 Home / U.S. State Travel Guides / U.S. Vacations / U.S. National Parks / U.S. State Highpoints / U.S. Road Trip Planning  NORTH DAKOTA TRAVEL GUIDE
Welcome to the bigroads.com travel guide to North Dakota! Hopefully this page helps provide some inspiration and tips to help you plan your next trip to North Dakota. Take note that I build and maintain this website as both a hobby and public service. I take joy in performing travel research and sharing my experiences and adventures. I do not make any profit from this website, and you will see no ads on it. Your constructive feedback about this site and its content is encouraged. Please email me if you have any suggestions or ideas for improvement.  OVERVIEWTOP 10 ATTRACTIONS IN NORTH DAKOTA✮ Engage in history at Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site ✮ See the impressive Gol Stave Church at Scandinavian Heritage Park ✮ Go backpacking or horsepacking on a portion of the 96-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail ✮ Cycle the Greenway of Greater Grand Forks ✮ Drive the Petrified Forest Loop in Theodore Roosevelt National Park to see beautiful badlands scenery ✮ Catch the Medora Musical, a famous live song-and-dance show in Medora (near Theodore Roosevelt National Park) ✮ Go bird-watching at the J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge in either spring and fall ✮ Stop at the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, one of the premier Lewis & Clark sites in the U.S. ✮ Photograph the scrap metal roadside attractions along the Enchanted Highway in the southwestern part of the state ✮ Take a selfie with the world's largest buffalo in Jamestown If I could select only one place to visit in North Dakota, I would choose Medora so that I could visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park. For a list of 10 great attractions in each U.S. state, click here. 5-STAR ATTRACTIONS IN NORTH DAKOTANorthwestern North Dakota ✮ Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, Williston - visit a partially reconstructed fur trading post on the Upper Missouri River ✮ Little Missouri State Park, Killdeer - remote park along the Little Missouri River; great badlands scenery with 45 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails Southwestern North Dakota (including Medora and both units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park) ✮ Bully Pulpit Golf Course - one of the finest public golf courses in the country ✮ Enchanted Highway - take a 32-mile drive past the world's largest collection of scrap metal sculptures ✮ Maah Daah Hey Trail - hike, mountain bike, or horseback ride a section of this outstandingly scenic and wild 144-mile single-track trail ✮ Medora - North Dakota's best small town; the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park ✮ Medora Musical, Medora - attend an excellent live song-and-dance show ✮ Medora Riding Stables, Medora - go horseback riding in the North Dakota badlands ✮ North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, Medora - history museum focusing on cowboys, Native Americans, rodeos, and ranching ✮ Petrified Forest Loop, Theodore Roosevelt National Park - the #1 scenic drive in North Dakota ✮ Sully Creek State Park, Medora - attractive state park showcasing the North Dakota badlands ✮ Theodore Roosevelt National Park - beautiful badlands & great wildlife viewing; scenic drives and great hiking trails; the #1 ND attraction ✮ White Butte, Amidon - take a moderate hike to the highpoint of North Dakota Northcentral North Dakota (including Minot) ✮ Geographical Center of North America, Rugby - a classic roadside attraction ✮ International Peace Garden, Dunseith - monument along the US/Canadian border that is flush with flowers and beautiful gardens ✮ J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge, Kramer - views hundreds of thousands of waterfowl in the spring or fall ✮ Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Stanton - visit a historic Native American trade center and hike past historic sites ✮ Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Washburn - one of the best Lewis & Clark museums in the U.S. ✮ Scandinavian Heritage Park, Minot - tour buildings and see items and sculptures celebrating 5 different Nordic countries ✮ Tommy the Turtle, Bottineau - roadside attraction featuring the world's tallest turtle sitting on the world's largest snowmobile ✮ World's Largest Turtle/Wee'l, Dunseith - large, quirky roadside attraction of a giant turtle made out of wheel rims Southcentral North Dakota (including Bismarck) ✮ Dakota Zoo, The, Bismarck - a good medium-sized zoo ✮ Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, Mandan - reconstructed historic forts & earth lodges ✮ Fort Mandan State Historic Site, Washburn - replica of a Lewis & Clark expedition fort ✮ Giant Cow statue / Salem Sue, New Salem - 38-foot tall fiberglass cow; a great photo-op ✮ North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, Bismarck - museum offering four galleries on North Dakota