Nebraska isn’t well known as a place where you’d be able to ride a dirt bike, but there are some trails near Omaha and Lincoln.
If you’re not keen to head out of the state just yet, then load up the truck with your bike and gear, and make your way out. We’ve found some pretty cool riding areas that welcome offroad motorcycles, both registered and unregistered.
Nebraska’s Best Dirt Bike Trails
There aren’t too many places to ride so most people tend to get together and go for a multi-day trip out of state. They usually go west towards Colorado or Wyoming to find some well-developed riding areas and state forests worth exploring.
To save yourself hours of a road trip, you can still have some thrills close to home. Check out these dirt bike trails in Nebraska:
1. Cedar Run Off Road Trail
At Cedar Run trail, you’re able to bring your dirt bike and ride around. The surface is pretty hard packed but after rain it gets real muddy so it can close rather quickly. Pro-tip: You need to call (308) 799-2105 for a recorded message as to whether Cedar Run is open today or not. Do this first thing in the morning before you leave home. You can also camp here and there are several campgrounds worth checking out, with Patterson’s best a good choice.
2. Dismal River Trail
Dismal River within Nebraska National Forest has 11 miles of sandy tracks worth checking out. The surface is smooth yet isn’t super soft. Even beginners can tackle this just fine if they keep their revs up and continue leaning back. This spot is popular with families who like to camp here especially as there are hot showers at the Bessey Family Campground to wash off all the muck after a tough day of riding. Whitetail Campground is a good alternative but there aren’t any showers here.
3. Off Road Ranch in Norfolk, NE
There isn’t much here given how small it is (just 30 acres) but worth while if you want to bring your kids up into the dirt riding community. There is a PeeWee track as well as a motocross trank and freestyle practice ramps. Fancy a race? Then the flat oval track is for you. You’re allowed to camp here too on site which is helpful.
4. Abbot Sports Complex
Another good motocross park to ride your dirt bike is Abbott Sports Complex. If you get bored of the closed circuit then you can head out and check out the short wooded trails loop. This place is open to ATV’s on Sundays and Mondays while dirt bikes are allowed for the rest of the week depending on the weather conditions. No camping here but it’s in Lincoln, NE which means it’s pretty close for most people to access.
Starting Today
There we have it! Some pretty cool riding areas worth exploring. We’d love to see more opportunities to start riding in national forests and the like but we know the interests of dirt bike riders typically are given the backseat due to bureaucracy and government red tape.
It’s a shame as this would open the way for more people to spend their money in the state. Fortunately, some adventure riders on dual-sport motorcycles do pass through often though only for a few days. There have been some riding trails which have closed in recent years and we’d be keen to see more open up.
If you’re keen for some riding buddies, then check out the Nebraska riders group on Facebook. They organized group rides on occasionsl and there is some racing to be seen too.
