Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
Address: 15550 Hwy 1804
Williston, ND 58801
Phone: 701-572-9083
Fax: 701-572-7321
Overview. At the junction of the Missouri and Yellowstone rivers, long home to Native American tribes, the American Fur Company established an outpost in 1828. Fort Union quickly became a principal trading post, hosting several Plains Indian tribes and a good mix of Scots, Spaniards, Frenchman, and Americans as they gathered to exchange furs for manufactured goods brought by boat. In 1867 the U.S. Infantry dismantled the fort, using the materials to construct Fort Buford nearby. The 442-acre historic site now presents major fort structures as they were in 1851, the fort's heyday.What to see and do. Inside the reconstructed Bourgeois House you'll find the visitor center. From 8 AM to 8 PM summers (9 AM to 5:30 PM winters), take a few minutes to look at exhibits of artifacts relating the fort's history. In the bookstore, you can browse among many titles. Your time is best spent outside on the fort grounds. Inside the reconstructed 18-foot high palisades, summertime Fort Union bustles with activity. Rangers lead guided tours around the grounds, while living history exhibits lend a nineteenth-century flavor to the air. When you step inside the Indian Trade House, you'll find a large display of goods representative of a typical 1851 frontier store. Overlooking the entire site are reconstructions of the two-story stone bastions, at one time a welcome sight to weary travelers' eyes. Finish up your visit at the picnic grounds. On the third weekend in June, a four-day "Rendezvous" reenacts a special trader/trapper celebration. Call ahead for details on activities and programs. The entire site is handicapped-accessible, and a handicapped shuttle runs between the parking area and the fort. Leashed pets are permitted.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Address: 564 County Road 37 P.O. Box 9
Stanton, ND 58571-0009
Phone: 701-745-3300
Fax: 701-745-3708
Overview: Located on the Knife River one-half-mile north of Stanton, North Dakota, this site preserves remnants of Northern Plains Indian culture. For at least 500 years, the Mandan and Hidatsa tribes occupied this area. Lewis and Clark record meeting them on their expedition; the friendship, hunting skills, and agriculture products of the earthlodge people enabled the success of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery. To remind visitors of the original inhabitants, the site offers a museum, earthlodge, and 11 miles of trails.
What to see and do: In the visitor center's museum, you will see exhibits of Native American artifacts. Be sure to watch the 15-minute video presentation orienting you to the entire site (closed-caption available). The bookstore offers both books and Native American crafts. The highlight of your visit is the reconstructed earthlodge, located next to the visitor center. These dome-shaped earth and wood structures were the main living quarters of the Mandan and Hidatsa. Some were large enough to hold 20 people. Ranger-guided tours are available from May to September.
Outside, take advantage of the 11 miles of trails to further explore the site's almost 1,600 acres, which include other Native American village sites. Hiking is a favorite summer activity, while winter visitors often bring their cross-country skis. Along the Knife River, you can also fish, provided you possess a North Dakota fishing license. Whenever you visit, be prepared for the extremes of heat and cold possible at the height of summer and winter.
The fourth weekend in July, the site hosts the Northern Plains Indian Culture Fest. Call ahead for details. The visitor center, earthlodge, and some trails are accessible by wheelchair (trails have gravel surface).
Summer hours (Memorial Day through Labor Day): 7:30 AM to 6 PM (M.D.T.); Winter hours: 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM (M.S.T.). Closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's days. Admission is free. For more information on the site,click here.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Address: 315 Second Ave PO Box 7
Medora, ND 58645-0007
Phone: 701-623-4466
Fax: 701-623-4840
Overview. The 70,000-acre Theodore Roosevelt National Park was named to honor President Roosevelt's visionary conservation efforts, his love of nature, and his key role in efforts to establish a national park system. Roosevelt had been sickly as a child, and as a young man he was dedicated to challenging himself and to building his physical health and strength. He spent a great deal of time in the badlands building his own ranch, Elkhorn, here in the 1880s. Although this desolate area is named "the badlands," the name belies the large variety of plants and animals that call this place of open grasslands and barren rock home. In spring, acres of colorful wildflowers cover the prairie, and more than 180 species of songbirds fill the air with their voices. Mule deer graze on the open plains with elk, bison herds, and wild horses, while whitetail deer find refuge in the woodlands. Feisty prairie dogs build their underground network of dens beneath the grasslands. Rattlesnakes and other reptiles may also be seen. Multicolored corrugated cliffs and domes add an austere beauty to the landscape, and nature shows its awesome power here on occasion with violent storms and high winds that can build very quickly. What to see and do. The park is divided into three units: North, South, and Elkhorn Ranch site. The Elkhorn Ranch was Roosevelt's second home in the badlands. The North Unit is considered to be the more rugged and isolated. Its vibrant colors and lush vegetation receive fewer visitors, especially off-season. If you only have one day to spend at the North Unit, stop by the visitors center to pick up maps and guide books or chat with a ranger about how best to plan your visit. A 14-mile scenic drive starts at the center, leads west into the park, and takes you past the Longhorn Pullout and the Buckhorn Trail Loop where you can get out and hike. Other trailheads along this route include Little Mo Nature Trail, Caprock Coulee Nature Trail, and Achenbach Trail, where you'll see the Little Missouri River, dry gulches, prairie dog towns, and river woodlands. A lookout at the South Unit's Painted Canyon Visitor Center gives visitors a spectacular view of the surrounding area with its rolling hills and colors. A 36-mile loop road leads you to several overlooks and hiking trails. You can also see historic buildings including the Peaceful Valley Ranch, which was a cattle and horse ranch during the late 1800s and now provides trails rides between May and October. Cottonwood Campground in the park's South Unit and Squaw Creek Campground in the park's North Unit together offer a total of 130 sites available on a 14-day first-come, first-served basis. No showers or hookups are provided, but there are both tent and RV sites. All individual campsites are first-come, first-served. Group campgrounds are also available and require reservations. Horse camping and backcountry camping are also available. Note: rattlesnakes and black widow spiders are common to certain areas, so pay attention along hiking trails. Bison do occasionally attack if provoked, and prairie dog bites can be severe. Do not approach or feed prairie dogs. Pets: Leashed pets are permitted but not in backcountry areas. Fees: A nominal fee is charged for day-use of the park.
Search All National Parks
|
Explore a city in North Dakota
|
 |
|
