LANCASTER AND GAGE COUNTIES, Neb. (KOLN) – If you see markers on Nebraska trails, there’s a good chance Jim Craig put them there. In his semi-retirement, the 72-year-old Army veteran has created well over 50 miles of trails across Nebraska.
“This is like you’re in a different world,” Craig said while venturing into a wooded area. “You don’t have to go out west somewhere. You can come right down here.”
His goal is simple: Get you outside.
“It costs you too much to do anything else,” Craig said. “So this is a good place to be. It’s a safe haven.”
With permission from park superintendents, Craig evaluates the terrain of recreational areas and builds trails for visitors to enjoy.
“They give me their good graces. I don’t know why,” joked Craig.
Craig brings his plans to the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
“We’ve worked probably 20 years on trails with Cornhusker State Games and different projects throughout the state in Chadron, North Platte, Mahoney (State Park) and now here at Rockford (Lake State Recreation Area),” said Gregg Galbraith, park superintendent three.
Craig lives in the small town of Panama, Nebraska. About 30 years ago, Craig took erosion classes to learn proper trail-building techniques.
“I started at Branched Oak (State Recreation Area),” Craig said. “And then I thought, ‘You know what, I live six miles from Wagon Train Lake. Let’s do some here, and just increased what I did.”
Along the way, he inspired others around the state to join his mission.
“I bugged Jim for three years to let me on the mowing crew, so we could help kind of give back to the trails,” said Kelsey Hinrichsen with a grin. “I’m not retired, so I have to do it outside of working hours.”
Hinrichsen maintains the trails at Wagon Train Lake State Recreation area near Hickman with Glenn Troudt.
“Nebraska is not a state like Colorado, Utah, Wyoming with miles and miles of trails,” Troudt said. “So our trail segments are kind of broke up, and a lot of people don’t realize this is here.”
Craig estimates he’s visited about three-quarters of Nebraska’s parks. Once a path is mapped, he shares these hidden gems through his small business, Angry Cow Adventures, by organizing races.
“When Glenn and I took over the State Fair marathon, it was all concrete,” Craig said. “And people that showed up that knew me said, ‘Wow, did you break out in a rash on the concrete? You don’t do concrete. And I said, ‘No I don’t. I’m getting chills.’”
Craig doesn’t just build trails. He gets good use out of them too.
He runs, hikes, snowshoes, cross-country skis and even names his bikes:
“I’ve got Sally, and I’ve got Rita, and I’ve got G.U.S.S. because it stands for God Awful Ugly Single-Speed,” Craig chuckled.
With whatever free time he has left, Craig also coaches the cross country teams at Norris, instilling a love for the outdoors in the next generation.
“And I love it that the kids love the trails,” Craig said. “And they come back and do it after they graduate and they’re still doing the trails, and so it’s a win-win situation.”
Craig makes his mark, so families can make memories.
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