Berry Falls

Berry Falls is one great benchmark for floaters on the river. It is one of hundreds of waterfalls on the Niobrara River that is easy to find and can be seen both from car and by boat.

• A bridge spans about 40 feet across a river from South to North, the river flows from East to West. About 20 feet off of the bridge, on the river's Southeast Bank, a 8 foot tall, 10 foot wide waterfall can be seen. It is convex in shape and sticks out, water flowing over it in three directions. The stone behind the fall is a mix of dark grey-brown and light tan stone. The sound of the water rushing over the falls is different that that of the river running past.

Brewer Bridge Landing

Brewer Bridge Landing is a public access landing and launch site at mile 16.2 of the Niobrara National Scenic River. Canoes, tubes, and kayaks can be launched or land here. There is public parking, bathrooms, picnic tables, drinking water, and trash cans along with space to stage equipment.

• A gravel parking lot has a sand path that leads to the river. The path slopes downward toward the river. A bridge spans the river to the North and the river flows from North to South. There are a few trees and some shade. There are restrooms on the North length of the parking lot.

Conner Rapids

Connor Rapids are located just after Penbrook Campground and Landing on the Niobrara National Scenic River. They are a Class I rapid and should pose no challenge for most beginner floaters.

• The river runs from West to East, a bend in the banks directs it ever so slightly to the North. The banks are dirt with grass dipping into the passing water. There is a small river rapid where water splashes and creates turbulence for about 10 feet before calming down and curving around the bend.

Eagle Rapids

Eagle Rapids are a class II+ river rapid on the Niobrara National Scenic River after the Norden Bridge and Chute. Beginners should portage this rapid, though it could be navigated in years when the river is low.

• A river rushes steadily to the East and rocks rise up in the middle where the river also drops. Large rapids are formed and white water splashes and rolls over for a length of 1000 meters.

Egelhoff's Narrows

Egelhoff's Rapids, a.k.a. Egelhoff's Chute or Narrows, is a class I river rapid on the Niobrara National Scenic River. Most floaters have fun navigating this feature because of its unique canyon walls.

• The river flows East and narrows on both sides. The channel continues for about 50 feet like that with rough waters at the beginning and end.

Egelhoff's Rapid

Egelhoff's Rapids are a class II+ river rapid past Rocky Ford and the County Line Bridge. Floaters should portage left around these, especially beginners.

• A river about 25 feet wide flows to the East. The floor of the river drops in curve across the width of the river. There is whitewater and lots of turbulence as water rushes over the hardstone bottom and into the lower flow beyond the rapids.

Fort Falls

Flowing down over 30 feet of exposed canyon wall, Fort Falls are some of the most easily accessed waterfalls on the Niobrara River. Just a short hike, you can journey down through the tree canopy to the canyon floor to view these falls in all four seasons and follow their flow directly into the Niobrara River, or stop off on your way by while you float in a canoe, tube or kayak!

• A slightly sloped dirt landing area approximately 12 feet long and 10 feet wide - tapering at the downstream end into a 2 foot wide dirt path. The sound of the fort falls is loud and the rustling of the trees in the wind can be heard. The water drops over 30 feet over a ledge and curves down the canyon wall, trees encroaching on both sides of the wet stone. The water lands in a wide pool and gathers into a stream about 4 feet wind and flowing past the landing adjacent to the trail, leading eventually to the river's banks. The canyon is cool and shaded by the tree canopy overhead.

Fort Falls Rapids

Fort Falls Rapid is a Class I rapid on the Niobrara River adjacent to where the Fort Falls feed into the main river flow

• From the vessel and floating down-river, there is a canyon wall to the right that rises as high as 40 feet above the river's surface. The left bank is covered in tall grasses that bend and dip their tips in the passing waters. The water flows steadily on to the East.

