Lincoln's Trail Network: The Major Trails and How to Use Them

Lincoln's trails are among the city's most used public spaces. They carry commuters to downtown and campus, give families a safe place to ride, and link city parks with open country south of town. Many follow old railroad corridors and creeks, so they tend to be gentle, continuous and well connected.

This guide covers the size of the network, the major trails and where they go, the rules of the trail, and the tools the city provides for planning a ride or walk. Trail conditions and projects change from season to season, so check the city's trail page and map before heading out.

How big the network is

Lincoln Parks and Recreation describes the system as more than 144 miles of hard-surface and crushed-rock trails, almost 27 miles of paved park trails, and 39 miles of unpaved trails in Wilderness Park. The city maintains the trails and works with partners such as the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District on specific projects.

The city publishes an interactive trail map and an annual trail report, both linked from its trails page. If you find a problem such as a damaged surface or a fallen limb, you can report it through UPLNK, the city's service request app.

A useful starting point is the Jayne Snyder Trails Center, known as The Jayne. It opened in the fall of 2012 on Union Plaza, next to the Billy Wolff Trail, and the city describes it as the hub for many of Lincoln's trails. It was built with donations from the Great Plains Trails Network.

The major trails

Here are the trails most people encounter first, with descriptions drawn from the city's trail page.

• Billy Wolff Trail: Built in 1978 and named after a longtime downtown bicycle shop owner, this was Lincoln's first trail. After later phases of construction, it now follows Antelope Creek for 8.5 miles, from the Devaney Sports Center and the university on the north to 91st Street and Highway 2 on the south.
• MoPac Trail: Following the abandoned Missouri Pacific Railroad corridor, it begins at the University of Nebraska campus near 19th and Vine streets and heads east through Lincoln to 84th Street and the Novartis Trailhead. The city notes that it continues 25 miles to Wabash.
• Rock Island Trail: Built on right-of-way purchased in 1985, it connects the Children's Zoo area along Capitol Parkway with Wilderness Park near 14th Street and Old Cheney Road, passing through Antelope, Bishop Heights and Peterson parks.
• Jamaica North Trail: Named for the historic Jamaica townsite south of Saltillo Road, it uses a former Union Pacific Railroad corridor. It links the downtown Haymarket and Pinnacle Bank Arena area with rural country south of Lincoln, passing through Wilderness Park.
• Salt Creek Levee Trail: Dedicated in 1990 and built by the Lower Platte South Natural Resources District, it follows Salt Creek and the levee built to protect Lincoln from flooding.
• Dietrich Trail: Built in 1985 as part of the NE Radial Reuse Project, it runs from 22nd and Holdrege streets to 48th and Fremont streets.
• Helen Boosalis Trail: Named after former Mayor Helen Boosalis and built in 1980, it runs from 17th and Burnham streets to Old Cheney Road and Highway 2.

Going farther: the trail south to Kansas

South of Saltillo Road, the Jamaica North Trail becomes the Homestead Trail. According to the city, the route continues to Beatrice, where it becomes the Chief Standing Bear Trail, and then on to the Kansas border, where it becomes the Blue River Trail to Marysville, Kansas. The city puts the full distance at more than 82 miles. Long rural stretches mean fewer services, so plan water, repairs and a way home before trying a long segment.

Wilderness Park: Lincoln's natural trail system

At 1,472 acres, Wilderness Park is the city's largest park. It sits in the Salt Creek floodplain in southwest Lincoln, stretching from Van Dorn Street on the north to Saltillo Road on the south. It has more than 30 miles of multi-use trail, marked on maps and signs as the Red, Yellow and Green trails.

A few points specific to Wilderness Park:

• Bicycles, cross-country skiers and walkers may use all of the trails. Horses are allowed only on the Red and Green trails.
• Cyclists yield to people on foot, and everyone yields to horses.
• Because the park is a floodplain, its trails are often muddy. The city asks users to stay off muddy trails to protect the surface.

Nature trails and park loops

Not every trail is a commuter route. Pioneers Park Nature Center covers 668 acres of tallgrass prairie, woodland and wetland along a tributary of Salt Creek and has more than ten miles of hiking trails. Admission is free, and the center keeps a small herd of bison. Some of its trails are gated with shorter hours, while others stay open longer, so check the posted times.

Holmes Lake Park has a hiker-biker trail and a 110-acre lake built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in 1962. Antelope Park, just east of downtown, is crossed by both the Billy Wolff and Rock Island trails, which makes it an easy place to link routes.

Rules and etiquette

The city posts a short set of trail rules. The core ones:

• Ride on the right and pass on the left. Do not block the trail; ride or run single file.
• Watch your speed. The maximum is 25 mph unless otherwise posted.
• Keep pets on a short leash.
• Wear a helmet when riding a bicycle or other wheeled device.
• Bicyclists must have a front white light when riding from 30 minutes after sunset until 30 minutes before sunrise. Reflective clothing helps at night.
• No motorized vehicles, except authorized maintenance vehicles and mobility devices. The city's list of prohibited vehicles includes electric scooters, mopeds, golf carts, snowmobiles and gas-powered bicycles.

The city also spells out who yields to whom: faster users yield to slower users, cyclists and walkers yield to horses, cyclists yield to walkers, and downhill users yield to uphill users. A friendly call or bell before passing goes a long way on busy weekend afternoons.

Planning a trip

A few tools make trail trips easier:

• The city's interactive trail map shows routes and connections and is the best place to check how trails link up.
• BikeLNK, the city's bikeshare, has stations in and around downtown if you do not have your own bike. Bikes must be docked at a station to end a trip.
• The Great Plains Trails Network is a nonprofit that advocates for and supports trails in Lancaster County and across Nebraska. Its website has an Explore Trails section with information on individual trails.

For combining trails with transit and city streets, see our guide to getting around Lincoln, which covers bus bike racks and on-street biking rules.

Key takeaways

• Lincoln's trail system includes well over 144 miles of hard-surface and crushed-rock trail plus park and Wilderness Park trails, maintained by Lincoln Parks and Recreation.
• Billy Wolff, MoPac, Rock Island, Jamaica North and Salt Creek Levee are the backbone routes; many follow former rail lines and creeks.
• The Jamaica North Trail connects south to the Homestead Trail and onward to Kansas, more than 82 miles in all.
• Wilderness Park's trails are often muddy; stay off them when wet, and remember horses are limited to the Red and Green trails.
• Follow the posted rules: keep right, 25 mph maximum, lights after dark, and no motorized vehicles other than authorized ones and mobility devices.
• Report trail problems through the city's UPLNK app.

Sources

• Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Trails
• Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Wilderness Park
• Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Pioneers Park Nature Center
• Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Holmes Lake Park
• Lincoln Parks and Recreation, Antelope Park
• City of Lincoln, BikeLNK
• Great Plains Trails Network