Nebraska trails · Smiley Canyon Loop Trail
Smiley Canyon Loop Trail
A 10.6-mile network in Nebraska, with 624 ft of climbing. Managed by the state.
Elevation profile
Most of the climbing sits in the final third — 57% of the ascent, between mile 13.6 and mile 20.4. It gives back about 1,335 ft along the way, so it rolls rather than climbing steadily.
3-D terrain
USGS 3DEP ELEVATION × ESRI WORLD IMAGERY · VERTICAL ×1.5
Getting there
Smiley Canyon Loop Trail access — parking nearby. 42.66692, -103.51540 · directions
Daylight at the trailhead
On August 31, 2026 — the day this page was generated — first light reaches this trailhead at 5:48 a.m., the sun rises at 6:17 a.m. and sets at 7:30 p.m., and the last usable light fades about 7:59 p.m. (MDT) — 13 h 13 min of daylight. At about 2.7 mph plus 30 minutes per 1,000 feet of climbing, the 10.6-mile route takes roughly 4 h 14 min, so leaving the trailhead at sunrise puts you back around 10:31 a.m. — 8 h 59 min before sunset.
Loop options
- Carter P. Johnson Lake Trail + Smiley Canyon Loop Trail + Crazy Horse Trail — 11.4 mi loop, 844 ft gain
- A.T.&T. Trail + Smiley Canyon Loop Trail — 7.2 mi loop, 809 ft gain
- Smiley Canyon Loop Trail + Carter P. Johnson Trail — 10.1 mi loop, 947 ft gain
Nearby trails
- Cheyenne Butte Trail — 0.6 mi
- Crazy Horse Trail — 1.2 mi
- Mexican Canyon Trail — 1.3 mi
- Butte Trail Ride Trail — 2.1 mi