Top 10 Camping Places to Go in North Dakota

Camping Gems - Places to Go in North Dakota Theodore Roosevelt National Park The colorful Little Missouri River Badlands provides the scenic backdrop to the park which memorializes the 26th president for his enduring contributions to the conservation of our nation's resources. The park is home to a variety of prairie plants and animals including bison, elk and feral (wild) horses. Enjoy biking, hiking, fishing, wildlife viewing, bird watching, and wintertime skiing in this glorious landscape. Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Washburn Between May 1804 and September 1806, 32 men, one woman, and a baby traveled from the plains of the Midwest to the shores of the Pacific Ocean. They called themselves the Corps of Discovery. You can hike along their exact route at the Fort Mandan Visitors Center. Bismarck Heritage Center You'll see fossils, Native American artifacts and photos, exhibits depicting frontier life, a 10,000 year old reconstructed mastodon, the Naze House which shows what life was like in North Dakota in 600 B.C., and displays on military history, steamboats, homesteads, and the Dirty Thirties. (612 E Boulevard Ave, 701-328-2666) Double-Ditch Indian Village Site, Bismarck See the remains of a Mandan Indian earth lodge village, which was inhabited from around 1600-1780. Here you'll find the earth lodge depressions of 43 homes, a number of cache pit depressions enclosed on three sides by a fortification ditch, and a great view of the Missouri River. Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, Mandan You'll see the last home of General George and Libbie Custer, the Commissary Store, the Central Barracks, the Blockhouses, the Cemetery, Park Museum, the Granary, and On-a-Slant Mandan Village. At many of these sites you will be entertained and educated by re-enactors acting as tour guides. ( I-94 exits 155 and 153, 701-667-6340) Bonanzaville, Fargo Here you'll find a recreated Pioneer Village scattered over 15 acres. As you travel the village's streets you'll see antique cars, tractors, airplanes, Native American artifacts, a church, and bonanza farm homes. (1351 West Main, West Fargo, 701-282-2822) Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site Step into a reconstructed earthlodge and imagine boiling buffalo meat in a clay pot or pounding corn with a mortar and pestle. View the artistry of everyday and ceremonial clothing, bags, and implements. Listen to memories of traditional Hidatsa Indian life, then walk to Sakakawea Village site, where earthlodge depressions hint of life in a vibrant village, alive with games, ceremonies, and trade. Maah Daah Hey Trail Set in the beautiful, rugged Theodore Roosevelt National Park, this 96-mile trail is open for biking, hiking, and horseback riding. The trail starts at Sully Creek State Park and heads north into the Little Missouri National Grassland. (Forest Service, 701-225-5151; North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department, 701-328-5357) Fort Mandan, Washburn Lewis and Clark had their headquarters here during the winter of 1804-05 (the original site is now under the Missouri River). This is where Lewis and Clark met Sakakawea, the Indian woman who would be essential to the expedition. Minot The strong Scandinavian heritage of Minot makes this a fun travel stop.  If you are feeling adventurous, try some of the local Scandinavian food like lutefish and yummy lefse. Touring downtown shops will give you a chance to pick up some Scandinavian type sweaters, troll statues, and brightly painted wooden horse figures.