history ✮ State Capitol Building, Bismarck - visit the "skyscraper of the prairie" Northeastern North Dakota (including Grand Forks) ✮ Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site, Cooperstown - excellent Cold War history site Southeastern North Dakota (including Fargo and Jamestown) ✮ Bonanzaville USA, Fargo - a recreated pioneer village ✮ Fargo-Moorhead Visitors Center / Fargo Woodchipper, Fargo - see the actual woodchipper used in the Hollywood movie Fargo ✮ Frontier Village, Jamestown - see a collection of original historic buildings ✮ Mario Wall, Fargo - take a photo with a large mural of the famous Mario video game by Nintendo ✮ National Buffalo Museum, Jamestown - interesting museum plus photo-ops with the world's largest buffalo statue ✮ Sheyenne National Grassland - visit a pristine tall-grass prairie ✮ Wahpeton Wahpper / World's Largest Catfish, Wahpeton - large, quirky roadside attraction ✮ World's Largest Buffalo, Jamestown - giant roadside attraction at the National Buffalo Museum Are you aware of any other 5-star attractions in North Dakota? If so, please email me at gparsons66@hotmail.com. For a list of 5-star attractions in neighboring states, click on any of these links: MN | MT | SD BEST TOWNS & CITIES TO VISIT IN NORTH DAKOTA✮ Fargo - a medium-sized city with a few noteworthy museums and other attractions, such as the actual woodchipper used in the movie Fargo ✮ Medora - a small town that serves as the gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park; don't miss the Medora Musical while in town My favorite city in North Dakota is Fargo - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least one night there My favorite small town in North Dakota is Medora - I recommend that first-time visitors spend at least 2-3 nights there If you want to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park, stay in Medora. Click here if you'd like to see a complete list of towns and cities that I find interesting across the entire U.S. WHAT IS NORTH DAKOTA FAMOUS FOR?✮ agricultural industries ✮ badlands ✮ Fargo movie and TV show ✮ Native American tribes and culture ✮ oil and gas industry ✮ prairies ✮ roadside attractions Click here if you'd like to explore what other U.S. states are famous for. NATIONAL PARKS IN NORTH DAKOTANational Parks ✮ Theodore Roosevelt National Park - beautiful badlands & great wildlife viewing; scenic drives and good hiking trails National Historical Parks / Other National Parks & Properties ✮ Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site ✮ Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site ✮ Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail ✮ North Country National Scenic Trail Theodore Roosevelt National Park has two major units (North & South) and one minor unit that sits in between them (Elkhorn Ranch). The South Unit is the largest, most popular, and closest unit to the gateway town of Medora. Both the South and North units have bison, prairie dogs, and other wildlife, but only the South Unit has wild horses. The scenery and hiking in all three units is excellent. The Elkhorn Ranch Unit is very remote, and there are no services there. A 4-wheel drive and/or high-clearance vehicle is sometimes needed to visit the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. For more information on North Dakota's national parks, visit the North Dakota page of the National Park Service. For an overview of all U.S. national parks, click here. STATE PARKS IN NORTH DAKOTA✮ Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, Mandan - see reconstructed historic forts & earth lodges ✮ Fort Mandan State Historic Site, Washburn - visit a replica of a Lewis & Clark expedition fort ✮ Little Missouri State Park, Killdeer - remote park along the Little Missouri River; great badlands scenery with 45 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails ✮ Sully Creek State Park, Medora - attractive state park showcasing the North Dakota badlands To see my list of the top 100 state parks in the country, click here. BEST WATERFALLS IN NORTH DAKOTABEST SCENIC DRIVES IN NORTH DAKOTA✮ Enchanted Highway - a 32-mile paved route from Gladstone to Regent that passes several large and impressive scrap metal art scuptures ✮ Theodore Roosevelt National Park: North Unit Scenic Drive - a 14-mile paved route through the north unit of ND's only national park ✮ Theodore Roosevelt National Park: South Unit Scenic Drive - a 36-mile paved route through the south unit of ND's only national park I haven't driven the Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway yet, but it's possible there's some decent scenery on that route. For a list of great scenic drives in each U.S. state, click here. BEST AMUSEMENT PARKS / THEME PARKS IN NORTH DAKOTABEST MUSEUMS IN NORTH DAKOTAWestern North Dakota (including Medora) ✮ North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame, Medora - history museum focusing on cowboys, Native Americans, rodeos, and ranching Central North Dakota (including Bismarck) ✮ Dakota Territory