Smith Falls — 63ft Plunge in Nebraska

Smith Falls is a 63-foot plunge waterfall in Cherry County, Nebraska, reached by an easy walk over 1.4 miles.

Smith Falls is Nebraska's tallest waterfall — a 63-foot plunge waterfall in Smith Falls State Park along the Niobrara National Scenic River in the Sandhills of northern Nebraska. The waterfall is fed by an underground aquifer that emerges from the canyon wall, then drops to the river — a spring-fed waterfall in the middle of the Great Plains, which surprises most first-time visitors. The 1.4-mile trail from the parking area crosses the Niobrara on a footbridge. The Niobrara is a popular tubing/canoeing river in summer.

What to expect

Drive into Smith Falls State Park (in northern Nebraska's Cherry County, about 4 hours northwest of Omaha). Buy the Nebraska state park entry permit. Park at the trailhead. The 1.4-mile easy trail crosses the Niobrara River on a footbridge and continues to the falls overlook. Multiple viewing angles. The waterfall flows year-round (spring-fed). Pair with a Niobrara River canoe or tube trip — the Niobrara is one of the country's premier 'lazy river' float destinations.