Western North Dakota Tour

WESTERN SUGGESTED ITINERARY

Suggested i nerary for traveling around western North Dakota. Star ng in Williston traveling east on Highway 1804 to New Town and Parshall, then east on 1804 to Highway 83 north to Minot. Traveling south on Highway 83 to Lake Sakakawea, then on to Stanton and Washburn on the way to Bismarck. A er Bismarck and Mandan, travel west on I-94 to Richardton, Dickinson and Theodore Roosevelt Na onal Park and Medora.

There are many addi onal ac vi es in every area. Groups can par cipate in canoeing, horseback riding, hiking, biking, swimming or golfi ng. Please check the state travel guide for these addi onal ac vi es.

Day 1 Morning Williston Area

MISSOURI-YELLOWSTONE CONFLUENCE INTERPRETIVE CENTER (5 miles west on Highway 200 to Highway 1804, then 16 miles to Missouri-Yellowstone Confl uence Interpre ve Center) • Museum detailing area’s importance during se lement era • Located at confl uence of Missouri and Yellowstone rivers

FORT BUFORD STATE HISTORIC SITE (½ mile west of Missouri-Yellowstone Confl uence Center) • Military post established at the confl uence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers in 1866 • Played a key role as a supply depot during the Indian wars era • Nez Perce Chief Joseph and Hunkpapa Sioux Si ng Bull were imprisoned here • Site of Si ng Bull’s surrender in July of 1881

FORT UNION TRADING POST NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE (3 miles west on Highway 1804) • Dominated the fur trade on the Upper Missouri River between 1829 and 1867 • Built near the confl uence of the Yellowstone and Missouri rivers • Home to John Jacob Astor’s powerful American Fur Company • Indians and the fur traders peacefully co-existed before the Indian wars • The Bourgeois House contains the museum exhibits • Gi and souvenir shop is in reconstructed Indian Trade House. Purchase replicas of trade items

Day 1 A ernoon New Town (70 miles east of Williston on Highway 1804, approximate drive me 1 hour)

Lunch in New Town at Four Bears Casino and Resort.

EARTHLODGE VILLAGE • Living Earthlodge Village with interpreta on • Na ve Garden • Site for many cultural events

FOUR BEARS CASINO & RESORT • Full Las Vegas-style casino. • Live entertainment and beau ful overlook of Lake Sakakawea

THREE TRIBES MUSEUM • Ar facts rela ng to Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara tribal history • Off ers tradi onal American Indian arts, cra s and books

FOUR BEARS BRIDGE • Bridge is named for 19 tribal chiefs of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Indian tribes • Longest bridge in North Dakota, spanning nearly a mile of Lake Sakakawea

Parshall (10 miles east on Highway 1804)

PAUL BROSTE ROCK MUSEUM • Private collector’s rock exhibit features rocks from all over the world • Housed in a building made of natural granite quarried from the area

Minot Area (39 miles east on Highway 1804 and 16 miles north on Highway 83)

Dinner in Minot. Please contact the Minot Conven on and Visitors Bureau for complete lis ng of local restaurants at 701-857-8206.

SCANDINAVIAN HERITAGE PARK • Tribute to Scandinavian and American heritage • Features typical Norwegian house and Norwegian stabbur • Danish Windmill and Largest Dala Horse (Na onal symbol of Sweden) • Nordic-style visitors center

ROOSEVELT ZOO • Educa onal displays • Zoo tours • 200 mammals, birds and rep les, including giraff es, zebras, wolves, camels, bison, snow leopards and a white Bengal ger

Overnight in Minot. Please contact the Minot Conven on and Visitors Bureau for complete lis ng of local accommoda ons at 701- 857-8206. Day 2 Morning Minot

DAKOTA TERRITORY AIR MUSEUM • Showcases the rich and varied story of region’s avia on history • Home to the Texas Flying Legends Museum Aircra • Displays military and civilian aircra from 1903 through the present • Exhibits, narra ves, kiosks, military uniforms, memorabilia, pain ngs, photographs and a gi shop

Lake Sakakawea (From Minot, 42 miles south on Highway 83)

