Once you make your way to these waterfalls in Nebraska, you don’t just have to gaze at their beauty—you can get up close and personal!
Waterfalls are majestic to behold, but do you know what’s even better than marveling at a waterfall from afar? Getting up close and personal with one!
Most waterfalls are too dangerous for visitors to swim in. The churning current can be overwhelming at the bottom and trap a swimmer, or there may be hidden rocks that could cause injury. But in Nebraska, there are a handful of waterfalls that visitors can splash in directly, as well as several that you can get close enough to feel like you’re part of the action.
Here are all the details you need to know about which waterfalls in Nebraska are safe to swim in, which you should keep your distance from, and a few you can get close enough to feel the water’s spray.
1. Smith Falls State Park
- Location: 90159 Smith Falls Rd., Valentine
- Cost: $4/vehicle entrance fee for residents; $14 for non-residents
- Hours: Dawn until dusk
- How to access the falls: Take the footbridge over the river and use the accessible boardwalk
Smith Falls State Park is a go-to outdoor destination for many Nebraska residents and visitors, specifically because of the Falls. At 63 feet, Smith Falls is the tallest waterfall in Nebraska, which doesn’t seem to lend itself to swimming, but the combination of slow-moving waters and a shallow plunge pool at the bottom of the falls makes it an appealing activity.
You can hike down the bottom of the waterfall, and if you’re brave enough to face the frigid waters, you can also stand near the rocks at the bottom to wade and stand in the waterfall’s spray. (Water shoes are recommended, as it is rocky.) The ecology of the state park is also very unique and sensitive, with some plants dating back to the Ice Age, so hiking off-trail is prohibited in the park to protect the plants and wildlife.
The Falls were originally known as the Arikaree Falls, a reference to a Native American tribe in the area called Arikara, but have been referred to as Smith Falls since Frederic Smith filed the area’s first homestead patent in 1896.
In addition to the falls and swimming, the park has many other recreational opportunities, such as camping, fishing, hiking, tubing, kayaking, and plenty of spots for a picnic lunch. The Niobrara River is a very popular spot for canoeing and kayaking, and if you don’t have your own water equipment, you can rent some from local businesses. The river is designated as a “scenic” and designated quiet waterway and boasts 75 miles of waters that are perfect for leisurely floating or kayaking.
Last but not least, camping is available at the Smith Falls State Park. There are 38 campsites available along the riverside, making this the perfect place to take a break from tubing, start a kayak trip, or just take in the scenery.
2. Fort Falls
- Location: 39983 Refuge Road, Valentine
- Cost: Free
- Hours: Dawn to dusk
- How to access the falls: Take the trail to the viewing platform down by the canyon floor
While you can’t go full-on swimming in these falls, you can experience the waters of the 45-foot-tall Fort Falls, located in the Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge, thanks to a viewing platform near the bottom of the falls. While on the platform, you can see the cascading water fall and experience the splash of the water from the falls as it hits the canyon floor.
Visitors report that, from the platform, the water and spray will often hit you. Like Smith Falls, the water from Fort Falls stems from the Niobrara National Scenic River, so a visit to the area provides beautiful views and river recreation like kayaking. In fact, you can even see Fort Falls from your kayak if you enjoy a ride down the river.
You can also partake in a variety of hiking trails, such as the one-mile Fort Falls Trail, which features convenient walkways and stairs that lead to the canyon floor.
3. Platte River State Park
- Location: 14421 346th St., Louisville
- Cost: Annual vehicle pass required
- Hours: Dawn to dusk
- How to access the falls: Visitors can splash in the smaller Stone Creek waterfall in the park
The Platte River State Park features a main waterfall that is not directly open for visitors to swim in, but they can enjoy the creek and the smaller Stone Creek waterfall with delightful stepping stone-like rocks across the top of the falls. There is also a small wading pool area with shallow waters that make it a popular “swimming” spot.
There are plenty of other water-play options at this spot, such as Crawdad Creek, which encourages hands-on interaction, as well as an on-site splash pad and spray park. Decker Creek also has a new kayaking and canoeing access point for water enthusiasts.
If you want to extend your trip to the park, we recommend booking one of the three glamping cabins on site—they are gorgeous and blend a nature-filled camping feel with modern amenities like air-conditioning, plush robes, slippers, and linens, kitchenettes, and even in-room s’mores kits.
4. Refrigerator Falls
- Location: Niobrara Valley Preserve near Johnstown
- Cost: Free
- Hours: Dawn to dusk
- How to access the falls: The falls are more remote and require a hike
Known as Refrigerator Falls or “Icebox Falls,” the water of this aptly named waterfall is infamously frigid. However, if your goal is to swim in a waterfall, this is one you can fully immerse yourself in. Just imagine the world from behind a waterfall!
According to Visit Nebraska, to reach this small waterfall, “simply veer right and follow the creek upstream. Conversely, if you opt to remain on the primary trail, it will lead you to the magnificent Big Cedar Falls.”
5. Berry Falls
- Location: Near 90281 Berry Bridge Road, Valentine
- Cost: Free
- Hours: Dawn to dusk
- How to access the fall: The land the falls are on is privately owned, but boaters can float near the bottom
You can’t swim in Berry Falls, especially because it’s privately owned, but many kayakers and canoeists enjoy visiting the falls by water vehicle because it’s such an accessible waterfall. Unlike many other waterfalls, especially in Nebraska, you can float basically right up to the bottom of the falls.
The ability to float at the bottom of the falls gives many boaters the ability to “experience ” the waterfall because being that close to the water brings a spray and splash that will definitely cool you off on a hot summer day.
If you want even more waterfall-in-Nebraska fun, we also recommend that you check out the Nebraska Passport app that includes a long list of visit-worthy stops in the state, including some natural waterfalls and a few manmade ones—and yes, some might just happen to be at putt-putt golf courses, but if an on-site ice cream store is involved, those just might be our favorite.
