North Dakota

"The Peace Garden State"

It takes a lot to become a legend. It takes a personality, a vision, a lifetime of heroic deeds and great accomplishments that transcend time. North Dakota is no stranger to legends. The list of trailblazers and pioneers who have left their mark on this state is as long and diverse as anywhere: Lewis and Clark, Sakakawea, Custer, Sitting Bull and Theodore Roosevelt. Lewis and Clark, and their guide, Sakakawea, are immortalized at the Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan near Washburn.

General George Armstrong Custer commanded Fort Abraham Lincoln near present-day Mandan. From there, he took the 7th Cavalry west to Montana for a show down with chiefs Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse in 1876. Indian tribes celebrate their heritage each September in Bismarck with the United Tribes International Powwow. The celebration features drummers and dancers from around the world. Theodore Roosevelt credited his stay in North Dakota with helping him become the 26th president. Roosevelt’s life is immortalized in the two units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, connected by the 96-mile-long Maah Daah Hey Trail. The North Dakota Heritage Center on the Capitol Grounds in Bismarck takes visitors from the first settlers to present day, and we still celebrate our diverse cultures with events like Norsk Hostfest at Minot.

Explore the untamed landscape of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, step back in time at the Custer House, soak up the atmosphere of the United Tribes Pow Wow, or dig for dinosaurs at one of the many paleontological sites.

White Cloud is the only certified true albino bison in the world. She can be seen at the National Buffalo Museum in Jamestown along with her white calf, Dakota Miracle.

Land Area: 70,837 sq. miles

Population: 642,200

State Capital: Bismarck

Largest City: Fargo

Local Time: CST – 6 hrs behind the UK and MST – 7 hrs behind the UK

Continental with wide temperature variation, low humidity and a lot of sunshine. Annual rainfall is 17.16 inches. Summers are warm with an average July temp of 68°F (20°C). Average January temp is 7°F (-14°C).

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is located in western North Dakota in the beautiful, rugged Badlands. The park offers 70,744 acres of pristine, scenic land along Little Missouri River where President Theodore Roosevelt ranched. The park abounds in natural beauty and abundant wildlife, including bison and wild horses. The Western frontier town of Medora offers museums, shopping, a world-famous musical and pitchford steak fondue.

Many legendary forces have left their mark on North Dakota. On this land, Lewis and Clark, Sakakawea, George Custer and Sitting Bull lived out larger-than-life adventures. Trek the same path they traversed years ago: retrace the Corps of Discovery’s expedition as you follow the Lewis & Clark Trail, or let your imagination wander through Theodore Roosevelt National Park. See the park’s bison and wild horses, and look upon the same rugged landscape that inspired the USA’s 26th president. Today, explorers and fun-seekers can still discover what makes North Dakota legendary. Wherever you go, you’ll find satisfying dining, inspiring local and regional arts, exciting events and extraordinary scenery.

There’s a common thread running through North Dakota – friendliness. In fact, “Dakota” is a Sioux Indian word meaning “friend.” This warmth extends throughout the many cultures who call the state home. Two of the state’s largest events are celebrations of cultures. In September, head to Bismarck for the United Tribes International Powwow, one of the nation’s largest powwows. It draws thousands of spectators to watch 1,500 Native American dancers and drummers from 70 tribes across the USA and Canada. Typically held in early October, the Norsk Høstfest is another awesome cultural experience. Held in Minot, it is the largest Scandinavian festival in the world outside of Scandinavia, complete with a Viking village, Nordic kitchen and plenty of food and craft vendors. 

In every corner of the state, you’ll find history, culture and nature. Stroll through a turn-of-the-20th-century pioneer town at Bonanzaville in West Fargo. Exercise creative muscles at the Plains Art Museum in Fargo. Check out the Badlands, which early Americans called “hell with the fires put out.” But today, explorers today call the North Dakota Badlands beautiful, rugged and amazing. Teddy Roosevelt was so impressed he built two ranches here. Visitors can tour the Maltese Cross Cabin before entering the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park at Medora. The Elkhorn Ranch unit north of Medora is the most remote of the park’s three units. The north unit near Watford City and south unit at Medora are also near trailheads of the 232-kilometer Maah Daah Hey Trail, a horseback riding, hiking and biking trail linking all units of the park. While in Medora, be sure to try the pitchfork steak fondue while watching the nightly Medora Musical.

Follow the Missouri River corridor and the Lewis and Clark Trail through North Dakota. At Bismarck-Mandan, visit Fort Abraham Lincoln, home of the 7th Cavalry when it left for Little Bighorn and On-A-Slant Mandan Indian Village. Other villages in the area include Chief Looking’s Village on the bluffs above the Missouri River within Bismarck and Double Ditch Indian Village adjacent to the river north of Bismarck. Learn about North Dakota’s colorful past at the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum on the state capitol grounds (also in Bismarck). At Washburn, tour the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and Fort Mandan, and stop at Sakakawea’s home at Knife River Indian Village in Stanton. Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site was a hub of peaceful trading activity between area tribes and fur traders in the early 1800s. Hugh Glass, whose story was told in the movie “The Revenant,” was a hunter at the fort on the banks of the Missouri River near the confluence with the Yellowstone River and the Montana border.

Finally, the 930-hectare International Peace Garden on the border of the USA and Canada symbolizes peace between the two neighbors. During spring and summer, the gardens bloom with thousands of flowers surrounding rolling woodlands, two lakes and hiking and biking trails. Roam freely between the two countries within the garden’s borders.