Calumus River

Calamus Outfitters, Burwell Nebraska

308-345-4697

www.calamusoutfitters.com

Whenever we are in the Burwell area, we stay at Calamus Lodge (only a short distance from Calamus Outfitters). They can be reached at 308-346-4331. They have an on-site restaurant and nice little hotel rooms. It is also close to Calamus Lake.

Description: How can you not mention a river named after one of the most legendary herbs of the plains tribes, calamus root (Acorus calamus)?! Adventurers will find this herb everywhere along the shores of the river, somewhat resembling cattails. It is a major ceremonial smoking herb of the plains Native Americans. Today it is used as a bitter stimulant for digestive weakness, sinus congestion, mild psychiatric conditions, a stimulant for mental clarity and in liver cleansing formulas. Despite common misconceptions, the local Nebraska calamus is not a poisonous plant.

The Calamus River is part of a group of unique central Nebraska rivers. They are renowned for their lack of tourism, have no commercial developments and the land surrounding them is ranchland. This means you will see no people, no thousands of acres of cornfields, just native prairie and land like it was thousands of years ago. This also means no commercial agriculture chemical run off, so you can actually eat the fish without concerns of chemical residues. Do you ever wonder what Nebraska looked like hundreds of years ago when the Plains Indians ruled this area . . . . . just canoe down these amazing rivers to find out!

The Calamus River is spring fed, so it is very clear and maintains a constant water level. Most of us city slickers are use to the muddy Missouri and the low summer water levels of the Platte. My recent trips to the Calamus in the summer of 2005 showed that it has one of the most abundant supplies of native medicinal prairie plants. I am amazed at the number of blue vervain and boneset plants growing along the river edge. I have also spotted large soft-shelled turtles each canoeing venture in 2005. Environmentalist say Calamus River is one of the cleanest in the entire state.

Dismal River

Glidden Canoe Rental, Mullen Nebraska

888-278-6167

www.gliddencanoerental.com

Description: The Dismal River is considered by many archeologists to be the origins of the plains civilizations. Some of the earliest record pre-historic peoples, The Dismal River Culture, are recorded to have lived here over ten thousand years ago! One of Nebraska’s many spring fed rivers, it is the same level and temperature year round. It is crystal clear and very clean, so there is no excuse to not go!

There is something very sacred and special about central Nebraska. In fact, many plains Indians considered it sacred and many of the early pioneers were afraid to travel through it. Instead, they traveled more south along the common pioneer wagon trails. The sky almost seems majestic here. It seems surreal at times, like you are looking at a painting.

Many canoeing and kayaking magazines have rated the Dismal River one of the “Ten Best Rivers in America”. It is the only river in Nebraska to have true rapids and requires some previous canoeing skills. The Dismal is the least developed canoeing river in Nebraska, mostly because local ranchers don’t want people around their property. Another reason why you have to be skilled on the water is because ranchers often put barbwire across the river to keep people away. 

Middle Loup River

Glidden Canoe Rental, Mullen Nebraska

888-278-6167

www.gliddencanoerental.com

Description: Located close to the Dismal River, this is a much slower and easier river to canoe. Try warming up on this river before you tackle the Dismal. If you are taking your kids or wife out for that first canoeing trip, try this river first. Trust me, as I have made that mistake before!

Niobrara River

Valentine/Cherry County Tourism Association

800-658-4024

www.heartcity.com

Description: There are too many outfitters to list, over 20, so it is best to call the tourist association. This is Nebraska’s most popular river for canoeing, attracting thousands of people each year. Sometimes called the “aluminum river”, because of the high number of people partying on the weekends. If you love nature, this is a beautiful area of Nebraska, but only go during the weekday.

On an interesting herbal medicine note, the official red lobelia (cardinal flower) occurs in a small patch of land on the Niobrara River. Historians have researched this patch, which is very isolated and a not locally common, to a Ponca medicine man. This medicine man utilized lobelia herb for curing patients and in pipe ceremonies. Today we still see the labor of his love with this powerful medicinal growing through this small stretch of the river.

Cedar River

Broken Arrow Wilderness

Fullerton, NE

308-536-2441

www.brokenarrowwilderness.com

Description: The Cedar River has, as you would guess, a great number of native cedar trees along its banks. The cedar tree is considered one of the two most sacred trees by plains Native Americans. Only the local cottonwood tree, called the “talking tree” by Nebraska tribes, is held in such high esteem as the cedar. Cedar branches are still used in Native American ceremonies today, especially by burning the thin needle-like leaves in sweat lodge ceremonies. Many types of native cedars are still used in herbal medicine today, mostly for upper respiratory viral infections, coughs and prostate inflammation in men. If you are out camping, put a bunch of cedar branches in your campfire. The smell is ancient and mesmerizing on dark night on the river.