niobrara state park

This park contains a camping spot where Lewis and Clark stopped on the western journey. The cabins are basic and the views of the river are unrivaled.

This park has good wildlife viewing, proximity to both the Missouri and Niobrara river. There is WiFi at several places in the park but no TV in the rooms. I didn't miss it as there was plenty of hiking and birdwatching to do, but if you like electronics, you will have a few hours of withdrawal. Staff were friendly and knowledgeable.

Wonderful place to enjoy nature. We enjoyed a family picnic. The cabins looked marvelous and the scenery in the area was fantastic. Looks like other fun things to do in the area, float trips great restaurants, museum, buffalo and elk ranch.

The cabins are nice they have everything you would need except food already in them. The views are great with lots of hiking and outdoor activities available in the area. There are A LOT of bugs so be aware of that and use lots of bug spray.

Wonderful view of the river, lots of hiking/walking/running trails. Cabins have everything you need except food! There is a swimming pool which does charge a small fee. Bring bugspray - lots of mosquitoes.

Stayed at the campgrounds while fishing the Missouri River from the nearby Verdel Landing. Showed up on a Sunday afternoon ... dumpsters were full from the weekend. 3 days later they had still not been emptied. Restrooms/showers were adequate, could use a lot of just routine maintenance (door latches, clothing hooks, brighter light bulbs!) Camphosts did keep them well supplied with TP and paper towels, and hosing them out. Additional shock came when the local warden required us to pay for an additional campsite for the tent pitched along side the camper. Not in another campsite mind you. Didn't see much of the rest of the park, as sightseeing wasn't our purpose. Perhaps the cabins would have been better, but almost assuredly more expensive. Our experience in South Dakota a couple of weeks later, was much better.

We stayed here on the advice of friends. The view is stunning and the staff we encountered were great. However, the cabin was full of flies!!! It says there is a kitchen (and there is), but no baking sheet and limited pans. not really set up well for much in the way of cooking. The beds were comfortable, but the furnishings were old (we were in unit 14). The carpet, and everything were old--the chairs on the porch were rusted. Plus, the fire alarm went off when we boiled water. I am not exaggerating--just boiling water. That said, I didn't stay for the furnishings--a comfortable bed is more important than the other areas and the view is just amazing. I think the cabins are in the process of being redone...clearly this one had not gotten there yet. If you are here in the summer, consider bringing fly paper. They have a fly swatter, but I think previous occupants did what we did and trapped the flies in the windows--so when you open the windows all the flies come streaming out.

Really a nice surprise. We weren't planning on stopping here, actually didn't know anything about it, but were really glad we did. The visitor's center staff was very friendly and there are lots of exhibits to look at to learn about the area. It's more of a driving tour with a few stops. We went to Fort Falls and hiked about 5 minutes to see it. Really more of a walk than a hike, but it was surprising to see a waterfall in Nebraska. There are quite a few animals in the park but it was midday and hot when we were there. We saw some buffalo in the distance and, our biggest surprise, a couple of elk bedded down in the tall grass of the prairie. We didn't spend a lot of time here, probably around an hour, but it was definitely worth the $5 per carload entry fee. Somewhere we'd recommend if you were in the area. Probably a better visit during the spring or fall.

From the high point of the park the view of the Missouri River is spectacular. We have not stayed in the cabins, but they are quite attractive and afford great scenery. The campground is neat and inviting. Would be a great place for a family reunion.

Great accommodations, great scenery. A great place for a family getaway with so many activities to choose from at the park.

After you visit Fort Niobrara Wilderness Refuge, head down the road to Smith Falls State Park. Stop in the Visitor Center to register and pay your admission, and then take the stairs down to the river. There are picnic tables right along the river so be sure and take yours along so you can feast as you watch the floaters on the river. BTW. Pets are allowed and our schnauzer had a great time on this adventure. To cross the Niobrara River and get back to the falls there is a recycled automobile bridge from the early 1900s that has been refurbished and rebuilt into a pedestrian bridge. Enjoy the walk and scenery as you cross the bridge. To preserve the environment, a wooden raised walkway has been built among the trees that takes you back to the falls. These tallest falls in Nebraska are a wonderful surprise to the eyes and body, as you can climb down off of the walkway once you get to the falls and walk up underneath to cool off. Be sure and wear shoes that give you good traction in the water. When we were there in August the waters coming off of the falls wasn't real heavy, so standing under the waters was a real cooling off treat on a hot day. Oh, there is a nice campground right along the river, too.

a wonderful place to camp, very clean and what a way to spend a weekend with family and friends

One of my favorite places to visit. It is absolutely tranquil in this park. Horseback riding, pool, fishing, trails and a lifetime of outdoor adventures. This could be a family vacation or a romantic getaway. The scenic views are so amazing that you will wonder if you are still in Nebraska.

Arranged a mini-vacation with my grade school aged nieces on short notice. We stayed in one of the two-bedroom cabins with full kitchen and bath. There was a two night minimum stay requirement. It was nice to know the bedding, towels, pans, and dishes would all be provided. I even precooked parts of the meals at home and used the microwave to reheat. This vacation the focus was not on food preperation but on enjoying the outdoors in the little time we had.The cabin had a good size screen porch with patio furniture which was perfect for dining al fresco. The bugs were kept out, but not the views of the Missouri River. Gorgeous. Inside we had the option of AC. The first night was not so hot and we were able to capture some nice cross ventilation breezes. The second night we needed the AC for sure. Turned it on in the afternoon and the place was cool enough by bedtime. The girls had their first trail ride. They are still talking about it 2 weeks later. The wranglers did a good job of matching the girls to the horses and providing an introductory lesson on riding. Some of the horses looked pretty old, but the equipment was in good shape. The older horses were probably better choices for the inexperienced riders. The pool was very clean. There was a nice springy, diving board. Went for a hike one day and ended up with a lot of ticks. I am not sure if it is related to the river flooding things or not, but it has been a bad year for ticks and mosquitos at home too. The staff we encountered were all friendly.

We absolutely loved this park! It sits on the bluffs overlooking the confluence of the Niobrara and Missouri rivers. The views are spectacular! Very interesting flora and fauna - evergreen forests, prairie, wet lands, river; incredible varieties of birds including many wild turkeys. Good hiking or you can drive around to various overlooks. There is also a nice pool for the kids, horseback riding, and a Lewis and Clark interpretive center. Nearby is the Gavin’s Point dam, Lewis and Clark Lake and other points of interest. We stayed in one of the housekeeping cabins – very well kept and convenient.