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.
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!
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.
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!
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
