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Updated 4/24/24

I have so many places on my bucket list, like I’m sure all of you do. I’m happy to say that I’m getting closer to my goal of visiting EVERY ONE of our 50 states (35 down!!). Close to home, one of the most fun (and inexpensive!!) trips I’ve been on was up to Niobrara for a River Tubing Trip. Floating the Niobrara is a super popular Summer activity in Nebraska and I can see why. We had an absolute BLAST on our Valentine, Nebraska tubing trip and I bet you will love it, too.

What Exactly is Tubing?

If you’ve never done it, you may be asking yourself, what exactly is Niobrara River Tubing? Tubing is basically hopping on an intertube and letting the river take you away for a relaxing float. A fun way to float is to go with a group and tie your intertubes together so you’re in one flotilla.

There are different lengths of Niobrara River Tubing excursions. Some are 2ish hours and some are more like 7-hour trip. There’s something for everyone. If you want to immerse yourself in the outdoors and soak in the scenery, go for a longer tubing trip.

And, if you need more action that lazily floating down the river all day, then you might be happier opting for a shorter trip.

If it’s your first time doing a float trip, I’d go for a mid-length float trip. Keep in mind float times are approximate! No matter which length of trip you choose I’m betting you’ll have a great time.

What’s So Cool About Niobrara Tubing?

The Niobrara River ((Niobrara National Scenic River) is unique in its beauty and features 6 different ecosystems, along with waterfalls and wildlife like elk, turkey, deer, mink, and birds. It’s also home to the state’s biggest (only??) waterfall, Smith’s Falls at Smith Falls State Park. Along with all the fantastic scenery, you’ll meet friendly people.

Having seen Smith Falls up close a few times, I can tell you it’s pretty cool to see a waterfall in the middle of the Great Plains! The Niobrara is actually rated as a top 10 river for canoeing in the United States so it’s no joke. And with an average current of 3-7 mph it’s nice & easy.

Where Should You Go Niobrara River Tubing?

The Niobrara River is located in the beautiful Sandhills of North Central Nebraska. It’s God’s country up there!! There are outfitters in various spots along the Niobrara for your tubing adventure-most of them in and around Valentine, Nebraska. These outfitters specialize in setting you up for tubing the Niobrara River, so don’t worry if you’ve never done it. They’ll show you the way.

When Is the Best Time of Year to Go?

Most Outfitters are open mid-May through mid-September. I wouldn’t go before or after this time frame because the weather can be too unpredictable.

How Does Niobrara River Tubing Work?

I’d recommend (and what we did) hooking up with an outfitter in Valentine, NE. Most outfitters that specialize in Niobrara tubing are in Valentine. Many outfitters are super experienced and they’ll hook you up with everything you need to make your tubing trip a good one. We used Rocky Ford Outfitters and they were awesome.

For a very reasonable fee, they’ll set you up with your tubes, cooler tube and life jackets (or canoes or kayaks, if that’s your jam). They also provide a shuttle service and will shuttle you to and from your “put-in” spot, based on the float trip that you selected. This is a huge hassle saver so you don’t have to worry about the logistics of driving to & from the river yourself.

Where Should You Stay When Tubing the Niobrara River?

We did a lot of research to figure out where to stay for our river tubing trip. While I could’ve borrowed a tent or bought one ( I considered these tents for smaller groups and these tents for larger groups; and this tent is my absolute favorite for two people – the waterproof factor alone is enough to sell me, in the end we decided we wanted to stay in a cabin. Truth be told, I’m not a huge camper – more of a glamper.

Niobrara River Tubing Cabins

Cabin rentals along the Niobrara aren’t plentiful. I think there are a lot of people that want to stay in a solid 4 sided structure vs a tent on their Niobrara River tubing trip, but there’s only so much inventory. So, there are not many Niobrara River tubing cabins.

Most people camp or drive up and stay in their campers. That said, we did find the perfect solution for our large group of (lucky) 13!

The awesome Rocky Ford Outfitters came through again. They are one of the few outfitters that offer cabins. They have 1 smaller cabin for families and 3 bigger bunkhouses for large groups up to 14 people or so. We reserved the bunkhouse that slept 14 and while not glamorous, it got the job done. They also have camping sites and RV hookups.

Their place is awesome because it’s right on the river. And it’s clean!

The bunk house turned out to be just as it sounded – a large room with 14 bunks. With the picnic tables and the fire ring & grills for cooking our meals, it was rustic and it was perfect – all in all a great place for our group to hang out. The only downside was no indoor bathroom at the bunkhouse. There was an outhouse close by (not a fan – but I can deal in an emergency!!).

