Built in 1978 and named after Billy Wolff, a longtime downtown bicycle shop owner, this was Lincoln's first trail stretching from Holmes Lake Park to Lincoln's downtown. Following several additional phases of construction, the trail now follows Antelope Creek from the Devaney Sports Center and University of Nebraska on the north to 91st and Highway2 on the south for a total of 8.5 miles. This trail has many amenities along the way including providing a connection to the Jayne Snyder Trails Center and Union Plaza near 21st and "Q" streets, Antelope Park filled with ballfields, picnic shelters, playgrounds and Ager Junior Golf Course. The trail also parallels Holmes Lake Park and Golf Course near 70th and Capital Parkway. Portions of the trail are adjacent to busy streets, however the majority of the trail is through quiet and serene areas of a greenway corridor that follows Antelope Creek.
The concept of a bikeway had its beginnings in 1971, when Mayor Sam Schwartzkopf’s Bicycle Safety Committee assigned streets parallel to busy arterials as bicycle routes. In late 1972 a pilot study on bikeways was included in the State Game and Parks Commission’s recreation plan. One of the proposals was for the use of flood control levees along Antelope Creek. This route was appealing because it would connect five city parks (Holmes, Antelope, Pansing, Eden, and the Municipal Building), have fewer street crossings, and provide access to over 20 other city recreational facilities.
Before the trail’s completion, the trail was originally called the Antelope Creek Bikeway. In 1978 the City Council proposed to name the trail after Billy Wolff. Wolff was a local bike shop owner who sold and serviced everything from bicycles to scooters. Since he opened the store in 1919, Wolff sold over 100,000 bikes to the city’s active residents. Wolff also was a major philanthropist and volunteer for local causes, especially those of troubled youth in Nebraska. Whether it was helping judges in the Lincoln court system consider parole for young offenders or starting donations for Children’s Day at the Nebraska State Fair, Wolff’s priority was always building up the future of Lincoln. It was an easy choice to honor Wolff in this way.
On April 21, 1979, Mayor Helen Boosalis rode a bicycle through a paper covered hoop, officially opening Billy Wolff Memorial Trail. This was Lincoln’s first trail stretching from Holmes Lake Park to Lincoln’s downtown.