River Rafting on the Niobrara River
Located in the state of Nebraska, in the central United States, the Niobrara River flows approximately 568 miles from its source in the Big Hay Hayfield in the Great Plains region of Cherry County, to its confluence with the Missouri River in southwestern South Dakota. The Niobrara River offers various exciting outdoor adventures, including river rafting, which has become a popular tourist activity in the region. This article will delve into the details of river rafting on the Niobrara River.
Rising in the Sandhills of north-central Nebraska, the Niobrara River descends through the rolling sandstone hills and eventually flows through Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge and the Niobrara State Park. The river's shallow waters, gentle rapids, and abundant gravel bars create ideal conditions for an exhilarating rafting experience. While generally calm and manageable, the river's high water flows in June and July can carry danger, particularly during heavy flooding.
Zips, bends, cuts, and meanders characterize the Niobrara's winding path. Over time, strong currents carve a main channel in addition to numerous oxbow lakes as old distributaries change forms through tectonic geological processes. The resulting geologically dynamic waters offer serene breathtaking scenery and myriad wildlife habitats along this watery boundary dividing sand and lush humid forests running adjacent upland slopes. During flood events at lower levels its overflow spreads far and wide through its extensive wetlands supporting wildlife in vast rich areas downstream.
Along its passage through the 45-mile river traverse in Niobrara National Recreation Area, the Niobrara gradually changes its form through three key stretches of rapids or riffles. Of these three stretches, the first is at a west-northwest bend upstream from the bridge over Spencer Park Dam west-southwest of Valentine. The remaining stretches consist of an irregular boulder-dotted riffle channel and another two downstream and left of this reach at more south-southwest general directions leading to more calm sections downstream.
However, taking an excursion along the Niobrara River calls for effective planning and preparation, starting with physical skill that includes wading deep water safely while steering strong flows during rapids. While river experiences may make available resources, being a skilled river hand helps a great deal. Private and guided boat trips of local experienced oarsmen help where you may find or ask assistance as they guide with safety equipment knowledge at first of river expeditions serving better awareness when boaters return alone once acquiring the necessary river skills in subsequent excursions.
The trip down River Niobrara by taking the upper Big or lower sections could start off Valentine National Wildlife Refuge passing slowly traversing low grass plain river landscapes over long north-banked prairies set downstream continuing 47 miles of immense river wetlands within more than nine miles in two unique upper state forest low wet meadows that end on lower end in down deep mud channel segments, river floodplains areas which take its riverside water downstream.
During National Recreation water-season between spring rains north April snowmelt season peaks between late spring season in years not particularly flooded through these high overflow seasons right in early June dry wet months this great life force holds key state potential in enduring beautiful river rapids as river takes part changing flows the real water balance amidst summer flowing higher rapid sections shaping the landscape evolution surrounding human efforts ultimately form nature both sustaining and renewing the nature's flow balance that serves its unending deep conservation of resource water and habitats forming on Earth.
Therefore the ever running dynamic and breathtaking beauty river state landscapes the state's supreme, unique beautiful rugged hills and rich wet grassland plants remain untainted and pure but because high river is able to join in its path joining the national refuges in wetlands along many water habitat levels so this magnificent Niobrara River Nature that through wild sandhills are protected enduring recreation life where our wildlife keeps evolving naturally through a flow water of wetlands season offering so in grand so that it supports all an intimate tie enduring harmony best spirit for freedom where great natural balance where flow forever life-giver remains in Niobrara the spirit is wild balance and protection forever flow.
Rising in the Sandhills of north-central Nebraska, the Niobrara River descends through the rolling sandstone hills and eventually flows through Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge and the Niobrara State Park. The river's shallow waters, gentle rapids, and abundant gravel bars create ideal conditions for an exhilarating rafting experience. While generally calm and manageable, the river's high water flows in June and July can carry danger, particularly during heavy flooding.
Zips, bends, cuts, and meanders characterize the Niobrara's winding path. Over time, strong currents carve a main channel in addition to numerous oxbow lakes as old distributaries change forms through tectonic geological processes. The resulting geologically dynamic waters offer serene breathtaking scenery and myriad wildlife habitats along this watery boundary dividing sand and lush humid forests running adjacent upland slopes. During flood events at lower levels its overflow spreads far and wide through its extensive wetlands supporting wildlife in vast rich areas downstream.
Along its passage through the 45-mile river traverse in Niobrara National Recreation Area, the Niobrara gradually changes its form through three key stretches of rapids or riffles. Of these three stretches, the first is at a west-northwest bend upstream from the bridge over Spencer Park Dam west-southwest of Valentine. The remaining stretches consist of an irregular boulder-dotted riffle channel and another two downstream and left of this reach at more south-southwest general directions leading to more calm sections downstream.
However, taking an excursion along the Niobrara River calls for effective planning and preparation, starting with physical skill that includes wading deep water safely while steering strong flows during rapids. While river experiences may make available resources, being a skilled river hand helps a great deal. Private and guided boat trips of local experienced oarsmen help where you may find or ask assistance as they guide with safety equipment knowledge at first of river expeditions serving better awareness when boaters return alone once acquiring the necessary river skills in subsequent excursions.
The trip down River Niobrara by taking the upper Big or lower sections could start off Valentine National Wildlife Refuge passing slowly traversing low grass plain river landscapes over long north-banked prairies set downstream continuing 47 miles of immense river wetlands within more than nine miles in two unique upper state forest low wet meadows that end on lower end in down deep mud channel segments, river floodplains areas which take its riverside water downstream.
During National Recreation water-season between spring rains north April snowmelt season peaks between late spring season in years not particularly flooded through these high overflow seasons right in early June dry wet months this great life force holds key state potential in enduring beautiful river rapids as river takes part changing flows the real water balance amidst summer flowing higher rapid sections shaping the landscape evolution surrounding human efforts ultimately form nature both sustaining and renewing the nature's flow balance that serves its unending deep conservation of resource water and habitats forming on Earth.
Therefore the ever running dynamic and breathtaking beauty river state landscapes the state's supreme, unique beautiful rugged hills and rich wet grassland plants remain untainted and pure but because high river is able to join in its path joining the national refuges in wetlands along many water habitat levels so this magnificent Niobrara River Nature that through wild sandhills are protected enduring recreation life where our wildlife keeps evolving naturally through a flow water of wetlands season offering so in grand so that it supports all an intimate tie enduring harmony best spirit for freedom where great natural balance where flow forever life-giver remains in Niobrara the spirit is wild balance and protection forever flow.