The Big Bonus for me was the general store where in addition to being able to buy ice and candy bars, there were glorious indoor bathrooms and (free!) showers! Woo – Hoo! Jackpot for me (I’m a TOTAL Girl, people!) This alone was worth the price (less than $200 per night!!)

Places to Stay Near the Niobrara River

• Niobrara Lodge – Pet Friendly & Indoor Pool!

Places to Stay In Valentine

All are budget friendly – around $100 per night or less!!

• Comfort Inn
• Super 8
• Econo Lodge Inn

Places to Camp Near the Niobrara River

• Berry Bridge Campground – Phone: 402-376-3474: Camping along the Niobrara River. Tent camping, bunkhouses and campers that don’t require electric or water are available. Located 11 miles east of Valentine, west of Berry Bridge. Concessions on site for basic needs. Reservations and walk-ins accepted based on availability.
• Big Alkali Fish Camp, LLC – 402-376-1523: Cabins, RV sites, primitive camping, showers and restrooms. Concession with pop, ice and fishing gear. Located 16 miles south of Valentine on Highway 83, four miles west on 16B

Fritz’s Island Campground – 89927 Sparks River Road Sparks, NE. Tent & RV camping and a modern convenience store with showers!!

.Sharp’s Campground – 402-376-2506 – Almost all of the sties here at Sharp’s Campground are riverside.  RV hookups and on site concessions. Take Highway 12 to mile marker 18 at Sparks, NE, and head south five miles. Located at the bottom of the hill.

Smith Falls State Park – 402-376-1306: Primitive camping at Smith Falls State Park located right next to the Niobrara River which will lull you to sleep come bedtime. 

Sparks RV and Camping\Dryland Aquatic – 1-800-337-3119, 402-376-3119: There are eight RV sites with 15 amp, 30 amp, and 50 amp electrical hook ups. Water is available. Located just off Highway 12 in the town of Sparks. Restrooms and shower house. Plenty of area to tent camp. Lillie’s Cafe and Sparks Store are within walking distance. 

Sunny Brook Camp – 1-877-376-1887: Sleep under the stars in your tent after a great day on the river. Convenience store, showers and restrooms. 

What is the Cost for Niobrara River Tubing?

If you’re wondering what it cost, here’s the breakdown for our stay at Rocky Ford: We stayed two nights for a total of $340 divided by 13 people so it was about $26.00 total per person for the bunkhouse for two nights. The tube rental/shuttle was an additional $45 per person. So about $71 per person for two nights and the float trip. Pretty cheap way to have fun in my book.

Itinerary for Niobrara River Tubing Trip

Niobrara River Tubing Day 1 Itinerary

Friday: We decided to schedule our actual tubing trip down the river on a Saturday. Even though this is by far the busiest day of the week for tubing on the river, we decided to go for it so people wouldn’t have to take off much work.

Valentine is about a 5 hour drive for us. We wanted to be there by early evening, so we left about 1:00 pm for the drive up. We hit O’Neil, Nebraska for a food/drink stop and so did Everyone Else!! I do not recommend stopping in O’Neil. It was WAAAYYY too busy. If you’re coming from the South like us, hit Neligh or Ainsworth instead. Or better yet, don’t stop at all. Just bring your essentials and you’re good to go. We brought ours, but someone still wanted a burger on the road!

Friday Evening: We arrived at Rocky Ford without much trouble, but I will say, it’s WAY off the beaten path. It’s approximately 12 miles off the highway down a dirt road. I really thought we missed a turn somewhere, but we kept going and eventually, there it was. We checked in at the general store, got the key to the bunkhouse and unloaded our gear.

We unpacked our coolers and grilled up an easy dinner of burgers & dogs + s’mores (of course!) and settled in by the campfire & hung out for a beautiful sunset. Once night krept in, things go even better. Let me just say that what I saw was the-most-spectacular-night-sky-I’ve-ever-seen. Absolutely breathtaking. There is absolutely NO light pollution whatsoever. I saw stars like I’ve NEVER seen. I will go back if only to see the beautiful night sky again.

Niobrara River Tubing Day 2

Saturday: We had a leisurely breakfast and made our way up to the general store for our 10:30 shuttle bus reservation. The reservation process is pretty easy at Rocky Ford. You have to prepay your shuttle & tube/canoe/kayak reservation, then your name goes on the list for your appropriate reservation. You must have a ticket to get on the bus, so don’t lose yours!

