Niobrara National Scenic River
76 miles of spring-fed river through Nebraska's north-central canyons — one of the top paddling destinations in the Great Plains.
The Niobrara National Scenic River protects a 76-mile stretch of the Niobrara River in north-central Nebraska. Fed by hundreds of cold springs, the river flows through a dramatic canyon landscape where five distinct ecosystems meet — eastern deciduous forest, western ponderosa pine, southern mixed-grass prairie, northern boreal forest, and Great Plains grassland. It is one of the most ecologically diverse rivers in the United States.
Trail / River Information
- Length: 76 miles (scenic designation)
- Counties: Cherry, Keya Paha, Knox
- Activities: Tubing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, fishing, birding, photography
- Best Season: Late May through September
- Managed by: National Park Service
Counties & Towns Along the River
Cherry County
Valentine — western gateway, outfitter hub · Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge · Valentine National Wildlife Refuge
Keya Paha County
Springview · Smith Falls State Park — Nebraska's highest waterfall (63 ft)
Knox County
Niobrara — eastern gateway · Niobrara State Park
Points of Interest
- Smith Falls State Park — Nebraska's tallest waterfall (63 feet) drops into the Niobrara canyon
- Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge — bison, elk, and longhorn cattle herds
- Valentine National Wildlife Refuge — Sandhills lakes and wetlands
- Niobrara State Park — at the confluence of the Niobrara and Missouri Rivers
- Rocky Ford — popular first-day put-in below Cornell Dam
- Brewer Bridge — popular take-out point
History
The Niobrara River has been a life-sustaining corridor for thousands of years — first for Paleo-Indian hunters, then for Lakota Sioux, and later for European-American settlers. Fort Niobrara was established in 1879 to monitor the Lakota Sioux reservation. Congress designated the Niobrara a National Scenic River in 1991 to protect its ecological treasures and recreational value.
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