Niobrara National Scenic River
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Niobrara National Scenic River at a glance
- Best time
- April–May, September–October
- Trip length
- Half day–2 days
- Don't miss
- Hike to Fort Falls
- Nearby city
- Valentine, NE
Explore this park
About Niobrara National Scenic River
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.
Weather Information
- Spring
(April/May) and
- Summer
(June-August): highs - low 80s to low 100s; lows - 50s to 60s, with occasional thunderstorms and associated strong winds.
- Fall
(September/October) have cooler temperatures: average highs 60-70s, average lows 30-40s with 7.3" average rain/snowfall.
- Winter
(November-April): Average highs 20-30s, average lows 0-10s with 5.5"/month average snowfall.
Moderate dry winds are common in the summer. 8.3" is average summer rainfall.
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
Common questions
Planning Niobrara National Scenic River
The summary above covers timing and highlights. These go deeper on reservations, crowds, and logistics — check Alerts and Permits for live updates.
Reservation rules vary by season and activity for Niobrara National Scenic River. Check the Permits tab on this page and Recreation.gov before you travel — campground, tour, or backcountry permits may apply even without park-wide timed entry.
See Permits tab →
