40 Outdoor Story Ideas in Legendary North Dakota
1. Birding
Where do birds go on vacation? North Dakota! With more wildlife refuges than any other state, North Dakota is the premier vacation place for birds and birders. Prairie potholes, birding festivals and guided tours attract feathers and friends alike. Virtually millions of birds travel through North Dakota in the Central Flyway, including the endangered whooping crane, North America’s tallest bird. The 365 species making the North Dakota Birdwatchers’ Checklist include Bairds’ sparrow, Le Contes’ sparrow, Spragues’ pipit, piping plover, ferruginous hawk, least tern, upland sandpiper, chestnut-collared longspur, bobolinks and prairie chicken.
- Steele Birding Drive: (701) 475-2133
- Jamestown Birding Drive: (701) 252-4830
- Carrington Birding Drive: (701) 652-2524
- Bismarck-Mandan Birding Drive: (800) 767-3555
- Prairies and Potholes Birding Festival, Jamestown, (800) 222-4766
- Sullys Hill Nature and Birding Festival, Devils Lake, (800) 233-8048
2. Fishing
North Dakota offers world-class walleye and perch fishing in great fisheries like Lake Sakakawea and Devils Lake. Below Garrison Dam, the Missouri River produces record Chinook salmon, and brown, rainbow and cutthroat trout. Walleyes are found in this entire stretch of river. Smaller rivers and streams across the state assure fast action. And best of all, the season never closes. In the winter ice anglers come from far and wide in quest of perch that push two pounds.
- The Missouri River at Bismarck has been the site several Professional Walleye Trail Championships
- Lake Sakakawea is 180 miles long and has more shoreline than the coast of California.
3. Perch Express
What do you get when you combine the services of the Amtrak Empire Builder, Woodland Resort, Spirit Lake Casino & Resort and the Perch Patrol Guide Service? The world famous Perch Express, a professionally guided ice fishing trip to Devils Lake, the hottest fishing lake in America. Board the train in Illinois, Wisconsin or Minnesota for a great no-stress winter adventure. Visit www.perchpatrol.net/express.htm.
4. Paddlefishing
Each spring, when prehistoric paddlefish begin migrating from Lake Sakakawea to spawning grounds in the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, anglers line the rivers’ shorelines to try to snag one of these heavy fish by casting weighted hooks into the river and then pulling the hooks back to shore, hoping to snag one of the traveling fish. A few thousand people buy paddlefish tags in North Dakota each year. These unique fish commonly grow to 100 pounds.
5. Hunting
North Dakota contains all the ingredients for legendary hunting: thousands of potholes producing the most ducks in the nation, millions of geese along the most intensely traveled migratory paths, abundant habitat for upland game birds and big game, and seemingly endless expanses of public and private land to hunt. North Dakota’s reputation among hunters is legendary and people come from all over to take advantage of the hunting opportunities here.
- Upland and small game includes ruffed grouse, sharp-tailed grouse, sage grouse, Hungarian partridge, mourning dove, sandhill crane, snipe, woodcock, tree squirrel, ring-necked pheasant
- Waterfowl includes ducks, mergansers, coots, geese, tundra swan
- Big game includes elk, pronghorn, deer, moose and bighorn sheep.
6. Golfing
You can play some of the best golf courses in the country in North Dakota – and you won’t have to wait a week for a tee time. Our courses are uncluttered, inexpensive and beautiful. Your best options:
- The new Bully Pulpit in the dramatic Badlands near Medora opened June 1 to glowing reviews.
- Hawktree at Bismarck. www.hawktree.com/
- The Links of North Dakota near Williston. www.redmike.com/
- King’s Walk at Grand Forks. www.kingswalk.org
- Tour packages available to golf Bully Pulpit, Hawktree and The Links
7. Lewis & Clark Golf Trail
For a unique twist, golfers can follow the Lewis & Clark Trail through North Dakota. The golf trail retraces the route of the 19th century explorers along the Missouri River. The trail was designed to pay tribute to the band of explorers while allowing golfers to find their own adventure. Today, golfers can pay homage through 226 holes of golf on 20 courses near the Missouri River. www.lewisandclarkgolftrail.com.
8. Motorcycling
North Dakota’s wide-open spaces are perfect for those free spirits who prefer the wind in their hair and two wheels under their seats. North Dakota’s national park, state parks and scenic byways and backways are excellent tours. www.nps.gov/thro www.ndparks.com.