We enjoyed our bumpy ride on the bus to our put -in spot at Brewer Bridge (they have multiple launch sites based on the length of your trip). The bus was packed full of (mostly) younger than me people, but who cares? I still know how to have fun. And it was actually great because all the twenty & thirty somethings actually brought an energy to the bus, along with their jugs of homemade moonshine, I might add! I say whatever, it’s 5 o’clock somewhere!

5:00 O’clock on the River…or Somewhere

Now if you frown on daytime drinking, then I’ll tell you DO NOT GO DOWN THE RIVER ON A SATURDAY! There are plenty of people floating and MOST are drinking. So if you’re not into that; or you want a more family friendly experience, then go during the week when things are more calm. Our group of 13 consisted of high school kids all the way up to sixty year-olds and we weren’t offended by anything, but we’re not easily offended 🙂

Niobrara River Tubing – Float Time

So we selected the 3.5 hour tubing experience which departed from Brewer Bridge. The other option was the longer float time of 7 ish hours that departed from Berry Bridge. We opted for the shorter ride because to me 7 hours is a LONG time to be out on the river. I think, but do not know for sure, that the 3.5 hour float is the more popular experience. I do know that our bus was packed full of people doing the 3.5 hour ride.

Rocky Ford had things worked out pretty smooth. You basically show your receipt, jump on the bus, drive to the put-in spot, jump out and grab your tube, cooler tube and life jackets. We had a little confusion with the specific tubes we rented and finding the cooler tubes, but once we got that squared away, all was good.

We did bring coolers with sandwiches, chips, cookies, and drinks, but honestly, we could’ve used more munchies. Something about being out on the river in the sun makes for hungry peeps. No one got out & out hangry, but I could see it happening, especially if your group is full of big eaters. I’d advise to bring more food than you think you need and also take a look at our roadtrip essentials for what to pack.

Smooth Tubing & Tanking

The float was pretty smooth the whole way down, however there were times that we needed our burly guys to jump off the tubes into the water and steer us out towards the middle of the river. The river is quite shallow so it’s easy to get high-centered. With as many tubes as we had tied together, there was no way to get “unstuck” without the help of our he-men! We had high school kids with us and were all tied together. I could see why older kids might want their own tube, but it really was more fun with lots of people all together and I think it was a great way to float down the river.

We saw a lot of groups tanking which looked like fun, too. It looked like a very similar experience, but if you’re tanking, you’re more upright than if you’re tubing.

All in all, the float down river in our flotilla was peaceful, scenic, and relaxing. A highlight was stopping at Smith Falls to see the largest waterfall in the state off Nebraska. I’d definitely recommend stopping to see Smith Falls. It’s totally unique in Nebraska and worth a look.

The way Rocky Ford has things arranged is such that we basically jumped out of the river at the end of our 3.5 hour float right in front of our campground. There are numerous signs showing where your “stop” is, so it’s pretty hard to get lost. The water is slow moving enough and shallow enough that most will not have any trouble hoisting themselves out of the river at the end of the float. Rocky Ford employees were stationed on the banks of the Niobrara to grab our tubes as we came out of the water so it was easy-peasy.

Saturday Night Steakhouse Adventure

Saturday Night: After showering and a little relaxation, we drove the 12ish miles into Valentine for dinner at the Peppermill. The Peppermill is an old school steakhouse that has great food and gets really packed. When we arrived the place was packed – including the bar.

I noticed that there were tons of guys with these funky shirts covered in ads and logos. I found out that all these guys were professional fisherman and there was a weekend fishing tournament going on nearby. To be honest, I didn’t really know that being a professional fisherman was a “thing”!! So all these dudes had the same idea to hit up the Peppermill for dinner, just like us. I guess being on the water all day surrounded by fish makes one get a hankering for beef!! If you’re in the area, go to the Peppermill. It’s super good and you will not be disappointed.

We wrapped up the evening back at the bunkhouse with more wine and stars. It was another beautiful night.

Niobrara River Tubing Day 3

Sunday: After we woke up, we wasted no time packing up and hitting the road. Everyone was ready to get back to town and have a little time to unwind before work on Monday. So we hit the road by 9:00 ish and drove home.

And before we knew it, we were out of the picturesque Sandhills and back in the city. It was a fun, easy (and cheap) way to spend a weekend. I highly recommend a Niobrara River Tubing trip for all! Good Times for sure!

Tell me if you go tubing! What did you think?? Did you check out all the glorious stars?!!

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