12 Jul Canoe Floats on Niobrara NSR by Leona

Floating the river by canoe has been my favorite activity this summer. We would float the river in pairs every weekend, meandering through the valley and over rapids, greeting visitors to the river and answering questions as we passed. This was a fun part of the job because this is an activity that I would love to do on my time off, but I got to do it while I was working! The water was nice and cold, so it felt good to dip your arms or feet in the water while floating. The river’s speed made it easy to paddle and make good time down the river without a strong wind.

The most exciting part of the river was at a new stretch of rapids that formed over the winter when the freezing and thawing of water caused some cliffs to fall. These rapids have yet to be given a class, but they were big enough to challenge a beginner like me and still calm enough to not be dangerous. Depending on the river’s speed, the waves could get up to three feet high (this photo was taken on a calmer day). It was a good challenge to learn how to navigate rapids and learn how to balance in the canoe.