9. Biking
Exhilarate with mountain bikers on narrow Badlands trails. Revel in soul-baring space on national grasslands. Whether you’re looking for a short trek on a paved bike trail, a long-distance ride out on North Dakota’s scenic highways or an exciting off-road mountain bike ride, North Dakota has a route to meet your quest.
10. Maah Daah Hey Trail
For the adventurous mountain bikers, there’s the Maah Daah Hey Trail, a 96-mile singletrack recently earning accolades as an IMBA Epic Ride. The Maah Daah Hey Trail crosses the rugged North Dakota Badlands through the Little Missouri National Grasslands between the north and south units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r1/dakotaprairie/mdhtl.htm and/or www.jwp.bc.ca/westdakota/mdh.htm.
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11. CANDISC
Cycling Around North Dakota In Sakakawea Country (CANDISC) is a 400-mile, week-long tour (not race) through some of the best scenery North Dakota has to offer. Held each summer during the first week in August and limited to the first 500 cyclists who sign up, it is for cyclists of all abilities from serious to family. Riders start at Fort Stevenson State Park near Garrison, travel between 50 and 100 miles a day, and spend each evening at a state or city park. Visit www.ndparks.com/Trails/candisc.htm.
12. Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail
Take an historic bike ride along the Lewis and Clark Bicycle Trail in North Dakota. The trail passes a number of historically vivid attractions where Lewis and Clark left their mark. These sites include Double Ditch Indian Village, Fort Mandan State Historic Site and Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site. Adventure Cycling Association publishes a comprehensive set of maps of cycling routes, historic sites, campgrounds and other important factors for cyclists traveling the state. Visit www.adventurecycling.org/routes/lewisandclark.cfm.
13. Hiking
From the Maah Daah Hey Trail through the Badlands of the west to the tree-covered hills of the Turtle Mountains in the north to the rolling grasslands of the east, hikers will enjoy the varied terrain North Dakota has to offer. North Dakota’s wide-open spaces, wildlife-rich prairie potholes, pristine Badlands and forested hills provide diverse experiences for hikers. Day hike on marked trails or through wilderness areas, walk self-guided nature trails with marked interpretive signing, backpack along primitive trails or through unmarked backcountry in the national grasslands.
14. Sheyenne National Grassland
Here you’ll find one of the last pieces of undisturbed tallgrass prairie. The grassland is 70,000 acres of public property with rare butterflies and prairie orchids. One of the largest populations of the western prairie white-fringed orchid (a threatened species) known to exist in the country can be found here. About 25 miles of the National North Country Scenic Trail cross the grassland. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r1/dakotaprairie/sheyenne.htm.
15. Little Missouri National Grassland
Little Missouri National Grassland is the largest and most diverse of the 19 grasslands found in the western United States. This 140-mile stretch of rolling prairie, badlands terrain, woody draws and high buttes includes more than a million acres. Watch for prairie dog towns, more than a hundred eagle and falcon nests, elk, antelope, mule deer and white-tailed deer. In the south half, visitors may view the only stand of limber pine in the state just north of Marmarth. West of Amidon, relax in the cool shade of the only natural ponderosa pine forest in the state. Visitors can stay at Burning Coal Vein Campground, where an underground lignite seam burned for over a century. The fumes from the coal smoke caused the junipers to take on interesting columnar shapes. Visit www.fs.fed.us/r1/dakotaprairie/.
16. Chase Lake National Wildlife Refuge
The refuge consists of nearly 4,400 acres and is home to one of the largest white pelican breeding colonies in North America. It was declared a wilderness area in 1975. North Dakota has more national wildlife refuges than any other state. All North Dakota refuges, except Sullys Hill National Game Preserve, are managed for waterfowl production. These refuges contain unique wetlands that sustain wildlife, producing thousands of ducks and other water birds, and furnishing water, food and shelter for vast numbers of migratory ducks, geese and swans. All 24 major national refuges have opportunities for wildlife observation and enjoyment, where visitors can observe animals in a scenic, natural environment. Several have auto tour routes, interpretive foot trails, canoe routes and other visitor facilities. Visit http://chaselake.fws.gov/.
17. Sail/Boat/Canoe/Kayak/Windsurf
Sailing in North Dakota, to the uninitiated, may sound like an oxymoron. But one look out across 180-mile-long Lake Sakakawea, where the water touches the horizon, and you’ll know you’ve come to the right place. The abundance of rivers and lakes in North Dakota make it a paradise for water recreation. Sail the big lake, canoe or kayak the smaller tributaries; roar up and down the last free-flowing stretch of the Missouri River; boardsail across windswept prairie lakes. Visit www.jwp.bc.ca/westdakota/wind.htm.
