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Smith Falls State Park, Valentine, NE

Photo: Blaze Wolf, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Sport & OutdoorOutdoor AdventureFamily Favorite

Smith Falls State Park

90165 Smith Falls Rd · Valentine, NE

Why you should go…

Smith Falls State Park sits on the Niobrara River about 12 miles east-northeast of Valentine and holds Nebraska's highest waterfall, a 63-foot spring-fed drop. You reach it by crossing a restored 160-foot iron truss footbridge over the river and following a short trail into a cool canyon. Paper birch and aspen left from the last Ice Age grow there. The park also has tent camping, picnicking, hiking, fishing and canoeing.

  • #waterfall
  • #state park
  • #niobrara river
  • #hiking
  • #camping

Good to know

General sport & outdoor guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Weather calls the shots

    Check the forecast the morning of and keep an indoor backup in your pocket for the day it turns.

  • Shoes, water, sun cover

    The three things that decide whether you last the whole outing or cut it short after an hour.

  • Parking and launches fill early

    On a nice weekend, lots and trailheads are often full by mid-morning.

  • Daylight shrinks in shoulder season

    Spring and fall visits need an earlier start than the same trip in July.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Smith Falls State Park, ordered by straight-line distance.

  • Sport & Outdoor
    Outdoor Adventure

    Brewers Canoers and Tubers

    $25–$50

    Canoe, kayak and tube rentals with shuttle service for floating Nebraska's Niobrara National Scenic River.

    12 mi awayMore like this