About Niobrara
With a little something for everyone, the Niobrara National Scenic River is a destination for crossing adventures off your bucket list. Most popular for river recreation, you can float the Niobrara River on a canoe, tube, or kayak as a beginner and have a blast. Hiking, biking, and wildlife watching keep our visitors busy. Oh! And we haven't even told you about the waterfalls yet.
From the National Park Service.
- Region
- Midwest
- State
- Nebraska
- Designation
- National Scenic River
- Entrance fee
- None listed
- Trail data for this park is still being added.
- Places for this park are still being added.
Know before you go
Fees, hours, weather and getting to Niobrara.
Entrance fees
The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.
Hours
Floating and paddling standard hours
Open 24 hours a day, every day.
Most of the river itself is open 24 hours a day, with the exception of the river that flows through Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. The river in that stretch is open from sunrise to sunset. Please use caution: because the NPS does not own the land, different sites and private businesses have their own hours. Please ensure that you are following individual landowner regulations when you launch, take out, or visit individual areas.
Weather and when to go
Summer (June-August): highs - low 80s to low 100s; lows - 50s to 60s, with occasional thunderstorms and associated strong winds. Moderate dry winds are common in the summer. 8.3" is average summer rainfall. Winter (November-April): Average highs 20-30s, average lows 0-10s with 5.5"/month average snowfall. Spring (April/May) and Fall (September/October) have cooler temperatures: average highs 60-70s, average lows 30-40s with 7.3" average rain/snowfall.
Getting there
Most visitors start their trip in the city of Valentine, Nebraska. Valentine is 76 miles south of I-90 (Murdo, SD Exit) on Hwy 83; or 130 miles north of I-80 (North Platte, NE Exit) on Hwy 83. The nearest major airports are in Rapid City, SD (220 miles); Denver, CO (391 miles); and Omaha, NE (300 miles)
Contact the park
- Address
- 214 W US Highway 20, Valentine, NE 69201
- Phone
- (402) 376-1901
- niobrara_nsr@nps.gov
- Official site
- nps.gov/niob
From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.
Trip planner
A day-by-day plan for Niobrara
Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.
The trails and places you save below go into your plan as must-sees.
Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.
Things to do in Niobrara
The park service's own list, with how long each takes.
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Bike the Cowboy Trail
The Cowboy Trail is a hiking and biking trail created from the historic bed of the railroad track that passed through Valentine, NE, and the Sandhills. Many hikers and bikers cove…
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Float the Niobrara River
Experience the beauty of the Niobrara National Scenic River up close and personal by floating the gentle waters through six ecosystems, past waterfalls, and under historic bridges…
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Shoot Winter Photography at Fort Falls
See the Niobrara River in the light of a winter lens. Photographers can find winter scenery, natural phenomena's, wildlife, canyons, waterfalls, and the perfect angles for those g…
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Hike to Fort Falls
This scenic 1.0 mile hike highlights the 45-foot-tall Fort Falls and the shores of the Niobrara National Scenic River on the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge. With free park…
What to pack for Niobrara
Gear & Essentials
Tell us about your trip and we will add what else you will want:
The basics
Worth having in the car whatever the park.
For this trip
Traveling with kids
Bringing a pet
RVing
Backcountry
Winter conditions
On the water
Photography
Accessibility
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