North Dakota: Top 10 best things to do
1 Theodore Roosevelt National Park:
Comprised of three Units: The North Unit, the South Unit and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit, Theodore Roosevelt National Park stretches across 70,416 acres of western North Dakota. It preserves an area of land that profoundly affected President Theodore Roosevelt and is a beacon for nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts. Abundant wildlife, scenic drives and miles of trails await your arrival. The wildlife may be close enough for you to pet them, but I wouldn’t recommend it! The South Unit has a loop drive that provides a view of buffalo, deer, elk, big-horn sheep, wild horses, mule deer and prairie dog towns. The North Unit offers a Scenic Byway that gives travellers a chance to look down upon the “Grand Canyon of the North” as well as wildlife along the way.
2 Maah Daah Hey Trail:
In the Mandan language the trail name means “an area that has been or will be around for a long time”. In the adventure world, it is simply legendary. The north end of the 101-mile trail begins at the US Forest Service CCC Campground located 20 miles south of Watford City, near the North Unit of the park. From there, the trail winds south, connecting seven campgrounds and all three units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It ends south of Medora. The trail is generally open to horseback riders, hikers, and bicyclists. However, bicycles are not allowed on trails within the National Park, so an alternate route bypassing the South Unit is provided. For more information visit www.mdhta.com or
www.dakotacyclery.com - let the adventure begin!
3 International Powwow – UTTC:
The Powwow is held annually in the Lone Star Arena at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck and has become one of the premier cultural events of North Dakota, receiving numerous awards over the years. Representing over 70 tribes, featuring over 1,500 dancers and drummers, and drawing over 20,000 spectators the Powwow has become a must-see event!
www.unitedtribespowwow.com
4 Medora Musical/Pitchfork Fondue:
Set in the outdoor splendour of the rugged North Dakota Badlands, this professionally produced, high energy, western-style musical show is proudly dedicated to the legacy of America’s 26th President, Theodore Roosevelt, and the time he spent in the Badlands of the Dakota Territory. Each show pays tribute to American patriotism and the Old West. As a guest at the Medora Musical, you’ll enjoy an exciting array of songs performed by the Burning Hills Singers, LIVE horses on-stage, familyfriendly entertainment provided by the Queen of the West and Co-Host of the Show, and some toe-tappin’ good tunes by an on-stage band, the Coal Diggers…all the while comfortably seated in the 2,900-seat Burning Hills Amphitheatre, overlooking the Little Missouri River Valley.
Every evening, prior to the Medora Musical, chefs load steaks onto pitchforks and fondue them western style. Savour your steak as you overlook the picturesque Badlands from atop a bluff at the Tjaden Terrace. Your steak comes with all of the fixin’s. Plus, you’ll be serenaded with western melodies performed live by members of The Coal Diggers from the Medora Musical. Don’t miss this unique dining experience that was featured on the national television show, Best Of, on The Food Network!
5 Fargo Marathon:
The inaugural event, in 2005, brought in over 2,400 participants. In the years to follow numbers continued to surprise and in 2010 hit 20,000 people…in 2013 over 24,000! In 2011, they started FARGO ROCKS... Bands and Fans... every race... every mile! As they embark on the 11th Running of the Fargo Marathon, it is only appropriate that they “mix it up” again! But of course... ALWAYS FAST & FLAT!
If you have ever run in the Fargo-Moorhead area before... or maybe you’re returning to run the Fargo Marathon again, then you know Fargo is flat! If you’re new to this event, then you’re in for a treat! No, they don’t have a Heartbreak Hill, and not even a Teardrop Hill. Just some great fast roads... a couple of underpasses (which seem like hills) and some awesome fans and rockin’ bands along the way! Whether you are taking on the 5km,10km, half or full marathon, all of the courses are FARGO FLAT and all of the courses are FARGO FAST!
6 Take in a UND Hockey game at “The Ralph” in Grand Forks:
From the marble floors to the leather seats, this $104 Million dollar facility is described as one of the finest of its kind in the world. A little known fact…there are 2,200 logos throughout the complex.
7 International Peace Garden:
Travel to the International Peace Garden where you can have one foot in America and one in Canada! The Gardens are located near the Dunseith border crossing.
8 Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park:
Take a step back in time at the Custer House and On-A-Slant Indian Village at Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. Experience the life at the Fort in 1875 at the Custer House. Tour the home of the General and Mrs. George Custer. Walk across the parade grounds to the barracks of the 7th Cavalry, the Commissary Store and visit the horses at the stables. On-A-Slant is a 400 year-old Mandan Village which thrived for over 200 years. The Mandan were gardeners, living in permanent housing, the earthlodge. Five reconstructed lodges can be toured today. The Custer House is a near replica of the final home of General George and Libbie Custer. Tours of the Custer House, the commissary storehouse, granary, barracks and stables take you back to another time. It was from here that Custer and his 7th Cavalry rode to meet their fate at the Battle of the Little Bighorn.
9 The State Museum at the North Dakota Heritage Center:
Start your chronological journey through time with the Adaptation Gallery: Geologic Time. Dinosaur tracks in the hallway floor lead you to the story of early North Dakota life and geology, featuring life-sized skeleton casts of a Tyrannosaurus Rex and a Triceratops ready to battle. Follow the footprints symbolising the arrival of the first people to inhabit North Dakota. The Innovation Gallery: Early Peoples features more than 1,000 artifacts telling the story of early life on the Northern Plains. Don’t miss the exquisite 6 feet by 20 feet hand-painted mural of Double Ditch Indian Village in 1550. Also open are the new Museum Store, new Great Plains Theatre, the renovated Russell Reid Auditorium, select hallway exhibits and more.
10 Take in the BIGGER THAN LIFE Statues:
You won’t get bored driving the Enchanted Highway, which stretches 32 miles between Regent and Gladstone, since it’s decorated every few miles by some of the world’s largest scrap metal sculptures. In fact, one of these sculptures, “Geese in Flight”, even earned a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. But also stop in Jamestown for the World’s Largest Buffalo, in Wahpeton for the Catfish, Bottineau for Tommy the Turtle, Steele for Sandy the Sandhill Crane, New Salem for Salem Sue the Holstein Cow and many, many more around the state!
www.ndtourism.com