Direction to Trails for the Platte River Riders
 

Big Elk Park of Macy and the Flea Market (Walthill) takes you into the bluffs along the Missouri river. Located on the Winnebago/Omaha Indian Reservation in northeast Nebraska, the trail boasts beautiful trees and breathtaking views. Look-out point gives you a nice glimpse of the Missouri River. You can unload both at Big Elk Park or the Flea Market. All of the trails are connected eventually; approximately 21 miles of trail. Hunting is allowed, so you may not want to ride during hunting seasons. To get to Elk Creek Park, From Decatur, NE go north on Hwy 75 for 9 miles. Turn Right (East) on “L” Ave. (across the road from the turn to Macy) . Follow blacktop road, which curves to the north, to the park (2.5 miles). Park entrance is on the right. To get to the Flea Market, continue north for 2 miles & then go east on H Avenue for 3/4 mile. Permits may be required.

Branched Oak: Take Hwy 79 to Raymond Road. Turn west on Raymond Road and continue about 3 miles until you reach the lake. Turn right at the sign Branched Oak sign and continue around the curve. Area 14 will be on your left. This is an asphalt parking lot. Be sure to clean up any manure or hay left before you leave. Must have park permit. 

Buckskin Hills: From New Castle/Hwy 12: Take Hwy 12 to west out of New Castle. Go approximately two miles and there is a brown State of Nebraska sign for Buckskin Hills at mile marker 221. Take 581 Ave south for 3 miles to 883 Road. Turn west on to 883 road and go 4/10 of a mile. The entrance into Buckskin Hills is not marked but it angles north west off of 883 road. Follow the gravel road to the boat docks. The trail head will be the boat dock area. Try to pack so that the boat docks are not obstructed. Here's the link, but there is not much on it!  http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/realty/gpland/landdata.asp?area_no=222&designation=W

Cunningham Lake: Take I-680 to 72nd St. Turn North on 72nd St. until you reach Rainwood Road. Turn west on Rainwood Road and continue until you reach the water. Turn right & follow the bumpy road to the north parking lot. You can also take Hwy. 36 to 72nd St and turn South on 72nd St. and reach Rainwood Road coming from the north. 

MoPac: The Lincoln trail head is at 98th & A St. 

NP Dodge Park located at I-680 and Pershing. (12000 N. River Rd). Take Pershing/River Road underneath the Mormon Bridge and go north about 1 mile to the Dodge Park entrance. Turn right into the park. Follow that road until it forks.   Take a left. Follow that road which curves around to the right. You will see a lagoon with a "horse camp" sign on the jut of land which is surrounded on three sides by water. A side road goes around the jut and you can park trailers there. 

Gifford Point: South of the Omaha metro area, located in Bellevue. Take Kennedy Freeway south to the first Bellevue exit called Chandler Road. Turn east onChandler to Fort Crook road (hwy 75) then south on Forth Crook to Childs Road. Proceed east on Childs Road which turns into Gifford Road. Continue east past the railroad tracks and the Fontanelle Wetlands Learning Center (building on stilts). Before you reach Gifford Farm there is a gravel parking lot and a gate to the right into Gifford Point (the Wildlife Management Area).

Harlan Co Lake, Peckerneck Trail - Alma. Harlan Co Lake, East End, south of Dam - Republican City

Holstein Roads: For those coming from the west, go through Minden, go east on hwy 74 (approx 12 miles) to Rd 43, go south one mile to Rd J. Anyone coming from the east, go through Holstein and take hwy 74 west (approx 6 miles) to Rd 43 and then 1 mile south to Rd J. At that intersection, we will have to turn the trailers around, because the road in is also the road out. There is no good place to pull around, so we will have to do some backing to get turned around. Help will be available for that if needed. There is an old building covered in tin on the north side of the road at the Rd 43/hwy74 corner.

