Niobrara River Memorial Day Weekend (FULL)
THE TRADITION CONTINUES (and now it is FULL)
This is an easy, kids-friendly class 1 river, with our campground in the middle of the run. Each day will be about 12 miles and about 4 hours. Canoes, kayaks and inflatables are OK. Please indicate what type boat and number of folks in the boat when you register. A mixture of boat types means we will have to very intentional and careful to stay together. We will be dividing ourselves into two or perhaps three paddling groups for safety. As of March 13, we have 24 boats registered and the trip is FULL.
Premier scenic waterway
This beautiful stretch is one of America’s premier scenic heritage waterways; we’ll see many waterfalls, beautiful hardwood forests, and birds! And the resident buffalo herd at the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge (https://www.fws.gov/refuge/fort_niobrara/ ) often has calves this time of year. We float the river on Saturday and Sunday. Most will car camp at Smith Falls State Park, Friday – Sunday nights; return to the Front Range after breakfast on Monday (about a 6-7 hour drive back to Denver) or continue to see the sights of Nebraska or head up to South Dakota. Some folks may continue camping at Merritt Reservoir before heading home. Keep an eye on the calendar for details.
Memorial Day is shoulder season in the Sand Hills of Nebraska and we often have rain on parts of one or more days.
Niobrara River Trail description here .
Description from Backpacker magazine: http://www.backpacker.com/stories/paddle-nebraska-s-niobrara-river
River gage at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/usa/nwis/uv?site_no=06461500. We generally run it at between 1000 and 2000 cfs.
Float Plan
Saturday, we’ll meet at 9am (CDT) ready to shuttle from the Cornell Bridge put-in near Valentine, down to the Smith Falls State Park campground and beach the canoes/kayaks, and then start from there again on Sunday. If you are not camping, but meeting us in the morning, see the note, below for directions. Bring dollars in cash to purchase wristband for each paddler.
Saturday evening – Optional potluck dinner organized by Gay Lynn Olsen. We have reserved the large group shelter in case of rain. Bring your own plates and cutlery plus some cash (less than $5 each) to share the cost of the shelter.
Sunday, we’ll meet near the boat ramp (where we took out on Saturday) at 9 am (CDT) ready to shuttle from the campground to the take-out – probably at Sunny Brook Camp, about a mile upstream of Rocky Ford. The shuttle takes over an hour, so non-drivers should plan to relax, hike to Smith Falls, and/or birdwatch at the campground while the drivers are driving. We will verify the 9 am shuttle start on Saturday night. Sunny Brook Camp charges for parked cars and launch. Fee was $10 in years past, but may be more these days. Bring cash. Snacks may be available for purchase as well.
Sunday evening: Informal group happy hour possible, but no specific group activity planned.
Camping
The campground at Smith Falls State Park doesn’t open until early May and there is no official group site. We used to have the campground to ourselves but in recent years, it has gotten more crowded. The campground was reconfigured for 2021, adding more sites and mixing the use between tents and RVs in all sites. You can make reservations now – here’s the link to the on-line camping reservations https://nebraskastateparks.reserveamerica.com
You can also call the park for reservations (402) 376-1306) but your best bet is on-line. The camping cost is $54.40 for three nights, plus a day use fee. Check-in time is 4 p.m. and by then the Ranger Station may be closed. Your trip coordinator will be in Site 23. Sites can accommodate a trailer/camper and a tent or two tents.
Note: Directions to Cornell Bridge from Valentine: Take Nebraska 12 east about 4 miles to the Ft Niobrara Wildlife refuge turn-off. Turn right towards the river and then make the first right into the access parking lot. Be there by 10 am ready to shuttle and be sure to purchase your $1 wristband at the kiosk.
Paddle Craft
We will have a mixture of paddle craft, but most are canoes. As of March 13, we have 24 boats. We will divide into at least two groups.
Coordinators
To join this trip contact Leslie Copeland Taylor at lesliecopelandt@gmail.com. You will go on a wait list. Someone who reserved a campsite may not be able to make it and be willing to sell you his or her spot. Gay Lynn is organizing the pot luck. Craig Flora will be on-the-river head honcho. When you contact Leslie, please tell her: (1) Campsite (or staying in town); (2) yes, no or maybe on joining in the pot luck (3) on-the-river safety role, such a sweep, first boat, etc. (4) what kind of craft you will be paddling.
ACA Liability Insurance Waivers
If you are a current ACA member, you are all set.
Every paddler who is not a current ACA annual member must fill in the paperwork for an ACA Event Membership/Waiver and pay a $10 fee. The ACA has a new system for online event membership/waivers. Let’s give it a try. When doing the on-line event waiver use the event name: Niobrara. Use the date: May 23-24, 2026.
For those of you who want to pay Leslie at Smith Falls and are not an ACA member, you can sign an Event Waiver online using this link: https://aca.sport80.com/
If you want to create an Event Waiver and pay the fee directly to the ACA, use this link: https://aca.sport80.com/
Paper event waivers are still an option. You can print (NEW ACA WAIVER) in advance. Minor waivers are at: AMERICAN CANOE ASSOCIATION, INC
Pay for Event Insurance/waivers to Leslie before you get on the water. Ten dollars cash per paddler or a check payable to the ACA.
Safe Paddling
To keep our events both fun and safe for everyone, each participant needs to have the skills and the equipment appropriate to the waters and the weather. Each participant is the first judge of whether they have the skills and equipment necessary, but trip coordinators have the final say. Please read the RMCC Requirements and Recommendations for ACA-Sanctioned Events
