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LakeQuality

Updated July 2026

Smith Falls

Cherry County, Nebraska — about 63 ft, mid-height.

Smith Falls is the tallest waterfall in Nebraska at 63 feet, fed by a spring-fed stream that plunges into a side canyon of the Niobrara River near Valentine. Within Smith Falls State Park, visitors cross a restored iron footbridge over the Niobrara and follow an accessible boardwalk to the base of the falls.

Height
63 ft
Type
Plunge
Access
Short Hike
Trail
1 mi out-and-back
Elevation gain
50 ft
Best season
Spring through fall
Land manager
Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (Smith Falls State Park)
Watercourse
spring-fed tributary of the Niobrara River

Before you go

Waterfalls are hazardous by nature — wet rock, cold water, and unstable edges — and flow varies enormously with season and recent rain. Trail figures here describe the route as documented, not conditions today. Check Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (Smith Falls State Park) for closures and current conditions, and confirm land status before setting out.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Smith Falls drops about 63 feet. That makes it the 351st-tallest documented waterfall in this inventory, taller than roughly 49% of the falls listed here. Height comes from published land-manager and survey records, not from our own measurement.

The Smith Falls boardwalk trail reaches it about 1 miles (out-and-back) with roughly 50 feet of elevation gain, rated easy. The nearest town is Valentine. That describes the route as documented, not conditions on the day — check with Nebraska Game and Parks Commission (Smith Falls State Park) for closures and current conditions.

Spring through fall. Waterfall flow swings enormously with snowmelt and recent rain, so a fall that roars in spring can be a trickle by late summer.

More Nebraska waterfalls

Sources

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