Jefferies Island, Dawson PP - Kay Brass, Lexington (PRIVATE PROPERTY)

Libert Cove SRA - Lawrence, NE

Mo-Pac (Omaha) Leaving from North trail head.  Head down Hwy 50 - south of I-80 towards Springfield - just after you pass the town of Springfield and the fairgrounds the next road is PFLUG Road . Take a left on Pflug road and go a bit , maybe a 1/4
mile east and you will see a electric transformer station there on the left - the trail head is just past it on the right. People will park along the road there - its the area of the intersection of Pflug and 1st street. A rural road. The trail runs south from there down to the Platte river.  OPPD does not want people parking in the transformer substation lot though. Its an old railroad right of
way they pulled out the tracks and made a crushed rock trail for hikers and bikers we stay to the side.

Oak Creek Trail, Valparaiso: Take Hwy 79 to Valparaiso. Turn west at the Sinclair Station. Go about 3 blocks. You’ll see the trail head by the grain elevator.  

Oak Glenn WMA, Garland: Take Hwy 34 west approx. 18 miles. Turn right on Spur 80 towards Garland. Continue thru Garland for a little over a mile until you come to the T in the road. Turn right. You will see a SMALL parking lot on your left. Park conservatively. Some may have to park on the road. 

Pawnee Lake, Emerald: Directions: From Highway 34. Turn south onto N W 126th Street , go exactly 2 miles and turn right (west) to NW Superior St. From O Street, turn north on NW 126th St & continue North for 3 miles to NW Superior St.  Must have park permit.

Powder Creek (not to be confused with Powder Horn!). It is located by Ponca Nebraska. Driving Directions: From Martinsburg Ne: Take Hwy 20 to Martinsburg, turn on to Main Street. Head west on Main until 4th street, turn right (north) on to 4th street. Fourth street curves back west after about a 1/4 of a mile and turns into 875 Road and State Street. Take 875/State 1 mile to 585 Ave and go north on 585 Ave. Go approximately 4 miles on 585 Ave. After you cross 879 Rd continue north for a 1/2 mile. The Entrance is on the east/right side. This entrance is NOT marked. Proceed along the gravel road until the first boat dock. This will be trail head. Be sure to park conservatively so other trailers can park. From New Castle/Hwy 12: Take Hwy 12 to 585 road (2 miles east of New Castle). Turn on to 585 Road going south. Go approximately 4 miles and the reservoir will be on the left (east) side of the road. Do NOT take the first entrance to the park (do NOT turn at the Powder Creek sign), proceed a 1/4 of mile south to the unmarked entrance. Proceed on the gravel road to the first boat dock. This will be trail head. Be sure to park conservatively so other trailers can park. Here's the link: http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/fishing/programs/lakemapping/district3.asp  You have to click on the FISH and then when that pages opens click on PLACES TO FISH. There is a printable GPS map of the reservoir.

Powderhorn Wildlife Management Area near Scribner is located 4 miles north on Hwy 275. Hunting is allowed in this area. Nice trails in tree cover along the Elkhorn River. Very small parking lot off Hwy. 275. Three to four rigs at best. 402-370-3374.

Pressey Park SRA - Oconto north on Highway 21

Sandy Channel SRA/Blue Hole SWMA - south of Elm Creek I-80 exit 257

Spring Creek Prairie, Denton: This area is not generally open to the public for riding. We are fortunate to be invited to ride here. Please see Trudi Adams to make a donation to the Prairie as our way of saying "thanks!" More information & Online directions here.

Standing Bear, Omaha: Exit I-680 westbound on Fort Street. Proceed west to 132nd street and turn North ( right.) . The park entrance will be the first park entrance on the left past Ellison Ave. The parking area is not very large so pack in tight if there are a lot of trailers and try to leave room at the end.

Stone Park: Take I- 29 north out of Sioux City Iowa, use Exit 151 and go north on Hwy 12. The park is located in the northwest corner of Sioux City, along Iowa Highway 12, four miles north of Interstate Highway 29. The horse trail head is located on the south east corner of the park. Watch for the equine trail signs. This is the state park link to Stone Park. http://www.stateparks.com/stone.html. This is a map of Stone Park. It shows the trail head for the equine trial. To get to the trail head you can go through the park or take Memorial Drive to Talbot Road. http://www.iowadnr.com/parks/images/maps_pictures/stonemap.pdf 

Two Rivers State Park: From Omaha , take Q street (west) all the way out or Center Street to 264th street and turn South at the flashing light & go two miles. Turn West. From Lincoln take I_80 East; get off at the Gretna exit. Go North and take Hwy 31/6 North to Q street then go West.  From Wahoo, take Hwy 92 east over the Platte River until you reach flashing light. Turn south & go two miles. Turn west. Horse staging area is just west of the ranger station. Must have park permit. 