LAKE SAKAKAWEA • 609 square miles behind Garrison Dam • Largest lake in North Dakota • Largest man-made lake within one state • Named for the young Na ve American woman who accompanied Lewis and Clark

GARRISON DAM • Mile-long earthen dam • Provides fl ood control and generates electricity • Tours of the powerhouse are conducted daily

Day 2 A ernoon Stanton Area (from Riverdale, west Highway 200, le on County Road 37 – 31 miles)

KNIFE RIVER INDIAN VILLAGES NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE (2miles north on County Road 37) • Ruins of ancient Indian village last occupied in 1845 by the Hidatsa and Mandan • State-of-the-art museum dedicated to preserving the culture of the Plains Indians • Reconstructed earthlodge containing ar facts from the Plains Indian culture • More than 60 ground depressions • Where Lewis and Clark met Sakakawea in 1804

Washburn Area (5 miles south on County Road 37 and east 23 miles on Highway 200A)

LEWIS AND CLARK INTERPRETIVE CENTER (Just north of Highway 200A at the junc on of Highway 83) • World-class interpre ve site along the route Lewis and Clark traveled • Exhibits focus on ar facts from every tribe the explorers encountered • Showcases the culture of the Mandan Indians and the winter of 1804-1805 • Bergquist Gallery features a rare set of the artworks of Swiss ar st Karl Bodmer

FORT MANDAN (2 miles west of the Lewis and Clark Interpre ve Center on McLean County Highway 17) • Reconstructed site of Fort Mandan, winter home of Lewis and Clark in 1804-1805 • Daily interpreta ve tours

Bismarck-Mandan Area (41 miles south of Washburn on Highway 83)

Dinner in Bismarck. Please contact the Bismarck-Mandan Conven on and Visitors Bureau for complete lis ng of local restaurants at 701-222-4308.

LEWIS AND CLARK RIVERBOAT • 100-foot paddle-wheeler features twin decks and a 70-foot cabin • Can carry more than 150 people • Departs in the a ernoon, also dinner and sunset cruises on the Missouri River

Overnight in Bismarck-Mandan. Please contact the Bismarck-Mandan Conven on and Visitors Bureau for lis ng of local accommoda- ons at 701-222-4308. Day 3 Morning FORT ABRAHAM LINCOLN STATE PARK (7 miles south of Mandan on Highway 1806 or take the Fort Lincoln Trolley to the park) • 977-acre park along the Missouri River south of Mandan • 300-year history, to me when On-A-Slant was home to Mandan Indians • Site of a military garrison in the mid- to late 1800s • Exhibits relate to the life of the Mandan Indians and the military history of the fort

ON-A-SLANT INDIAN VILLAGE (Located in the Fort Lincoln State Park) • Village was once home to a thriving Mandan Indian popula on • Reconstructed earthlodges of the Mandan Indians

CUSTER HOUSE (Located in the Fort Lincoln State Park) • Tour the home of Lt. Col. George and Libbie Custer • Reconstructed commissary storehouse, granary, barracks and stables • This was Custer’s last home and command • From here, Custer and his 7th Cavalry rode to meet their fate at the Ba le of the Li le Bighorn

FORT MCKEEN BLOCKHOUSES (Located in the Fort Lincoln State Park) • Infantry blockhouses set high on the bluff s over-looking the Missouri River • Same vantage points early cavalry soldiers had as they viewed the wide expanse of the Missouri River

FORT LINCOLN TROLLEY • Restored trolley car off ers a round-trip ride from Mandan to Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park • Daily trips to the park running on the hour (Memorial Day to Labor Day)

FIVE NATIONS ARTS DEPOT • Housed in a restored Great Northern Railroad Depot • Authen c Na ve American pain ngs, jewelry, sculptures and baskets, hand-cra ed by local ar sts

Lunch in Bismarck-Mandan.

