Niobrara State Park facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Niobrara State Park
Historic Niobrara State Park River Bridge
Niobrara State Park Location in Nebraska
Location	Knox County, Nebraska. United States
Nearest town	Niobrara, Nebraska
Area	1,236.59 acres (500.43 ha)
Elevation	1,230 ft (370 m)
Designation	Nebraska state park
Established	1987 (originally Niobrara Island State Park, est. 1930)
Visitors	132,950 (in 2018)
Administrator	Nebraska Game and Parks Commission
Website	Niobrara State Park

Niobrara State Park is a public recreation area located at the confluence of the Missouri and Niobrara rivers in the northeast corner of Nebraska. The state park occupies river bluffs to the west of the village of Niobrara and the Niobrara River. The park includes the Niobrara River Bridge, a decommissioned railroad bridge listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A variety of animals, notably white-tailed deer and wild turkeys, roam the park by day, while at night, coyotes and whip-poor-wills mingle their cries and calls. The park is managed by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.

History

The first state park at the mouth of the Niobrara River was called Niobrara Island State Park. Niobrara Island had been a Niobrara town park until it was transferred to the state in 1930. Both the state and the Civilian Conservation Corps made improvements to the site in the 1930s. The park's present-day site opened in 1987 after the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission purchased 1,231 acres of higher land to the west of the original park. Cabins at the old park that were still in use in 1987 were subsequently abandoned because of high water in the area.

Activities and amenities

Park facilities include a swimming pool and interpretive center. Visitors can tour the park via seven miles (11 km) of roads and fourteen miles (23 km) of hiking trails. The park offers RV and primitive camping as well as cabins that overlook the river.