Wagon Train Lake: Directions to the parking area on the west side of Wagon Train. Go to Hickman, the main street going thru Hickman is 68th street . Turn east on Hickman Road ( there is a U Stop at the intersection) go a little over 2 miles , you will cross 96th street, just keep going straight on Hickman road and you will end up in the parking area.

Walnut Creek: At 96th and Hwy 370, turn South. At Schram Road, turn West. Turn Right at Turkey Road. The Equestrian area is the second left (after where the RV area is).

Wilderness Park, Lincoln. Use the trail head just north of Old Cheney Road on N. 1st St.

Wildwood Lake, Agnew. Take Hwy 79 to Agnew. Turn west on Agnew Road. Go a little over 1 miles to reach NW 84th St. Turn north and go about 1.5 miles. The entrance is at the top of the hill on the west side. (Do not take Access Road 1)

Willow Creek State Recreation Area is located south of Pierce in the Norfolk area. There are approximately 8 miles of trail around the lake. Two smooth wire pens provide limited space for horsing, but camping is allowed next to them. Water is available. There are showers at the park, but not the horse camping area. Also a nice swimming beach. Reminder to riders: DO NOT ride on the limestone. Our riding privilege entitles us to riding on the mowed trails only. The rangers have asked that riders respect this request. We ride out of the parking lot that is west of the camping area and the swimming area. You get on the road to the swim area but stay on the road and it dead ends in the parking lot where the trail head is. There is are rest room there as well.
http://www.ngpc.state.ne.us/parks/places/campmaps/maps/willowcreek.pdf

Zorinsky Lake, Omaha: If you are coming south on 168th Street, the first Zorinsky park entrance on the right (west) side of the street has the trailer parking and corral and trail head.
 

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Riding Guidelines

1 ) Use good trail manners. if you don't know, ask.

2) Be a good trail user. Many times we are on shared trails. Be respectful to other trail users and follow all rules regarding that specific trail. Horse trails are a privilege, not a right.

3) As a courtesy to other riders, please be sure your horse is up-to-date on vaccinations. If your horse has been sick, it is suggested you wait 10 days from last symptoms until joining the group.)

4) If your horse kicks, tie a red ribbon on his tail. If you are riding a green horse or if you are a green rider, tie a green ribbon on his tail. It will alert others to potentially dangerous situations. Stallions are allowed and should sport a yellow ribbon on his tail. However, if an incident should arise between a stallion and another horse (mare or gelding), the stallion will be asked to leave the group.

5) This is an adult ride, so we want to have fun. But if you are going to change the pace of your ride, please go ahead of the group or stay behind the group and always tell the group of your intentions. Never run up on the group or another individual rider if you have elected to stay behind.

6) Bring a shovel & clean up any manure left around your trailer before departing the trail head.

7) If any ride is held in a public place which requires a park permit, you are responsible for purchasing your own permit. If the ride is across the state line, you are responsible for making sure your horse has the appropriate health and Coggin's papers.

8) Do not litter. Pack out what you pack in.

9) No dogs. Sorry, we love them, too, but not all horses are accustomed to dogs and many state parks do not permit them on horse trails. Its only for a few hours... they'll understand.

10) There are no dues or memberships. This is just an opportunity to ride together.

11) The ride should start promptly at 6:30 PM. It is not necessary to wait for an organizer. Whoever is saddled & ready to ride is considered the group for the night.

12) If the trails are muddy and riding the trails will cause damage, it is the policy of the Platte River Riders to NOT ride those trails. Lets save it for a better day! These are "our trails". If we abuse it, we will lose it!

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