Kayaking in northeast Nebraska

It’s that time of year again!!!!!! Spring is upon us & rivers are swelling full of water! Remember to check the weather forecast & warerdata.usgs.gov, where you check streamflows discharge & water height. Kayaking in Nebraska is a very relaxing outlet that makes stress melt away as you meander the winding waters of this state. The Elkhorn river which is pictured here is where I get most of my miles in. Even at almost flood stage height the river is fairly calm with class 1 ripples here & there. Sand & mud bottomed there’s a easy 40 miles of river accessible from public get ins along highway bridges in rural Nebraska. I much prefer paddling the less traveled rural runs of the river when you get pretty far down river it becomes crowded with tubers & airboats from Omaha. Which if your looking to party is a area full of parties. Where as up river it’s very secluded, all you hear is birds & the wind. You can frequently see bald eagles nesting as well as other raptors, cranes, deer, beavers, & all sorts of fish. The elkhorn river empties into the platte & the platte joins the Missouri. The platte is another good one for kayaking but I don’t recommend the Missouri, unless you are a very skilled paddler. The Missouri is filled with motorized boats & the water is deep & fast it’s very dangerous. If your ever looking to do a river run in northeastern Nebraska stick to the elkhorn or platte. The platte is much wider then the elkhorn & kind of harder to read but with no shortage of sandbars & sights it’s much better then the Missouri!