18. Dig Fossils
T-Rex was one of the first visitors to the state. We’re sure you’ll have a better time, even if you don’t stay as long. North Dakota hosts annual public fossil digs in the northeast corner of the state near Pembina and in the southwest corner of the state in the famous Hell Creek Formation (famous for triceratops and T-Rex). Who knows what you might unearth! Visit www.state.nd.us/ndfossils and/or www.ptrm.org.
19. Horseback Riding
This used to be a way of life for North Dakotans. Now it’s a pleasurable way to idle away an afternoon. From the rugged Badlands to the forested Turtle Mountains, one of the best ways to see the land “where the West begins” is on horseback. Rides are available throughout the state through terrain as varied as the people who venture out.
20. Camping
North Dakota’s state parks, national grasslands and national park offer unbelievable opportunities to get away from it all. Choose the terrain of your choice, throw up a tent and take in the remarkable night-time skies. North Dakota Parks and Recreation takes campsite reservations by phone.
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21. Winter Heritage Outbound Trip
Experience winter as Lewis and Clark did in 1804-05 by participating in the winter Heritage Outbound every January at Fort Mandan. Activities include traditional games and nature walks. Spend an evening around a roaring campfire in an earthlodge, enjoying a traditional buffalo meal and listening to music and stories of the Mandan and Hidatsa. Spend the night sleeping under the stars listening for the hoot of an owl and the howl of a coyote. Visit www.state.nd.us/hist/WinterOutbound.htm.
22. Summer Heritage Outbound Adventure
If winter doesn’t sound inviting, try the summer Heritage Outbound held each August. Canoe the pristine Missouri River as a hawk circles overhead and a breeze rustles the leaves of ancient cottonwoods. This scene took place 200 years ago when Meriwether Lewis and William Clark explored the Missouri River. Learn about American Indian culture from the staff at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, where Lewis and Clark met Sakakawea. Stop mid-afternoon on a Missouri River sandbar to paint and write about your journey. Paddle a bullboat. Enjoy a buffalo dinner. Listen to traditional music and Hidatsa stories around a campfire on the riverbank. Navigate with the stars after dark. Visit www.state.nd.us/hist/HeritageOutboundCanoeTrip.htm.
23. Northern Lights
The Mandan Indians of North Dakota explained the Northern Lights as fires over which the great medicine men and warriors of northern nations simmered their dead enemies in enormous pots. North Dakota is among the best places in the 48 contiguous states to view the Northern Lights as they dance through the sky with unparalleled beauty. Even when the Northern Lights aren’t shining, millions of stars will be. From here you’ll witness celestial wonders that are obscured by light pollution in other parts of the country.
24. Working Ranches
Did you ever want to know what it was like on a real ranch? Find out. Work as much, or as little, as you like. Whether you are interested in participating in a horseback trail ride, a cattle roundup, good old-fashioned cattle branding or listening to the coyotes howl while you sit in a hot tub, western North Dakota offers an assortment of working ranch vacations.
25. Take a Wagon Train Ride
Not satisfied hanging out at the ranch? Then head out on a wagon train. These aren’t you’re typical hour-long rides, but multi-day excursions reminiscent of days gone by. The Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Wagon Train is a four-day vacation experience that travels the Lewis & Clark Trail. The path follows the beautiful Missouri River, and provides the same breathtaking view the explorers viewed long ago. Sleep under the stars and enjoy an authentic experience. Lewis & Clark enthusiasts throughout the trip will share stories and songs of the era, American Indian culture and other North Dakota specialties. The journey ends at Lewis & Clark’s reconstructed 1804-1805 winter quarters, Fort Mandan, near Washburn. The Fort Seward Wagon Train starts at the historic Fort Seward Park at Jamestown, once the site of a U.S. Infantry Post. The family oriented covered wagon train adventure features history talks, camping and nature lore. Visit www.lewis-clarkwagontrain.com http://covered-wagon-train.com/.
26. International Peace Garden
The world’s greatest tribute to peace can be found at the International Peace Garden on the world’s longest unfortified border shared by the U.S. and Canada. See 2,300 acres of colorful gardens, landscapes and botanical areas. The Peace Chapel is a must-see and so is a memorial designed with remnants of wreckage from the World Trade Center towers. Visit www.peacegarden.com.
27. Enchanted Highway
Pardon me, was that a 20-foot-high grasshopper? Yes, it was. In that case, you must be on the Enchanted Highway. The Enchanted Highway features folk art figures that will make you smile as you puzzle at their immense size. Every few miles brings you to one of the world’s largest metal sculptures, including a tin family, grasshoppers, pheasants, deer and more. Watch for the giant geese flying over a setting sun on I-94 at the Gladstone exit. Take the Gladstone exit and enjoy the drive to Regent. Visit www.enchantedhighway.net/.
