administrative units comprising the Nebraska are the Nebraska and Samuel R. McKelvie National Forests and the Buffalo Gap, Oglala, and Fort Pierre National Grasslands.”
Here’s the website for the Nebraska National Forests and Grassland. The Pine Ridge National Recreation Area lies within it. Pine Ridge is described here by SummitPost.org and on Oh Ranger.com.
For questions about trails in the Oglala National Grassland or Nebraska National Forest you can call Mike Watts at 308-432-0390 or the Chadron Office at 308-432-0300.
Here are some suggestions from Mike Watts. Use discretion – remember that one person’s Easy is another’s Challenging.
“……..a few sections of trail and areas to hike that are scenic and relatively easy.
1. Soldier Creek Campground, South Fork Trailhead. The Trooper Trail follows the drainage of the South Fork of Soldier Creek for about 3 miles before it heads up into the hills. This part of the trail is relatively level with rolling terrain. There are a few short steep sections and a few small creek crossings. This section of the trail is in the Soldier Creek Wilderness.
2. Soldier Creek Campground, Middle Fork Trailhead. A two track unmarked trail follows the Middle Fork of Soldier Creek drainage. The two track enters the Wilderness after 1 ½ miles and continues for about another 1 ½ miles before it heads up into the hills. This is level to gently rolling. A variation of this is to take a two track trail that forks in the sidebar up the North Fork of Soldier Creek about ¼ mile from the campground. This 2 track is relatively level for about 1 mile before it intersects the Boots and Saddle Trail.
3. From Chadron State Park take the paved loop road to the top of the loop. Take the gravel road to the Black Hills Overlook. After approximately 2 miles the road dead ends at a parking lot on Forest Service land. From the parking lot take the Black Hills Overlook Trail. The trail follows ridges through an old burn area and is level to gently rolling with a few short steep pitches. After about 1 mile the trail begins to get steeper as it drops in elevation just before the trail forks. The right hand fork will take you down to the Chadron State Park Campground. The other fork will take you to down to the Outrider Trailhead on Forest Service. Both of these forks are approximately 1 mile.
4. Approximately 5 miles south of Chadron on Highway 385 turn east on King Canyon Road. Continue east across a cattle guard onto Forest Service Road 733. After about ½ mile on Road 733 a high clearance or 4WD vehicle is recommended. Approximately 1 ½ miles from the start of Road 733 at the top of a hill you can access a section of the Pine Ridge Trail that follows a ridge through an old burn area. Parking is available next to the road. Follow the trail to the north for about 1 ½ miles. This section of trail is mostly level to gently rolling. There are a couple of short steep pitches. After about a mile when you reach a fork in the trail take the left fork out to an overlook.”Oglala National Grassland
The Oglala National Grasslands are in the northwestern corner of Nebraska, north of Crawford. “Find your way to the Hudson-Meng Bone Bed site where you can take a tour and learn about the history of this area, walk through the unique features of the Toadstool Geologic Park, or just spend some quiet time in the wide open spaces of the 94,000 acres of mixed grass prairies. ”
Described in Britannica. The Grassland is in both South Dakota and Nebraska. The headquarters is in Chadron, NE but the visitor center is in Wall, South Dakota. Two trails are mentioned but with no indication of difficulty.Here is the Grasslands’ website. For questions about trails in the Oglala National Grassland or Nebraska National Forest you could call Mike Watts at 308-432-0390 or the Chadron Office at 308-432-0300.
? The Toadstool Geologic Area in the grassland has a one mile interpretive loop. However, according to NebraskaTravels.com, it might be too difficult to include on this site. Mike Watts of the Nebraska National Forests and Grasslands says that the first 1/3 mile of the trail used to be accessible, but it has suffered a lot of erosion.
State
Nebraska State Parks and Recreation Areas
Here is a map showing the 76 State Parks and Recreation Areas. There are links to maps for each area and from the map you can link to the Park or Area website.
Phone for Nebraska Game and Parks is 402-471-0641.Fort Kearney State Recreation Area
Here is the SRA’s website. Phone 308-865-5305 Map
Fort Kearny SRA “…offers 186 acres dotted with sandpit lakes. In the spring, the world’s largest concentration of sandhill cranes and waterfowl gathers in
the central Platte River valley. ”
Fort Kearney Hike-Bike Trail begins at the park and extends 1.8 miles to Bassway Strip Wildlife Management Area, crossing both channels of the Platte River and was once a segment of the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad. TrailLink describes the trail as wheelchair accessible.Indian Cave State Park
Indian Cave State Park “… is well known for its beautiful camping and picnicking spots, as well as for its 22 miles of scenic hiking and biking trails. The park boasts sweeping views of wide, winding Missouri river and a majestic hardwood forest that puts on a spectacular show of colors each autumn.”
Here is the Park website. Phone 402-883-2575 Map
The superintendent at the Park, Kevin Holliday, writes that although the park’s location on the Missouri river bluffs makes most of the trails very strenuous, they “do have easier and more flat trails within the park. Our scenic wetland trail is mostly flat and also a couple woodland trails are less strenuous than most others. The park has maintained concrete roads that you can travel throughout the park and experience what the park has to offer.” Call 402-883-2575 for information.Pawnee State Recreation Area
Pawnee SRA has 2544 acres of which 740 are the lake.
