Lincoln's Outdoors

The MoPac Trail

My favorite way to see Nebraska is on a bike, so when the temperatures rose above 50°F this weekend I just had to go for a ride. There was a lot of traffic on the MoPac trail, so many Lincolnites must’ve had the same idea.

Some of Lincoln’s choicest scenery is easily accessed just feet from busy 84th St. at the MoPac trail. The trail gets its name from the Missouri Pacific Railroad, which is the abandoned line the MoPac follows.

Lincoln has over 131 miles of paved and rock trails, which I’m sure contributed to our #2 ranking for biking communities in The National Bike Challenge last year.

The west leg of this trail begins at the University of Nebraska Lincoln and continues paved to 84th street, about 5 miles.

The eastern portion of the trail is made of crushed limestone and goes about 22 miles starting at 84th St. and meandering through Walton, Eagle, Elmwood and Wabash.

For information on the trails and resources available to bikers in Lincoln such as how to register your bike, plan your trip, and find local bike shops and organizations, visit Bike Lincoln.

Photos by Carli Sabin