“Make no small plans, they have no magic to stir people's imagination.”
-Elaine Hammer, founder of the Great Plains Trails Network
Let's finish the MoPac, Lincoln to Omaha!
Imagine a trail from Lincoln to Omaha, through beautiful Nebraska countryside, enjoyed by hikers, cyclists and runners seeking the solace of nature and adventure. This has been the vision of trail advocates since the 1990s, when the initial MoPac East Trail was built.
Today, the MoPac East from Lincoln winds through the communities of Walton, Eagle, Elmwood and terminates at the village of Wabash. The MoPac in Sarpy County comes from southwest Papillion through Springfield, edging Louisville and terminating by South Bend just west of the Lied Bridge over the Platte River.
The MoPac Alliance
Since 2019, Nebraska Trails Foundation, Great Plains Trails Network and Bike Walk Nebraska organized as The MoPac Alliance to find a solution for the MoPac Trail Gap.
Next Steps - Finish the MoPac
In November 2024, after a year-long study with public meetings and community feedback, Cass County and the Lower Platte South NRD took a historic step and approved a route. The Lower Platte South NRD will design, build and maintain the 10-miles of additional trail within the public right-of-way. The trail will be surfaced with packed limestone like the MoPac East Trail.
When completed, the MoPac will connect to Lincoln and Omaha trail systems, neighboring states, and will serve as a critical leg of the Great American Rail Trail which spans across the continent from Washington D.C. to Washington state. This continuous trail provides outdoor recreation, healthy lifestyles, and economic vitality via trail tourism to our rural communities and the broader metro region of eastern Nebraska.
