Nebraska trails · Red Cloud Butte Trail

Red Cloud Butte Trail

A 3.7-mile network in Nebraska, with 364 ft of climbing. Reaches Red Cloud Buttes and other summit destinations. Managed by the state.

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Length

3.7 mi

Elevation gain

364 ft

Difficulty

Moderate

Max grade

39%

Steepest mile

+296 ft

Tread at ≥10% grade

1.2 mi

Shape

network

Managed by

State

Elevation profile

The climbing is spread fairly evenly along the route. It gives back about 620 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.

3-D terrain

USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5

Reaches

Red Cloud Buttes (summit)
Lovers Leap Butte (summit)

Daylight at the trailhead

On October 14, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 6:37 a.m., the sun rises at 7:05 a.m. and sets at 6:13 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 6:41 p.m. (MDT) — 11 h 08 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 3.7-mile route takes roughly 1 h 33 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 8:38 a.m. — 9 h 35 min before sunset.

Loop options

Butte Trail Ride Trail + Red Cloud Butte Trail + West Sheep Fence Trail — 1.4 mi loop, 376 ft gain
Trail 1 + Red Cloud Butte Trail + Trail 2 — 3.4 mi loop, 301 ft gain
Red Cloud Butte Trail + Trail 4 + Trail 1 — 4.4 mi loop, 588 ft gain