Air Museum, Minot ✮ Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Stanton - visit a historic Native American trade center and hike past historic sites ✮ Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, Washburn - one of the best Lewis & Clark museums in the U.S. ✮ North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum, Bismarck - museum offering four galleries on North Dakota history Eastern North Dakota (including Fargo and Jamestown) ✮ Fargo Air Museum, Fargo ✮ Plains Art Museum, Fargo ✮ Roger Maris Museum, Fargo ✮ Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile Site, Cooperstown - excellent Cold War history site BEST DAY HIKES IN NORTH DAKOTAWestern North Dakota ✮ Birnt Hills Trail, Little Missouri National Grasslands ✮ Caprock Coulee Trail loop, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit) ✮ Jones Creek Trail, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) ✮ Petrified Forest Loop, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) ✮ White Butte ✮ Wind Canyon Trail, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) Central North Dakota ✮ Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park trails ✮ Grassland Trail, J. Clark Salyer National Wildlife Refuge Eastern North Dakota ✮ North Country National Scenic Trail: From Iron Spring Creek to County Rd 23, Sheyenne National Grasslands The highpoint of North Dakota is White Butte (3,506') in western North Dakota. A moderate day hike is required to reach the top. BEST BACKPACKING TRIPS IN NORTH DAKOTA✮ Maah Daah Hey Trail ✮ North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) ✮ Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit) ✮ Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) The Maah Daah Hey Trail is the premier long-distance backpacking trail in North Dakota. There are currently 16 trailheads along the route. The trail is much more popular with mountain bikers and horseback riders, but hikers and backpackers do utilize the trail. Backpacking in Theodore Roosevelt National Park requires a permit, but they are easy to get and currently unlimited. Visit the backpacking page of the NPS site for more information. CLASSIC OUTDOOR ADVENTURES IN NORTH DAKOTA✮ Backpacking the Maah Daah Hey Trail ✮ Backpacking the North Country National Scenic Trail ✮ Backpacking in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park ✮ Backpacking in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Missouri River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Mouse River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Pembina River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Red River ✮ Canoeing/kayaking on the Sheyenne River ✮ Cycling the Greenway of Greater Grand Forks ✮ Day hiking the Maah Daah Hey Trail ✮ Day hiking in Petrified Forest National Park ✮ Fishing or ice-fishing on Devils Lake ✮ Horseback riding at Little Missouri State Park ✮ Horsepacking the Maah Daah Hey Trail ✮ Mountain biking the Maah Daah Hey Trail ✮ Skydiving in West Fargo SKI RESORTS IN NORTH DAKOTANORTH DAKOTA TRAVEL TIPSUNIQUE / SPECIALTY FOODS TO TRY IN NORTH DAKOTA✮ caramel rolls ✮ cheese buttons ✮ chokecherries ✮ juneberries ✮ knoephla soup ✮ lefse potato crepes ✮ rhubarb pie For a list of unique foods and mom-and-pop type eateries and restaurants in North Dakota (or any other U.S. state), visit the Roadfood.com website. For a list of unique foods to try in each of the 50 U.S. states, click here. For a list of the top-rated beers to try in North Dakota (or any other U.S. state), visit the Beer Advocate website. OTHER KEY NORTH DAKOTA INFORMATIONBismarck Major Airports: None; the largest airport is Hector International Airport in Fargo, but it's relatively small Largest Cities: Fargo (130,078), Bismarck (76,092), Grand Forks (60,432), Minot (49,875), West Fargo (41,186), Williston (32,048), Dickinson (27,257) Primary U.S. Interstates: I-29, I-94 State Highpoint: White Butte (3,506') in Chalky Butte in southwestern North Dakota; a moderate day hike is required to reach the top Professional Sports Teams: None Funny or Unique Town/City Names: Zap Take note that in general this travel guide intentionally excluded restaurants, lodging/hotels, breweries, wineries/vineyards, and certain other types of attractions (like arcades, ax-throwing, bowling alleys, and escape rooms). These types of places tend to come and go, and keeping up with that would be too challenging. I encourage you to use Google Maps, Tripadvisor, Yelp, and other travel sites that have reader reviews to find the latest and greatest places that I haven't covered here. Mario Wall in Fargo, North Dakota  the actual wood-chipper used in the Hollywood movie Fargo is held in the Fargo Visitor Center Fargo, North Dakota ROAD TRIP GUIDEBOOKSIn addition to the information found on my website, I personally recommend purchasing these road trip/travel-related guidebooks. Click on any book cover to read reviews and/or purchase these books on Amazon.com.  
 
 
 
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