NORTH PLATTE, Neb – The thunder of hooves and history returns to Nebraska this month as the 2025 Pony Express National Re-Ride makes its way across the state June 18–20, retracing one of the most storied mail routes in American history.
The annual 1,966-mile reenactment began in St. Joseph, Missouri, and will continue around the clock until reaching Sacramento, California. Riders carry a mochila—an iconic leather mail pouch—on horseback across eight states, passing through historic towns and landmarks just as riders did in 1860 and 1861.
In Nebraska, the ride kicks off Wednesday, June 18, at Lyman with a ceremonial handoff from Wyoming. Riders will gallop through key heritage stops including Scottsbluff National Monument, Chimney Rock, and on into central Nebraska.
Locally, the route will include events in Ogallala at Tri-Trails Park around 8:30 a.m. on June 19, celebrating the area’s rich pioneer legacy tied to the Pony Express, Oregon Trail, and Texas Trail. Later, the riders will pass near North Platte and that evening, riders will pass south of Gothenburg near Midway Ranch—an important nighttime relay stop—and continue eastward toward Fort Kearny.