Niobrara River Kayaking & Tubing

The Niobrara National Scenic River in north-central Nebraska offers some of the most accessible and visually rewarding paddling in the Great Plains. Flowing near Valentine, Nebraska, the river carves through a canyon landscape defined by spring-fed waterfalls, cedar-draped bluffs, and lush hardwood galleries that feel distinctly unlike the surrounding shortgrass prairie. Long Pine Creek Outfitters, located at 84470 Highway 20 in Valentine, operates tube and kayak rentals along with shuttle service on routes ranging from 12 to 25 miles. The typical river depth runs 1 to 3 feet in summer, making it appropriate for first-time paddlers and families with children as young as six. The current is gentle enough that most participants spend as much time swimming as paddling, yet the scenery shifts constantly — open meadows give way to wooded canyon reaches, and more than a dozen small waterfalls cascade from the limestone walls along the popular 12-mile Smith Falls section. Smith Falls itself, the tallest waterfall in Nebraska at 63 feet, lies adjacent to the river corridor and is reachable by a short boardwalk trail. Kayak trips typically take three to five hours on the shorter runs, while the full 25-mile descent suits more ambitious paddlers willing to commit six to eight hours on the water. The river holds brown trout and smallmouth bass, so many visitors combine a kayak trip with a fishing rod. Temperatures in the canyon tend to run cooler than the surrounding plains, making midday summer runs comfortable even during July heat waves. Group bookings of ten or more paddlers can arrange private shuttle schedules directly with the outfitter. Nebraska requires no paddling certification for flatwater trips on the Niobrara, though life jackets — supplied by the outfitter — must be worn at all times.