# Niobrara River: waterfalls and fossil rhinos

> 3-day road trip of about 326 km (203 mi) with 7 stops, from Snake River Falls to Niobrara State Park. About 3 h 37 min of driving in total.

Source: https://camping-spirit.com/guides/b9-niobrara/

**At a glance:** 3-day road trip of about 326 km (203 mi) with 7 stops, from Snake River Falls to Niobrara State Park. About 3 h 37 min of driving in total. Waterfalls, bison and river floats around Valentine, then east along US-20 to fossil beds and the Missouri.

| | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 326 km (203 mi) |
| Driving | 3 h 37 min |
| Suggested days | 3 |
| Stops | 7 |
| Route | Snake River Falls → Niobrara State Park |
| States | NE |
| Updated | May 18, 2026 |

## Route description

Start south-west of Valentine at Snake River Falls on NE-97, then drive into Valentine, the town at the heart of the Niobrara National Scenic River. Outfitters in town rent canoes, kayaks and tubes and run shuttles; a summer float between the sandstone bluffs is the highlight of the trip.

Just east of town, Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge has a drive through bison and elk range and a short walk to Fort Falls. Farther downstream, Smith Falls State Park is reached over a footbridge across the river; the falls are Nebraska’s highest, in a shady, fern-covered canyon.

US-20 then runs east for about two hours across ranch land to O’Neill. From there, head north-east to Ashfall Fossil Beds near Royal, where rhinos and horses killed by volcanic ash millions of years ago are preserved where they fell; it is open only in the warmer months.

End at Niobrara State Park, where the river meets the Missouri. A former railroad bridge is now a trail across the river, and the park’s cabins and campsites overlook the valley.

## Stop-by-stop itinerary

1. **Snake River Falls** (Valentine, NE): One of Nebraska’s largest waterfalls by volume, dropping into a sandstone canyon south-west of Valentine. A short path leads to viewpoints above the falls.
2. **Valentine** (NE)
3. **Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge** (Valentine, NE): Bison and elk graze the prairie above the Niobrara River on a site that was once an army post. Drive the wildlife loop and walk down to Fort Falls.
4. **Smith Falls State Park** (Sparks, NE): Nebraska’s highest waterfall, reached over a footbridge across the Niobrara and a boardwalk through a cool, fern-lined canyon. A popular take-out for river floaters.
5. **O'Neill** (NE)
6. **Ashfall Fossil Beds** (Royal, NE): Rhinos, horses and camels buried by volcanic ash about 12 million years ago, left exactly where they fell. Watch paleontologists at work inside the Rhino Barn; open in the warmer months.
7. **Niobrara State Park** (Niobrara, NE): Bluffs over the meeting of the Niobrara and Missouri rivers, crossed by an old railroad bridge now used as a trail. Cabins and campsites look out over the river bottoms.

## FAQs

**How long is Niobrara River: waterfalls and fossil rhinos?**
3-day road trip of about 326 km (203 mi) with 7 stops, from Snake River Falls to Niobrara State Park. About 3 h 37 min of driving in total.

**How many days do you need for Niobrara River: waterfalls and fossil rhinos?**
We suggest 3 days: about 3 h 37 min of driving, which leaves time for the stops.

**Where does Niobrara River: waterfalls and fossil rhinos start and end?**
It starts in Snake River Falls and ends in Niobrara State Park.

**Which states does Niobrara River: waterfalls and fossil rhinos pass through?**
Nebraska.