Park Hours (Today)
All Day
Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center: 8:30AM - 4:30PM
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About the Park
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.
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What to See & Do
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 covet the views of the Niobrara National Scenic River from the 148 foot historic bridge, not far from Valentine.
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. A gem in the Sandhills of the Great Plains.
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 golden hour photos in many places along the Niobrara River, but Fort Falls is one of our favorites.
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 parking, this hike can be shortened to few the Fort Falls and the River's Banks in less than 0.25 miles.
Self-Guided Tours
River Float Tour
Take a self-guided tour as you float the Niobrara National Scenic River. This tour identifies landmarks along the river where you can stop and explore, finding waterfalls and scenic views, and rapids for you to avoid too!
Visitor Centers
Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center
Begin your journey down the Niobrara at the visitor center, where you may discover what makes this river so special through exhibits and a twenty minute park film. Park rangers are on hand to answer questions, help you plan your trip, or give you a list of outfitters who will provide transportation and canoes, kayaks, or tubes.
Getting Here & Transit
How to Get Here
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)
Park Amenities
Operating 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.
- MondayAll Day
- TuesdayAll Day
- WednesdayAll Day
- ThursdayAll Day
- FridayAll Day
- SaturdayAll Day
- SundayAll Day
Photos
A man takes a photo of a meandering river from an overlook.
Yellows, oranges, and greens dominate the fall colors along the Niobrara NSR.
Two people in one canoe paddle along the bluffs of the Niobrara NSR.
A view from a canoe, with the photographer's feet resting on the bow, of the Niobrara NSR.
When to Go
Crowd CalendarPlan your trip around peak seasons to avoid crowds or embrace the energy of the busy months. Our crowd predictions are based on historical NPS Visitor Use Statistics.
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Best Time
May-September
Trip Length
1 day
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Planning Niobrara National Scenic River
These common questions go deeper into logistics and planning. For real-time updates on road closures and current conditions, always check the Alerts section above.