Fort Niobrara NWR Launch Site

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge's Public small watercraft launch site is open to the public and is $1.00/user. Canoes, kayaks, and tubes welcome! There is a parking area and many lanes for floaters to stage equipment. Open dawn to dusk.

• A gravel parking lot runs North to South approximately 100 yards long and 40 yards wide with a steel-cable divider down the middle. Six canoe launch lanes are situated along the river's western bank. The sixth lane is reserved for private users not working with an outfitter. There is a 25 foot downhill slope from the parking lot to the riverside and vegetation and trees divide the launch lanes. On the West length of the parking lot, in the middle, there are men's and women's vault toilets and a bulletin board that has information along with a fee-collection box and wristbands for each floater to wear. There is little shade, the trees are small, and the river flows past from South to North.

Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge

A partner of the Niobrara National Scenic River, the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife refuge provides scenic river access and showcases the Niobrara River Valleys unique biodiversity, geology, and recreational opportunities for exploring the outstanding resources of value of the Niobrara National Scenic River.

• Standing at the Fort Falls Trailhead on the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, you feel the wind strongly blow and the smell of grass surrounds you. You can hear the prairie dogs bark from a distance as they pop in and out of their burrows. Following the paved trail down hill, the long prairie grass tickles your legs from the edge of the trail. You enter a forest canopy from above, slowly feeling the cool of the shade from their leaves encompass you in green. The trail turns and you step onto the suspended metal walkway, a stream flowing below and to your right. You hear the leaves blowing in the wind, and the water rushing, twisting, bubbling. The walkway crosses over the stream and you feel the cool of the water beneath you and continue to the metal stair case on the other canyon wall that leads to a lower area. You walk down what has to be over 30 stairs only to find yourself in a small cleared area surrounded by soil and rock canyon walls. It is cool, and looking back towards the creek, you see a waterfall flowing over the ledge adjacent to the stairs you walked down, a very steep incline. The fort falls fall and meet the wall half way down where upon contact they spray and spread out along the convex wall below, eventually consolidating again into a stream that flows steadily down further. The walkway now is dirt. Wide and clear, surrounded by water-loving plants on both sides. Smaller creeks join the bigger stream along the way. The stream ends abruptly at the riverside, joining the larger flow. The river runs smooth and blue despite the tumultuous and exciting pace of the stream. The riverside is warm and you stand on the sands at its banks. Cold water flowing past and wind still blowing the branches of the trees above your head.

Fritzes Island Rapids

Fritzes Island Rapid is a class II located a long way down-river after the Brewer Bridge landing. The Conner Rapids are just a few bends in the river before it.

• A river flows from West to East approximately 30 feet wide with grass on the banks. There is a rapid that is visible in the middle of the water, where it rushes over and white caps bubble over.

Fritzes Narrows

Fritzes Narrows are a chute in the middle of the Niobrara River. They are a class I rapid and beginners should have no issues navigating them.

• The river narrows into a channel about 6 feet wide with sandy-stone banks on both sides and stays in that channel for about 30 feet when the water is low.

Highway 137 Landing

The Highway 137 Landing is the last landing on the designated length of the Niobrara National Scenic River. It offers public river access to floaters hoping to see the furthest lengths of the Niobrara River.

• From the landing, the river flows by from West to East and a bridge crosses the river from South to North. The landing is located on the up-river side on the North end of the bridge. The landing is raised above the water level about 5 feet and a cement skirt wraps around its edges. Stairs lead from the landing and staging area down to the flowing water. There are approximately 10 wooden stairs with a railing. The water level varies and sometimes there is sand at the bottom of the stairs. The raised staging area leads to some space for parking and a sand road back to the paved highway.

Highway 7 Landing

Public Access landings on the Niobrara National Scenic River becomes more spread out the lower down the river paddlers travel. The Highway 7 Bridge Landing is the second to last of the public access landings that Rangers recommend for kayak and canoe access.

