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| North Dakota Tourism/Marc Muench |
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National Park and Historic Sites
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The two units of Theodore Roosevelt National
Park offer majestic Badlands scenery, abundant wildlife and all kinds
of adventures of your own making.
During his administration, President Theodore Roosevelt founded the United States Forest Service,
signed the National Monuments Act and established the first federal
game preserve. His conservation efforts led to the founding of the
National Park Service, established to preserve and protect unspoiled
places like his beloved North Dakota Badlands, now known as Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The park has two units, the North Unit and the South Unit, both distinctly different.
The
South Unit is on I-94 in western North Dakota. Here the Badlands have
been shaped by millions of years of wind, rain, erosion, fire and the
meandering Little Missouri River. The area was described in 1864 by
Gen. Alfred Sully as “hell with the fires out.” The main access to the
South Unit is through the historic town of Medora.
The North Unit,
accessible from U.S. Highway 85 south of Watford City, has taller
buttes and is heavily forested in places. The beauty and allure of the
North Unit draws visitors year-round for sweeping vistas of this
designated wilderness.
Today, visitors can view a natural setting
much like the one that greeted Roosevelt over a century ago. The
36-mile scenic loop drive in the South Unit and the 14-mile drive in
the North Unit provide easy access to popular vistas and wildlife
viewing. You will always see buffalo herds and prairie dog towns, and
you may catch a glimpse of wild horses, mule deer, elk and maybe even
at coyote.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is open year-round, with
guided trail rides and primitive camping available inside and outside
the park. For more information on Theodore Roosevelt National Park,
call 701-623-4466.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
was established as a National Park Service (NPS) site in 1974. This is
the only NPS site that preserves and protects the Northern Plains
Indian Heritage. The Native Americans have occupied this area for over
11,000 years. There are the remains of three Hidatsa village sites
within the park boundaries. The Big Hidatsa site has 110 depressions,
the Sakakawea (Awatixa) site has 60 depressions and the Lower Hidatsa
site has 40 depressions. This was once a thriving civilization situated
along the Knife River. Sakakawea lived at the Awatixa site when she met
Lewis and Clark at Fort Mandan. A state of the art museum dedicated to
preserving the cluture of the Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikara tribes is
located at the visitor center. A 15-minute video about village life can
be viewed in the visitor center theater. A full-scale reconstructions
of a Hidatsa earthlodge features autthentic furnishings. Programs in
the earthlodge are conducted during the summer months. Call
701-745-3300 for more information.
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site Largest
fur trading post on the upper Missouri River from 1828-1867. Trading
headquarters with American Indians. Reconstructed Bourgeois House
contains museum exhibits. Replica trade goods are available for
purchase in the reconstructed Indian Trade House. Call 701-572-9083 for
more information.
International Peace Garden
The International Peace Garden is a 2,339-acre botanical garden
commemorating peace between the United States and Canada along the
world's longest unfortified border. It blooms with more than 150,000
varieties of flowers and showcases the Peace Chapel. It is also home to
the International Music Camp, Friday night concerts in June and July,
and interpretive center, floral clock and souvenir shop. RV-friendly
campground. Call 888-432-6733 for more information.
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