North Dakota is the Geographic Center of North America in the town of Ruby.
North Dakota National Parks include the amazing Theodore Roosevelt National Park and multiple historic sites.
Prairie Dogs, along with horses and Bison, are commonly seen in the rugged landscape of Theodore Roosevelt National Park
North Dakota National Parks
Planning a National Park vacation? America the Beautiful/National Park Pass covers entrance fees for an entire year to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites.
The park pass covers everyone in the car for per vehicle sites and for up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy on REI.com and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Knife River Indian Villages NHS is the first park we completed a National Park Junior Ranger Program and it spurred us on to do them in every park.
There are so many amazing places to check out in North America, including The Maah Daah Hey Trail, which is a 144-mile non-motorized single track through the North Dakota Badlands.
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
Top Things to do - Tour Fort Union Trading Post, Watch the Fort Union Trading Post Orientation Film, Visit Fort Union's Trade House, Become a Jr. Ranger and Jr. Trader at Fort Union,
Lodging - The closest lodging is in Fairview, Montana, about 15 miles southwest of Fort Union. It has one hotel.
Lodging is also available in Williston, ND, about 30 miles Northeast of Fort Union, and in Sidney, MT, about 30 miles southwest.
Camping - Fort Buford State Historic Site offers primitive camping two miles east of Fort Union. It is available from April through October, and all campers must check in at the Missouri Yellowstone Confluence Interpretive Center.
Park Address - 15550 Highway 1804, Williston, ND 58801
Fort Union Trading Post NHS is located on the border of North Dakota and Montana. The park is open year-round and offers the opportunity to explore a reconstructed fort and visitor center.
Fort Union was established in 1828 by the American Fur Company. The fort was built to acquire furs from Northern Plains tribes in exchange for cookware, knives, beads, guns, blankets, and cloth. It remained in business until 1867.
The fort at Fort Union Trading Post NHS is a reconstruction based on archaeological records. When the fort closed, the wood and materials from the fort were used to help expand nearby Fort Buford, a US Army post.
Visitors can visit the Bourgeois House, which houses the park's visitor center and trade house, and explore a hiking trail.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Top Things to do - Watch the 15-minute orientation film Maxidiwiac, Explore the museum and learn about the history and culture of the Hidatsa people, Walk the Village Trail, Bird Watching, Hike the North Forest Trail loop, Picnicking
Lodging - There are no lodging within the park
Camping - No campgrounds are available within Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Park Address - 564 County Road 37, Stanton, ND 58571
Knife River Indian Villages NHS is located in Central North Dakota, approximately 60 miles northwest of Bismark. The park is open year-round and offers the opportunity to tour a reconstructed Indian earth lodge and visitor center.
At the confluence of the Knife and Missouri Rivers, a community of 4,500 Hidatsa and Mandan Indians lived at the beginning of the 19th century. In October 1804, the Lewi and Clark Expedition passed through this area. They were warmly welcomed and decided to build a fort to winter there.
While wintering here, Lewis and Clark hired Toussaint Charbonneau, a French-Canadian fur trapper who was living with the Hidatsa, as an interpreter. His wife Sacagawea would gain fame for helping the expedition over the next two years.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail - Affiliated Site
Top Things to do - Visit Fort Mandan Historic Site, Hiking, Bird Watching, Wildlife Viewing
Lodging - When visiting the North Dakota segment of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, you'll find lodging options in nearby towns such as Washburn, Bismarck, and Mandan.
Camping - Visit Lewis & Clark State Park in Epping, North Dakota. The park offers 25 primitive campsites and 30 modern campsites with electrical hookups.
Lewis and Clark NHT is approximately 4,900 miles long and crosses sixteen states following the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
North Country National Scenic Trail - Affiliated Site
Top Things to do - Hiking, Backpacking, Nature Viewing. Photography. Wildflower Viewing, Trail Running
Lodging - The South Dakota segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail offers lodging options in towns like Aberdeen, Webster, and Milbank, including hotels, motels, and inns.
Camping - Camping along the North Dakota segment of the North Country National Scenic Trail includes options like Cross Ranch State Park and dispersed camping in the Little Missouri National Grassland. Private campgrounds are also available in nearby towns.
National Scenic Trails, which are now number ten, are long hiking trails designated to showcase the best of the American backcountry. The 4600-mile North Country Trail (NCT) is the longest, spanning seven states, from New York to North Dakota, with Michigan having the most miles, about 1200.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Top Things to do - Scenic Drives, Hike Skyline Vista Trail, Wildlife Viewing, Join Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival, Ranger Led Programs, Camping, Bird Watching, Visit the Elkhorn Ranch Unit, Hike Coal Vein Trail, Hike Wind Canyon Trail, Hike Boicourt Trail, Visit Theodore Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin, Hike The Little Mo Nature Trail, Hike the Painted Canyon Nature Trail, Explore the Cannonball Concretions, Hike the Petrified Forest
Lodging - Theodore Roosevelt National Park does not offer lodging within its boundaries. However, several lodging options are available in nearby communities.
Camping - The park's primitive campgrounds are located in shady cottonwood groves at the edge of the Little Missouri River.
Park Address - 315 Second Avenue, Medora, ND 58645
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is divided into three units: the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. The North Unit is located 15 miles south of Watford City, ND.
President Theodore Roosevelt is often considered the most influential conservation-minded president of the United States. He established the US Forest Service along with setting aside 230 million acres of land for public protection.
His conservation philosophy is believed to be rooted in his time in North Dakota. He arrived in the state at the age of 24 in 1883. Over the next few years, he became a partner in a cattle ranch and bought another ranch.
Theodore Roosevelt once wrote, "I never would have been president if it had not been for my experiences in North Dakota." During his time in the state, he saw the impact of humans on land and wildlife.
The park is broken into three units with the South Unit being the most visited. The park has amazing wildlife viewing, including a prairie dog town. You can take a scenic drive through both the North and South Unit. For a unique experience, you can go horseback riding and see the badlands of North Dakota the way Theodore Roosevelt did.
The Elkhorn Ranch Site is one of Theodore Roosevelt's ranches. None of the original ranch buildings remain today. Access is limited, so you will want to check for park updates before heading to the Elkhorn Ranch Unit.
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List of North Dakota National Parks
- Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site (also Montana)
- Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Affiliated Areas
- Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail (ID, IL, IA, KS, MO, MT, NE, ND, OR, SD, WA)
- North Country National Scenic Trail (New York to North Dakota, MI, MN, ND, NY, OH, PA, WI)
There are 3 National Parks in North Dakota, which receive over 780,000 visitors a year and produce over $50 million in economic benefits from tourism.
North Dakota National Parks include 1 National Heritage Area, 2 National Trails managed by the National Park Service, 439 National Register of Historic Places Listings, and 6 National Historic Landmarks.
National Parks in North Dakota also includes 4 National Natural Landmarks, 135 places recorded by the Heritage Documentation Program and over 790K objects in the North Dakota National Park museum collections. There are 399 archaeological sites in North Dakota National Parks.
National Parks in neighboring states
National Parks in South Dakota
Check out this printable list of US National Parks in alphabetical order to see how many you have been to!