28. Theodore Roosevelt National Park
It’s the Grand Canyon of the North, with great opportunities for take-your-breath-away hiking, biking and scenic viewing. The 70,000-acre park and its rugged topography honor Theodore Roosevelt, who ranched in the Badlands and later established the national park system. The park has two large units. The South Unit has a 36-mile scenic loop that takes you past coal veins, prairie dog towns and panoramic views of the Badlands. The North Unit has a 14-mile drive to the much-photographed Oxbow Overlook and back. Wildlife abounds within the park, whose buttes have been carved by eons of wind and rain. Visit www.nps.gov/thro.
29. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Between 3,000 and 5,000 Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Indians inhabited this area between the Knife and Heart rivers near Stanton until the 19th century when disease began wiping out the people and culture. The site has a reconstructed and furnished earthlodge and more than 60 ground depressions. It was here that Lewis and Clark first met Sakakawea. Visit www.nps.gov/knri/.
30. Skiing and Snowshoeing
North Dakota has multiple cross-country ski trails designed to challenge novice and advanced skiers. Snowshoe enthusiasts are not allowed on groomed cross-country ski trails, but they can blaze their own trails through undisturbed snow. Cross Ranch, Turtle River and Lake Metigoshe state parks, as well as Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, offer excellent cross-country skiing. Visit www.ndparks.com.
- Downhill skiers enjoy a lengthy season at Huff Hills near Mandan www.huffhills.com; Bottineau Winter Park www.skibwp.com; Bears Den Mountain Ski Area; and Frostfire Ski Area near Walhalla www.frostfireskiarea.com.
- Cross-country skiers and snowshoers have a wide variety of trails to choose from, through parks, along rivers and even through the Badlands. Blaze your own trail or view a list of available trails at www.state.nd.us/ndparks.
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31. Snowmobiling
Snowmobile North Dakota has 17 snowmobile trails that cover 3,000 miles of groomed trails and 800 miles of ungroomed trails. Avid snowmobilers travel miles to lay down the tracks on North Dakota’s uncrowded, pristine snow. Visit www.snowmobilend.org.
32. Fort Union Rendezvous
Located at the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers, Fort Union became the largest trading post on the Missouri in the mid-1800s. Today, it features the reconstructed Bourgeois House containing a museum and a reconstructed Indian Trade House. Tours and special interpretive events are featured each summer. A spectacular fur trade rendezvous takes place annually the third week in June. Visit www.nps.gov/fous.
33. Sullys Hill Named After No-Show General
Sullys Hill was named for General Alfred Sully, who was scheduled to meet up with a cavalry from Illinois, but never showed up. The cavalry camped on the highest hill in the area in anticipation of General Sully’s arrival. When he failed to meet them, the cavalry named the hill in honor of Sully. Sullys Hill National Game Preserve is south of Devils Lake on the Spirit Lake Reservation. A remarkable “transition” refuge, Sullys Hill is home to large animals like bison and elk, as well as waterfowl, white-tailed deer, fox, raccoons, mink and songbirds. Here you’ll see thousands of migratory birds. The preserve consists of 1,674 acres ranging from wetland marshes to wooded hills. Visit www.r6.fws.gov/refuges/Sullys.
34. North Dakota State Forests
Forests in North Dakota? Yes, there are four state forests here and one experimental forest. The terrain, plants and animals of the forests are all different. Bird watching, hunting, hiking, horseback riding, canoeing, fishing, camping, photography and berry-picking are some of the activities people enjoy.
- Turtle Mountain State Forest 5 miles west of Lake Metigoshe. The largest state forest surrounds the beach and campground at Strawberry Lake with 7,704 acres of oak and aspen, with pockets of paper birch, green ash, American elm, balsam poplar and willow.
- Homen State Forest 6 miles east of Lake Metigoshe. More than 100 species of nesting birds makes it a birdwatcher‘s paradise. Offering fishing, canoeing, hunting, picnicking and primitive camping.
- Tetrault Woods State Forest 1½ miles south of Walhalla. This 431-acre state forest is located in the beautiful Pembina Gorge. The gorge, a forested valley following the path of the meandering Pembina River, is one of North Dakota's most scenic river valleys. It is also home to elk and more than 75 species of breeding birds. More than 480 species of plants are found in the gorge.
