Cowboy - Trailhead in Ta-Ha-Zouka Park (Norfolk) Cowboy Trail - Trailhead in Ta-Ha-Zouka Park (Norfolk) (imprint here)

park information: Do you enjoy walking, hiking or bike riding? Are you looking for a new place to break in your roller-blades? Then you need to visit Ta-Ha-Zouka Park in Norfolk. Ta-Ha-Zouka Park is the official trailhead for the Cowboy Recreation and Nature Trail. A 2.2 mile “Connector Trail” has been constructed to bring the Cowboy Trail into the park, making access easier. Rail banking for the Cowboy Trail did not reach into Norfolk, because the rail lines are still in use for Norfolk industries. Consequently the trail stopped 1.5 miles west of Highway 81, and was not accessible to the public. In 1995, the Lower Elkhorn Natural Resources District (LENRD) was asked by a local citizens group to bring the trail into Norfolk, via Ta-Ha-Zouka Park, for improved access to the trail. The LENRD cooperated with the City of Norfolk, Madison County, the Department of Roads, the Nebraska Central Railroad, and the Elkhorn Valley Network on this extension. A&R Construction of Plainview completed the Norfolk Connector Trail in the spring of 2002, and it was opened to the public on June 2, 2002. The 2.2 mile connector link is a cement trail and is 10 feet wide, making it easy to accommodate bikers, walkers, wheel chairs and roller-blades. The Cowboy Trail, linking Norfolk to Chadron, is the longest rails-to-trails conversion in the nation. It spans 321 miles on the bed of the former Chicago and North Western railroad route. The Cowboy Trail is presently complete from Norfolk’s Ta-Ha-Zouka Park to Valentine. These segments allow local people to utilize them for walking, biking and horseback riding.

Interesting Facts: The 2.2 mile paved trail brings the crushed limestone Cowboy Trail into Norfolk’s Ta-Ha-Zouka Park. This 2.2 mile segment is owned and maintained by the Lower Elkhorn NRD, and the trail connects the Cowboy Trail to Norfolk. It is designed to give you a scenic view of the . The trail curves and meanders with the river. The beautiful scenery is something to behold. camping amenities: There is limited camping available at the park. Contact the City of Norfolk for more information. contact: ______activities: Find fun things to do online at www.negpp.org under “Activities.” address: ______address: Ta-Ha-Zouka Park Norfolk, NE 68701 directions: The trailhead is just off Hwy 81 on the south edge of Norfolk, NE. Turn east into Ta-Ha- city: ______state: ______Zouka Park. zip: ______phone #: ______clue: Follow the trail to the west, passing under Hwy 81, contin- ue on the paved trail until you get to the 4th bench. Overlook- e-mail: ______ing the Elkhorn River, the post is located between the Bur Oak and Kentucky Coffee Tree. mail nature impressions to: NERPA Distance: From the parking lot, heading out on the trail to the Attn: Great Parks Pursuit west, the post is just shy of 3/4 of a mile. 1819 Farnam Street, Suite 701 Surface: paved 10’ wide trail Omaha, NE 68183