The old cavalry fort is gone — only the prairie dogs are left of its original garrison, as the rangers joke — but the 1912 wildlife refuge that replaced it is one of Nebraska’s finest days out. Nineteen thousand acres where the Niobrara cuts a pine-dotted canyon through the Sandhills edge: bison and elk herds, prairie dog towns, deer, 230-plus bird species, and an absurd overlap of ecosystems — Sandhills prairie, Rocky Mountain conifer forest, eastern deciduous forest, and northern boreal forest all in one refuge.
The one-mile Fort Falls Trail is the must-do: a maintained path down the canyon to a waterfall, with spring seeps pouring over hard rock all around it. The wildlife drive runs through elk and bison pastures and the prairie dog colony — reliable viewing year-round. For the adventurous, the 4,635-acre Fort Niobrara Wilderness on the north side of the river has no maintained trails but open day-hiking.
The Niobrara flows nine miles through the refuge, making this a favorite put-in for canoeists and tubers floating the National Scenic River (small launch fee). Free admission; daylight hours only, no camping. The visitor center covers the fort’s history and refuge ecology. Pair it with the Niobrara National Scenic River listing for a full Valentine long weekend.