Niobrara State Park is located where the Niobrara and Missouri rivers meet in the northeastern corner of Nebraska.
Site Review:
A modern campground is at the park’s south end, closest to Highway 12. It has 76 RV-compatible sites, all with 30/50 amp electrical hookups.
A machine located on the wall outside the showers converts paper currency into coins should you be short on the correct change. 
Other facilities include water taps throughout the park, a sanitation dump and fill station and playground equipment.
All sites have a fire ring, picnic table and a paved parking pad. Only minor levelling is required. We had site #7 when we visited Niobrara.
In addition to the RV sites, there are tent camping areas deeper in the park that are unserviced but have grills, fire rings and primitive restrooms provided.
Activities:
Swimming:
Niobrara State Park’s swimming pool is open from mid-June until mid-August. Lifeguards are on duty. The daily fee is $4 USD per person.
The pool hours are from 1 pm to 5 pm on summer weekdays and from 1 pm to 6 pm on weekends.
Horseback Riding at Niobrara
Enjoy seeing more of Niobrara State Park on horseback. You can purchase a trail ride at the park office. The rides are $25 USD for a 50-60-minute ride. You must reserve ahead of time, and riders must be 6 years and older to ride.
Hiking:
Niobrara State Park offers 14 miles of trails for hiking and biking. A trail map can be obtained at the park office or the registration hut when you enter the park. Most hiking involves walking a mowed path up and down hilly fields. I suggest you wear bug repellant and check for ticks should you choose hiking as an activity you wish to partake in. The bugs are extreme.
Biking:
A 3-mile driving loop within the park is paved and in good condition for cycling. However, it is very hilly, and the hill climbs are unfun. It may not be suitable for younger cyclists, appealing instead to cycling enthusiasts or those with e-powered bicycles.
Fishing and Boating:
The Missouri River offers anglers walleye, smallmouth bass, catfish and northern pike. There is nowhere for you to launch a boat from within the park. Ask at the park office for more information regarding launches nearby.
A Nebraska fishing permit “is required for anyone age 16 or older to take, or attempt to take, sportfish, bullfrogs, snapping turtles, barred salamanders or mussels, from any water body in Nebraska”.
Kayaking:
The Niobrara and Missouri Rivers are unsuitable for SUP as the currents are very swift. Kayaking, however, is a fun option. While there are no launch facilities within the park, you will find an access point directly across Highway 12 from the park entrance.
There are outfitters in the nearby village of Niobrara where you can rent a kayak and purchase a tour package which includes a guide for a 2.5-hour tour and a shuttle back to your vehicle when you are done.
I launched my kayak at the put-in spot across from the park entrance and took it out at the Running Water boat launch on the South Dakota side of the bridge. This took about 1.5 hours.
The boat launch has an ample-sized parking lot, making access easy.
My husband was my shuttle driver, as this is a one-way route. The current is strong.
Nearby Attractions:
There are golf courses nearby and Ohiya Casino is about a 15-minute drive away.
Things to Know:
- Niobrara State Park does not have a store on site but the village of Niobrara is less than a mile away and you can purchase basic items there.
- There are additional day-use charges on top of your camp fees. We had to pay an extra $7 USD a day per person (so for us an additional $28 USD). They DO NOT take credit or debit cards (or Apple Pay or e-transfers or anything like that). They accept cash or cheque only. If you don’t have cash, you will have to go into Niobrara and access a bank machine because they don’t have one of those either. This is inconvenient.
- Leashed pets are permitted.
- There are laundry facilities in the campground.
- Wood and ice are available for purchase at the camp office.
- Bring bug repellent. The mosquitos will suck you dry and leave you bloodless, and be on constant vigilance for ticks, both on yourself and your pets.
IMO:
I like Niobrara State Park. It was well-maintained and the Niobrara and Missouri rivers were nice draws for the activities and the views. I like the idea of horseback riding-it seems like a Nebraska thing to do and puts its own unique stamp on the park experience. The pool situation was ok. The pool was nice and in good condition, but the hours of operation were not very long and the pool was not convenient to the campground without driving. The hiking was unspectacular except for a few nice views, but they were not worth the battle with the bugs. The sites were ok, but given the size of the park, I think the sites could have been larger and more on par with what I have come to expect from a typical state park campsite.
Overall I would recommend Niobrara State Park as an RV Place to Go but probably just for a weekend. There is not a lot I would consider worthy of a longer stay.