Niobrara National Scenic River Visitor Center
Address: 214 W. Highway 20, Valentine, NE 69201
Seventy-six miles of Nebraska's Niobrara River are protected for their scenery, waterfalls, and fossil-rich valley, where spring-fed creeks spill over sandstone ledges and Smith Falls, the state's tallest at 63 feet, drops into a cool canyon. The river is one of the most popular paddling streams in the Great Plains.
Tube or canoe the gentle stretches and hike to Smith Falls. For a challenge, paddle a multi-day trip down the scenic reach, camping along a river that feels far wilder than the plains around it.
Coordinates: 42.86826, -100.55537