Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

Caution Life Jackets Required!

By Nebraska State law, all children 13 years old and younger must WEAR a USCG approved life jacket to float the Niobrara NSR. Anyone over 13 years old must HAVE a life jacket. If you are renting equipment, your outfitter will provide them.

Overview

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

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Astronomy
  • Stargazing
  • Biking
  • Camping
  • Fishing
  • Guided Tours
  • Hiking
  • Hunting and Gathering
  • Hunting
  • Paddling
  • Canoeing
  • Kayaking
  • Stand Up Paddleboarding
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Tubing
  • River Tubing
  • Wildlife Watching
  • Birdwatching
  • Park Film
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Floating and paddling standard hours: 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.

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)

Visitor centers

Weather

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.

Phone: 4023761901

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

A man takes a photo of a meandering river from an overlook.
Taking photos along the Niobrara NSR · NPS Photo/Ryan Schmieder
Yellows, oranges, and greens dominate the fall colors along the Niobrara NSR.
Fall colors along the Niobrara NSR · NPS Photo
Two people in one canoe paddle along the bluffs of the Niobrara NSR.
Canoeing the Niobrara NSR · NPS Photo
A view from a canoe, with the photographer's feet resting on the bow, of the Niobrara NSR.
Relaxing canoeing on the Niobrara NSR · NPS Photo/Ryan Schmieder
A paddler in a canoe goes through Class II Rapids on the Niobrara NSR.
Egelhoffs Rapids on the Niobrara NSR · NPS Photo/Solveig Perrett
Many people on tubes float down the Niobrara.
Tubers congregate at Smith Falls State Park · NPS Photo/Solveig Perrett

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