Fort Niobrara Wilderness is a protected area in north-central Nebraska near Valentine, set within Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge along the Niobrara River. Established by Congress in 1976 and managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, it preserves an unusual Great Plains landscape where the river cut through limestone to form cliffs, wooded ravines, and varied terrain beyond the surrounding prairie. This mix of grassland and broken river country supports bison, prairie dogs, mule deer, river otter, and bald eagles. Its setting also reflects the refuge’s past as part of Fort Niobrara Military Reservation, later used in early bison restoration efforts.