Harlan County Reservoir is home to many
tracks and trails, but one has been especially developed for horses and
hikers alone.
The trail begins at Alma Vista 1 mile
south of Alma, NE complete with hitching posts to accommodate up to 20
horses. You can ride loops of 1.5 hours, 4 hours, or 6 hours and still have
stops for your packed lunch.
The first loop is about 1 1/2 hours and
leads riders up on the bluffs looking out on the lake and is called Frazier
Loop (named after the first project manager Bill Frazier). This initial part
of the trail is well-established and suitable for novice riders and hikers.
The second loop, Bailey Loop (named
after the third project manager), goes by Bailey Pond on the south end of
Coyote Canyon. This adds another 2 hours to the ride and still gives you
time to have lunch at Bailey Pond. There are benches and tie rails at the
pond. A trail crosses mouth of Coyote Canyon near the lake (except at very
high water level) so you can continue east to Sindt Point where there is a
picnic area with benches and tie rails along the trail.
The entire Peckerneck Trail has been
mowed twice each year and is pretty easy to see with many posts and
arrows for your aid in keeping to the trail. The entire ride is about 12
miles in length and takes about 6 hours if you stop for lunch and to observe
the Harlan Lake from various high points along the trail. Watch for the
deer, turkeys and eagles early in the year, and much other wildlife.
ATVs, dirt and mountain bikes are
strictly forbidden on the trail as they pose a danger to horses and riders.
