Niobrara National Scenic River
Hours
See this week's hours below.
- Entrance fee
- The Park Service lists no entrance fee for this site.
- Phone
- 4023761901
- Address
- 214 W US Highway 20, Valentine, NE 69201
About Niobrara
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.
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.
| Monday | Open 24 hours |
|---|---|
| Tuesday | Open 24 hours |
| Wednesday | Open 24 hours |
| Thursday | Open 24 hours |
| Friday | Open 24 hours |
| Saturday | Open 24 hours |
| Sunday | Open 24 hours |
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)
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.
Things to do
Astronomy, Biking, Birdwatching, Bookstore and Park Store, Camping, Canoeing, Fishing, Guided Tours, Hiking, Hunting, Hunting and Gathering, Junior Ranger Program, Kayaking, Paddling, Park Film, River Tubing, Shopping, Stand Up Paddleboarding, Stargazing, Tubing, Wildlife Watching.
Source: National Park Service data feed, checked September 24, 2026. Hours shown are the Park Service's posted standard hours plus any date changes it lists. Official page for Niobrara ↗