Niobrara State Park

Overview

Brochure InfoSummary Situated at the confluence of the Niobrara and Missouri rivers on Nebraska's northeastern border, Niobrara State Park offers visitors an opportunity to sample a wide range of outdoor experiences. Cabins, camping from RVs to tents, picnicking, swimming pool, buffalo cookouts, boat ramps nearby, horseback trail rides, hiking, fishing, history or communing with Mother Nature are all available at this exceptional state park. Attractions Niobrara State Park offers a modern swimming pool; horseback trail rides led by wranglers; fishing in the nearby rivers; hiking the 14 miles of trail; bird watching and other nature study, or just a chance to loll in the shade away from the hectic pace of day-to-day living. Saturday evenings, Memorial Day through Labor Day, Niobrara State Park hosts a Buffalo Cookout. Adjacent to the park is Bazile Creek Wildlife Management Area, which provides additional opportunity of wildlife viewing, fishing, boating and hunting in season. Visitors may want to check out the site of the mosasaurus palentological find, an important one, since it was the first complete fossil of its kind found in Nebraska. Other areas of interest are the Ponca Cemetery, Mormon Monument, and the Ponca Agency and Standing Bear monument, as well as other local historical attractions. Ask for directions at the Park Office. The City of Niobrara offers a modern 9-hole, grass-greens golf course. Campground Notes Niobrara State Park offers beautiful tent camping spots tucked in to the hills overlooking the confluence of the Niobrara and Missouri Rivers. For RVer's Niobrara offers a modern campground complete with 30-amp and 50-amp electrical hookups. Other facilities include drinking water, modern restrooms, coin-operated showers, coin-operated washer and dryer, dump station, picnic tables and grills. A handicap fishing bridge spans the Niobrara on the northern section of the park which offers excellent catfishing. Playground equipment for the youngsters is also available in the campground. The tent camping area extends along three miles of extremely hilly, winding, one-way road. Grills and ground-level fire rings are provided for tent campers. Many sites are situated on elevated hills adjacent to the Niobrara River. Cedar trees abound in the tent camping area, interspersed with groups of elm, hackberry and ash. Backpackers will also find Adirondack shelters here. Grills and picnic sites are located at various points along the one-way loop. One picnic shelter situated on the highest hill in the park, gives a spectacular view of the surrounding countryside.Brochure Info - Facilities and RestrictionsModern camping facilities are open (depending on weather conditions) beginning in May and normally through mid-October. Camping is available year-round, including campsites with electricity. When modern facilities are closed, a winter rate camping fee is charged.< Water fill for RV camping is available at the Fresh Water Fill and Dump Station on North End of RV Campground. Water Hydrants in the RV campground are available by contacting the office or Camp host. We also would like to ask everyone to please keep carpets on asphalt pads.Key InfoATTENTION - IMPORTANT INFORMATION, READ CAREFULLY Updated COVID 19 Policies: We ask that you protect yourselves and the staff by maintaining appropriate social distancing guidelines. The Game and Parks Commission reminds park guest to practice social distancing to ensure compliance with the state’s Directed Health Measures amid the COVID-19 heath situation. Necessary permits, such as fishing licenses and parks entry passes, should be purchased in advance online here: https://ngpc-home.ne.gov/ The health and safety of our customers and employees is our top priority. Based on health concerns regarding COVID-19, we are working to reduce the spread of the novel coronavirus disease to our guests, employees, and the greater community by implementing the following policies. If boating, do not congregate at boat ramps, boat docks, and beach areas. Avoid high –touch areas. Clean public use surfaces, such as boat dock handrails and fish cleaning stations, picnic tables, with disinfecting wipe prior to use. Camping reservations may be made a minimum of three days in advance of arrival and a maximum of 180 days in advance of arrival. CHECK IN AND OUT SCHEDULE- If you check out early, the unused portion of your payment will be forfeited.Office Hours: park office phone (402) 857-3373 email: ngpc.niobrara@nebraska.govMemorial Day Weekend - Labor Day: 8:00 am - 6:30 pm Daily Labor Day - Late November: 8:00 am-12:00 pm, 1:00 pm-5:00 pm DailyLate November - Mid April: 8:00-12:00, 12:30-4:30 pm Monday-Friday, Closed Saturday and Sunday Mid-April - Memorial Day: 8:00-12:00, 1:00-5:00 pm Monday-Saturday; 8:00-12:00 pm SundayNiobrara State Park is along the Missouri River and Cabins are available year round. Cabin Check-in is 4 p.m. and check-out is at 11 a.m. Check-in prior to 4 o'clock is not allowed. If arriving after office hours, please make arrangements with park office for cabin check-in procedures. -When a reservation is made one year to the date in advance, the arrival date must remain the same within that reservation. No cancellation of that arrival date is allowed.Nights may be added to the beginning and end of an existing reservation. Swimming pool is open daily mid June - mid August, weekends only mid August to Labor Day subject to lifeguard availability. Horse Trail Rides are available Memorial Day Weekend through mid August, weekends only mid August to Labor Day subject to wrangler availability. Please call park office for details regarding pool and horse trail ride operating hours. Camping (Tents and Campers) is prohibited in the cabin area of the park. Guests wishing to camp must use the designated camping areas. Portable fire pits are prohibited. A Nebraska State Park Permit is required to enter this park area. A Nebraska Licensed Vehicle Park Entry Permit is $30 for an Annual Permit, $15 for a Duplicate Annual Permit (used for that second vehicle in your family) or a Daily Permit which is $6 per day you are staying. A Non-Nebraska Licensed Vehicle Park Entry Permit is $60, $30 for a Duplicate Annual Permit or a Daily Permit which is $12 per day. You may purchase your Park Permit prior to your stay by shopping online at OutdoorNebraska.org.All vehicles entering a Nebraska Park Area are required to have a valid park entry permit.Important Information for Daily EntranceDirectionIf you are driving from Omaha on I-29 to Sioux city, take Hwy 20 to Hwy 12, then 2 miles west of Niobrara, if traveling from the west on Hwy 12, Niobrara State Park is about 10 miles from the town of Verdel on Hwy 12.Booking Window Product InfoFee Cancellation DescFee Information Payment in full will be charged to your credit card upon completion of the reservation. A $8.50 non-refundable on-line reservation fee will be charged for each reservation. Payment Methods Accepted On-line: Cancellation Policy Reservations may be cancelled online or submitted by email to the Nebraska reservation call center at ngpc.reservations@nebraska.gov or directly submitted to the park where the reservation(s) are held, by mail, e-mail, or fax. A non-refundable fee of $5.00 will be charged for any reservation cancellation. Additional late cancellation fee may apply to cancellations less than 30 days prior to the scheduled arrival date, depending on your reservation Please read the Fee and Cancellation Policy for more information