THERE’S A RIVER NEAR YOU!

I have a passion for and addiction to Nebraska rivers. Whether it’s an eastern Nebraska river such as the Elkhorn which is about a 30 minute drive from my house in Dundee Omaha to near Waterloo,

or taking a canoe trip to a remote Sandhills river such as the Upper Snake in north-central Nebraska.

Nebraska has an array of rivers that offer tremendous potential for summer outdoor recreation, especially float trips.

Water trails for float trips have been established by us at Game and Parks on nine rivers or stretches of rivers.

Here’s a link for detailed information on floating these rivers: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/trails/WaterTrails/water.asp

Here’s another important link for you to have, this one to a listing of various outfitters who rent canoes, kayaks, inner tubes, rafts and stock tanks on our rivers: http://outdoornebraska.ne.gov/Boating/guides/canoetrails/pdf/canoeintro.pdf

What’s interesting is that most of us who live here in the Cornhusker State probably have a river very nearby (see the map below). Nebraska has some 24,000 miles of rivers , streams and canals! Keep in mind that only the water in these rivers belongs to the State of Nebraska. The river beds, bars and banks are almost entirely private land and it is up to you to do your homework to get permission for picnicking, camping or fishing. Most landowners along our Nebraska rivers really don’t mind canoers, kayakers, etc. as long as they ask permission well in advance of their float trip, are careful with campfires, leave the property as they found it and pack out their trash!

Oh, and bring your fishing gear and some bait on that float trip, too. You never know what you might catch such as freshwater drum in the Elkhorn.