Horse Trail Riding in Nebraska (West)

Western Nebraska has so much to offer.  Not only the Sandhills, but canyons and mesas!  You'll find public land -- both state parks and national forests and also ranches who open their property up to horse trail riders for camping.  Some ranches offer cattle drives and brandings.  Check it out!   Please note that federal land in western Nebraska requires any hay brought into the park to be "certified weed free". 

B & B Bunkhouse, Gordon, is owned & operated by Clyde & Billie Lefler.  No dude ranch.  Bring your own horse & ride 4,000 acres in the Sandhills.  Located 7 miles north off Hwy 20 between Gordon & Merriman.  Call 308-282-0679 for information.  (Contributed by Joyce from Blair)

Big Canyon is located north of Bassett on Hwy. 7.  Deep canyons, high bluffs, clear water streams and wildlife galore!  Sandy trails which go down into a 400 foot canyon, said to be the largest in Nebraska. Clear winding creeks through the ponderosa pines. Autumn offers beauty among the changing colors of the sumac and other foliage. Views of the Niobrara River.  Hosts Edith & Roger Wentworth offers rig parking on their ranch with a barn for hot showers and running water. A gas grill or conventional stove is available for your use. If you don't feel like roughing it, there are bed & breakfast accommodations in their home. A large pen with stall dividers is available for your horses.

Ft. Robinson State Park is located in Northwestern Nebraska, just west of Crawford. A horse lovers paradise with some 22,000 acres and over 20 miles of trails, many readers have declared these trails the best in Nebraska.   Horses can be boarded in the barn at Fort Robinson for a few dollars a night.  You will need to bring your own feed and certified weed free hay.  Kimberly Brown shares her Horse Tales from Ft. Robinson.

Harlan County Lake is Nebraska's second largest lake. It is located in the south-central part of the state, seven miles from the Nebraska/Kansas state line.  The horse trailhead is located on the south side of the lake, south of Alma called "Alma Vista".  A local group of interested horse owners have taken over the upkeep of the trail and have recently done a lot of maintenance on it.  There are approx. 6 miles of developed trail, 7 miles undeveloped.  Terrain is hilly.  There is no camping area, toilets or water for horse or rider. Map site of the Peckerneck Trail at Harlan County Lake www.megavision.net/hctour/horsetrail.htm  Contact hogelan@megavision.com for more information.

Outriders Trailhead - a few miles south of Chadron on Hwy 385 offers a nice retreat on the way to or from the Black Hills.  Or a nice day ride, too!  Ride out on Forest Service land high into the hills above Chadron State Park and catch a glimpse of the Black Hills.  The campground at the trailhead offers very nice corrals for your horses and running water.  What a nice treat after a long day of traveling!  The volunteers who built this trail head sets a good example of what makes a great horse camp!

Pine Ridge National Recreation area west of Chadron offers many miles of trail in the Ponderosa Pines and mesas.  Truly unique terrain.  Camping available.  Certified weed free hay required.

Phipps Ranch of Whitman, NE invites horse owners to bring their horses to their ranch, stay in a private ranch house, and ride with a guide on our property in the heart of the Nebraska sandhills. A 20,000 acre ranch, primarily a working cattle ranch, but also raise registered quarter horses and would like to add trail riding to our list of endeavors. Facilities include a 3 bedroom ranch house in a secluded setting for complete privacy. Sleeps 6 and includes a full kitchen as well as a gas grill for outdoor use, corrals for horses with stock tanks.  Visit www.phippsranch.com or call 308-544-6449.

Pressey Wildlife Management Area - 2½ acres located 3 miles north, 3 miles west of Oconto.

Sam McKelvie National Forest, located sw of Valentine near beautiful Merritt Reservoir.  Steer Creek horse camping is very, very primitive.  No picnic tables or fire rings.  There is no water, but a creek in the camp, however depending on the time of year, may be dry.  Ride up on the Reserve and see oceans of grass & land.  Windmills are numbered to help keep you from getting lost.  Certified weed free hay required.

Soldiers Creek National Forest near Crawford represents an environment characteristic of the Pine Ridge escarpment in northwest Nebraska. The ponderosa pine covered ridges give way to open upland parks containing native grasses.  Beautiful trail riding, primitive camping.  Certified weed free hay required.

Sunny Brook Camp of Sparks hosts horse trail riders at their campground right on the Niobrara River.  The scenery is breathtaking!  Ride high up on the mesas or take your horse into the river!  There are some electrical hook-ups, but primarily primitive.  You can shower at their marina.  Pens are available for your horses.  Bring your own water bucket & make sure your horses get a long, as they will be sharing!  Take a canoe ride down the river while your horses are resting or visit historic Smith Falls!  In northern Nebraska, near Valentine.

Visit more horse trails located in Lincoln & Omaha Area or the Eastern Nebraska.