The Shady, Creekside Trail In Nebraska You’ll Want To Hike Again And Again

Hiking in Nebraska is so much more varied than you might expect. This single trail passes through several types of surroundings while leading you through one of Nebraska's sweetest small cities.

Seward, best known as "Nebraska's Fourth of July City" and the home of Concordia University, is a lovely small city with just shy of 7,000 residents.

Among the city's many developments intended to make life better for its residents is Plum Creek Trail. This 2.7-mile paved hiking and biking trail runs alongside Plum Creek for nearly its entire length.

The trailheads are located on Karol Kay Boulevard near the Plum Creek Sports Complex and on South Columbia Avenue near the water treatment plant.

If you're entering from the Karol Kay Blvd entrance, the first thing you may notice is the beautiful garden area. Flowers, trees, shrubs, ornamental grasses, evergreens and more adorn this vibrant space.

The trail itself leads through both wide open spaces and dense woodland before passing under Hwy 34. The journey isn't long, but it passes through such varied scenery that you'll feel like you've traveled much further.

Plum Creek Trail is ideal for both walkers and cyclists, and it's even wheelchair accessible along its entire length. Bring the whole family for a nature walk and see how many plants, bugs, and animals you can spot!

Access Plum Creek Trail in Seward from Plum Creek Park on Karol Kay Blvd or from the water treatment plant on S Columbia Ave. Don't forget to leave a little time to admire the garden; it's one of Seward's sweetest spots!

Did you know that Seward's quality of life is sky-high? It topped our 2015 list of the happiest towns in Nebraska; find out what the other nine were here.