- Sheyenne State Forest 10 miles northwest of Lisbon. This forest is located in the Sheyenne River Valley, which cuts a path across half the of North Dakota. Open to fishing, canoeing, hunting, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. There are primitive campsites, and a segment of the hiking trail has been certified as part of the North Country National Scenic Trail.
- Denbeigh Experimental Forest 15 miles west of Towner. The 640-acre forest was established in 1931 to determine which types of trees would do well on the northern Great Plains. Trees and shrubs are all labeled and planted in a park-like setting. Backpack along the Skyline Trail, which winds through stands of ponderosa pine, sand dunes and rough terrain. Recreation includes hunting for deer and sharp-tailed grouse, hiking, berry-picking and cross-country skiing. Birders should look for pine warblers and black-backed three-toed woodpeckers.
35. Historic Forts
Every good western has a fort, and your western experience in North Dakota has plenty of them, too. From authentic buildings to faithful reconstructions, these cavalry and infantry posts make it easy to envision life on America’s last frontier.
- Fort Abercrombie preserves the military post that served from 1857 until 1878 as the gateway to the Dakota frontier.
- Fort Abraham Lincoln served as General Custer’s command post. You know how he died, now see how he lived at a faithful reconstruction of the majority of the post south of Mandan.
- Fort Totten, southwest of Devils Lake, is the most complete cavalry-era fort west of the Mississippi River. Fort Totten’s cavalry square is completely surrounded by original buildings. The fort held a high level of importance to the U.S. Cavalry, protecting mail routes and supplying men and material for Custer on his last mission. Visitors can stay overnight on site at the Totten Trail Inn Bed and Breakfast.
- Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, southwest of Williston, now faithfully reconstructed, at one time hosted the premiere fur trade of the upper Missouri River region. Fort Union was a key trading post at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers.
- Fort Buford, located near present-day Williston, was one of a number of military posts established to protect overland and river routes used by immigrants settling the West. Fort Buford is probably best remembered as the place where the famous Hunkpapa Sioux leader, Sitting Bull, surrendered in 1881.
36. Pembina Gorge
The secluded valley of the Pembina Gorge has become a favorite destination for its miles of lush, unbroken forests. This region between the Canadian border and Walhalla is part of the scenic Pembina Hills and one of the few wilderness areas left in the state. The best ways to see the Gorge is by canoeing the Pembina River or by bike or hiking trail. It’s also a pleasant drive. Visit www.tradecorridor.com/walhalla/attractions.htm.
37. BirdWoman Canoe
Paddle the Missouri River aboard the “BirdWoman,” a 26-foot replica voyageur canoe from the fur trade era. Guests of Birdwoman Missouri River Adventures are working crewmembers on the trip down the Missouri River. Those opting for the overnight adventure camp in tipis near Fort Mandan where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark wintered in 1804-05. Costumed guides versed in local history lead the adventure where the Corps of Discovery spent more time than any other part of its journey. Visit www.birdwoman.com.
38. Ride the Riverboat
Years ago, the Lewis and Clark Riverboat was a centerpiece of commerce and trade on the Missouri River. Today, you can take a trip up and down the Missouri River on the Lewis and Clark from its berth at the Port of Bismarck. The 100-foot paddle-wheeler features evening cruises, dinner cruises and other amenities. It’s a fun place to spend a summer evening enjoying the memorable view. Visit www.lewisandclarkriverboat.com/.
39. Fort Lincoln Trolley
A restored trolley car that once ran in Bismarck now offers a unique trip through the scenic Heart River bottoms to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. The Fort Lincoln Trolley will take you from Mandan to the park, and return you to your starting point later in the day. Several round trips are made each day.
40. Champion’s Ride Rodeo
Father Cassedy’s Home on the Range at Sentinel Butte, N.D., has sponsored this wild and wooly fundraiser for more than 45 years. The invitational Saddle Bronc Match features 20 top professional cowboys mounted on some of the toughest stock in the U.S. and Canada. The rustic arena is set in the natural amphitheater at the ranch, a residential child care facility that provides a caring, safe and loving environment for neglected, problematic, disadvantaged and delinquent adolescents. Visit www.gohotr.org/championsriderodeo.htm
For more details, FAM trip assistance, support photos or additional story ideas, contact:
Mark Zimmerman, Outdoor Promotions Director, North Dakota Tourism, (701) 328-2509 or mzimmerman@state.nd.us.
Rachel Retterath, Communications Director, North Dakota Tourism, (701) 328-2532 or rretterath@state.nd.us.
North Dakota Tourism Division (800) 435-5663 or visit www.ndtourism.com.
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