Here is their website. Phone 402-796-2362 Map
There are six miles of trails. Kristi replied to my inquiry that, “The trails at Pawnee SRA for the most part are good for guests of all ages. The trails are not wheel chair accessible.” Call 402-796-2362 to learn more.Ponca State Park
Ponca State Parkis on the Missouri River bluffs in northeastern Nebraska. It is the “…eastern gateway to the 59-mile section of the Missouri National Recreational River, one of two unchannelized stretches of the river bordering Nebraska.”
Reviewed on AllTrails.com Described on StateParks.com.
Here is the Park website. Phone 402-755-2284. Map
There is a “paved hike/bike trail at the park that is easy and wheelchair accessible. It is a 1 mile trail that starts at the Missouri National Recreational River Resource and Education Center within the park.” Thank you, Jessica, Outdoor Educator at Ponca SP.Smith Falls State Park
Smith Falls is on the Niobrara River, a National Scenic River. The Smith Falls is Nebraska’s highest waterfall. “Not only is the land home to the beautiful falls, it is also an area of biological significance where several ice age species can still be found.” Here is the Park website. Phone 402-376-1306 Map
Both Trip Advisor and Yelp give it good reviews.
The trail to the falls is fine hard packed gravel and is wheelchair accessible.Wildcat Hills State Recreation Area
Wildcat Hills SRA has 1,094 acres of wilderness. “The park, which is situated high on a rocky escarpment in the Wildcat Hills, offers an escape to the region’s signature rugged topography and evergreen-studded canyons. Not to mention, the area features an extraordinary view of the North Platte River Valley from its system of trails and observation decks at the nature center. “
Here is the SRA website. Phone 308-436-3777 Map
From “Oh Ranger”: “More than three miles of nature trails wind through the canyons and rocky bluffs, with four main trailheads and foot bridges on three trails. The primary trail is located below the large shelterhouse and is accessible to hikers of all ages and abilities.”
Local
Lincoln
Pioneers Park Nature Center has “eight miles of hiking trails [that] wind through various habitats and take visitors past non-releasable raptor exhibits, as well as bison, elk, and white-tailed deer herds.” Trail map The website does not give accessibility information, but they look easy. Call them at 402-441-7895 to learn more.Omaha has trail system of more than 85 miles of paved, interconnected trails. The system is also accessible to people with disabilities.
Keystone Trail is 24 miles long and “….passes through parks, farmland, residential and industrial areas.”
West Papio Trail is 16 miles of concrete path that “winds along the West Papio Creek, through a number of neighborhoods, parks and recreation areas such as Zorinskly Lake.”
The Riverfront Trail is in three sections totalling 20.1 miles.
Private
Crane Trust Nature Center
Crane Trust Nature Center, on the south side of the Alda interchange on I80, near Grand Island, has prairie, river-edge and riparian forest trails. A trail from building over the pedestrian bridges to the edge of the prairie is handicapped accessible. Call 308-382-1820 for information. Here is their website.Fontenelle Forest
Fontenelle Forest has 1,400 acres near Bellevue. Their mission is to “..provide a place where people can experience and enjoy the quiet wild of nature.”
Here is their website. Phone 402) 731-3140 Trail Map
Gifford Memorial Boardwalk is a 3/8 mile path leading to an observation tower overlooking the Great Marsh.
Riverview Boardwalk is a one mile loop from the Nature Center.Neale Woods Nature Center in Omaha is 600 acres of forest owned and managed by Fontenelle Forest. Map Described on Nebraska Birding Trails. Looks like there are easy walks there. Call 402-453-5615 for information. Here is the website.
Rowe Sanctuary
Rowe Sanctuary, Gibbon NE, is “dedicated to the conservation of sandhill cranes, whooping cranes and other migratory birds, and their habitat along the Platte River in southcentral Nebraska.” Here is their website. Phone 308-468-5282
According to Office Manager Kent Skaggs, “We do have one trail that is approximately 1/2 mile in length that would be easy for elderly walkers. However, it does not have a surface of any type (just a mowed path) and probably wouldn’t be appropriate for most wheelchairs. We do have one wheelchair accessible viewing blind along this trail, but we typically transport individuals via a golf cart to the blind during the time period we conduct viewings to see the sandhill cranes (March – early April).”
Miscellaneous
- Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail is a 195 mile trail/trail between Valentine and Norfolk. Plans are to continue it west another 126 miles to Chadron. I’ve been told that the part to Valentine is wheelchair accessible. However there is some flood damage near Clearwater. More information about the trail Kirk Nelson of Nebraska Game and Parks Commission writes that, “The best locations for wheelchair use of the trail is in the towns and villages along the way which include Norfolk, Neligh, O’Neil, Bassett, Ainsworth and Valentine. There are accessible toilets in Norfolk, O’Neil and Valentine. Most of the trail outside the urban areas is rough being surfaced with crushed limestone verses concrete in most of the cities and villages.” He suggests that wheelchair users “…start in the towns and work your way out of town. That way [you] can “test drive” the crushed limestone surface and turn around if [you] have problems.” He says you will get into nature quickly after leaving the towns. It is a very rural trail. Nebraska Game and Parks phone number is 402-471-0641.
Nature For The Blind has a directory of Braille trails for almost every state in the US and for many other countries.
The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy lists wheelchair accessible trails in Nebraska.
- ? White River Trail is a rail/trail going 3 miles from Crawford to Fort Robinson State Park. Here is a map on Trailsnet.com. It is not included on the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy’s list of wheelchair accessible trails in Nebraska, so use some caution in planning.