• From the landing, a river flows by from West to East and a paved road crosses over it from South to North, which is to the right when facing the river. The landing is sand and gravel and is about three feet wide. A trail leads from the water's edge to the road. The river bank is steep and sandbars are scattered across the river's width.

Nichols Landing

Nickols Landing is a public access small watercraft launch on the Niobrara National Scenic River. Visitors can launch or land with canoes, tubes, kayaks and see the Smith Falls all in one trip!

• A sandy downslope off of a circular sand road to the riverside, the landing stretches 30 feet. It is a gentle slope. Trees shade the area but do not encroach on the landing. The river flows past from Southwest to Northeast.

Niobrara National Scenic River Bookstore

The Bookstore at the Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center is operated by Americas National Parks, an official non-profit partner of the National Park Service dedicated to supporting the educational mission of Niobrara National Scenic River.

• On the North wall of the visitor center, adjacent to the ranger desk, there is a 10 foot wide section of walls with shelves with books, postcards, magnets, passport books, games, and jewelry for sale. There are t-shirts on a rack in the lower-left corner of the display with a basket of stuffed animals below it.

Niobrara Valley Preserve

The Niobrara Valley Preserve protects canyons, grasslands, and a 25 mile stretch of the Niobrara National Scenic River. Managed by The Nature Conservancy, their publicly accessible, privately owned land offers river views, the Norden Chute, hiking trails, and unique Niobrara River Valley wildlife.

• Coming Soon

Niobrara/Missouri Confluence

Meriwether Lewis and William Clark stopped where the Niobrara River flowed into the Missouri River in 1804.

• Rolling hills covered in grasses and stands of trees overlook the confluence of two murky rivers, the wide Missouri to the north and the smaller Niobrara to the east.

Norden Chute

Norden Chute is a mandatory portage for river floaters because of its powerful hydraulic underneath. Floaters can portage to the left, above the chute, and carry their vessels about 300 yards downstream to resume their river trip.

• There is a bridge running South to North that is about 40 feet long suspended over a river that flows East to West. From the bridge, looking to the West, there are two stone river banks that boarder the flow of the river. The ledges are approximately 40 feet long on both sides of the bank and the Northern bank is about 10 feet wide whereas the South bank is about 3-5 feet wide. At the very back of these banks, the river flow is narrowed and tumbles over what looks like a waterfall in the middle of a riverbed. The riverbed drops off in the middle, a section about 15 feet wide, and the water rushes over it with force down into a channel between the brown stone walls. The sound of the water is loud and the moisture can be felt at the bridge.

Rocky Ford Rapid

Rocky Ford Rapid is a class III rapid not recommended for inexperienced floaters. Many visitors portage this rapid and continue their float further downstream.

• Rocks and rapids stretch the width of a 30 foot wide river. Water rushes over them and drops down about 18 inches to the next free-flowing smooth waters. There is an area for pulling a vessel out and portaging just upstream from the rapids.

Smith Falls State Park

The tallest waterfall in Nebraska, Smith Falls are a unique geologic formation fed by the Ogallala Aquafer and a tributary of the Niobrara National Scenic River.

• A wood boardwalk hugs the left side of a ravine, leading gradually uphill. To the right, a stream flows downhill, the left is a wall of tan soil and rock. The trees from above the soil outcropping linger far above. Farther up the boardwalk, about 200 yards, the sound of water begins to drown out everything else. From the observatory, you feel the mist of the water surround you. The cool of it clinging to your clothes. The source of the stream is a very large waterfall flowing very quickly off of the top of the soil and rock walls that surround you from the observatory. The water falls 63 feet, tumbling over the convex soil and rock below it, making it ricochet into the air and splash you every so often. The water gathers in a shallow pool about 20 feet across before tapering and flowing down the stream you followed up the boardwalk. You follow its flow down hill and find that it meets the Niobrara River at a 15 foot wide mouth where the riverside is shallow and paddlers and tubers float by laughing and splashing.

Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center

• 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.

• 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.

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!