Day 3 A ernoon NORTH DAKOTA CAPITOL BUILDING

• Tour the 19-story capitol building, built in the early 1930s, and get bird’s-eye view of area from observa on deck

NORTH DAKOTA HERITAGE CENTER AND STATE MUSEUM • 97,000-square-foot, $52-million facility that tells the history of North Dakota • New galleries take guests through North Dakota history from the Ice Age to present day • One of the largest collec ons of Plains Indian ar facts, second only to the Smithsonian • Cafe on site and museum gi shop off ers North Dakota arts and cra s

Other local a rac ons

FORMER GOVERNOR’S MANSION STATE HISTORIC SITE (320 Avenue B East)

• Restored to late Victorian era, housed North Dakota’s governors from 1893 to 1960

DAKOTA ZOO (Adjacent to Sertoma Riverside Park) • Home to more than 500 rep les, birds and mammals

PRAIRIE KNIGHTS CASINO AND RESORT (46 miles south of Mandan on Highway 1806) • “Old West” ambiance with refi ned dakota hospitality in a Las Vegas-style casino.

Overnight in the Bismarck-Mandan area. Day 4 Morning Richardton (62 miles west of Mandan on Interstate 94)

ASSUMPTION ABBEY • Visit this historic Catholic church built in 1904 • The Abbey library, gi shop, wine cellar and shop are open by request

Dickinson (23 miles west of Richardton on Interstate 94, exit 61)

DICKINSON MUSEUM CENTER (200 Museum Drive) • Life-size Triceratops and Pachycephalosaurus outside the entrance • 10 full-scale dinosaurs in a central display

JOACHIM REGIONAL MUSEUM • Adjacent to the dinosaur museum • Regional museum contains ar facts and displays from southwest North Dakota

PRAIRIE OUTPOST PARK • Several historic buildings, including a general store, post offi ce, church. • Germans from Russia stone house, Norwegian stabbur and veteran’s chapel.

Lunch in Dickinson. Please contact the Dickinson Conven on and Visitors Bureau for a complete list of area restaurants at 701-483-4988.

Day 4 A ernoon Medora Area (34 miles west of Dickinson on Interstate 94, exit 27)

Medora is the gateway to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt Na onal Park. his authen c Old West cow-town was founded in 1883 by the Marquis de Mores and named for his wife. Medora off ers a musical extravaganza, trail rides, mountain biking, hiking, museums, many gi shops and restaurants are bustling during the summer season.

CHATEAU DE MORES STATE HISTORIC SITE • Elegant 26-room home of the famous French nobleman who founded Medora • Built in 1883, one of the three mansions on the prairie

MUSEUM OF THE BADLANDS • Displays of Indian regalia and ar facts, wildlife relics and wax fi gures of fron er days

DOLL HOUSE MUSEUM • A collec on of an que dolls and toys housed in the VonHoff man House built by the Marquis de Mores

BULLY THE PLAY • One-man performance on the life of Teddy Roosevelt

Dinner in Medora: Iron Horse Saloon, Li le Missouri Dining Room, Cowboy Cafe, Maltese Burger, Badlands Saloon and Pizza Parlor, Theodore’s Dining Room or the Pitchfork Fondue.

PITCHFORK FONDUE • A unique western steak meal served at the Tjaden Center on the bluff s overlooking Medora

Day 4 Evening MEDORA MUSICAL • Colorful produc on at the spectacular Burning Hills Amphitheatre • Western entertainment and a patrio c salute are part of each show • Broadway-style variety show Day 5 Morning SOUTH UNIT THEORDORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK • North Dakota Badlands provide the scenic backdrop to the park • Named for the 26th president, it memorializes his contribu on to conserva on • Visitors center and Theodore Roosevelt’s cabin from the Maltese Cross Ranch • The loop drive could provide a view of buff alo, deer, elk, bighorn sheep, wild horses, mule deer and prairie dog towns

OPTIONS • Trail rides through the Badlands on the marked trails or the Maah Daah Hey Trail • Mountain biking through the Badlands on Maah Daah Hey Trail • Hiking along trails through the Badlands to see nature and wildlife • Canoeing through the Theodore Roosevelt Na onal Park on the Li le Missouri River

Day 5 Evening THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK NORTH UNIT (15 miles east on Interstate 94 and 52 miles north on Highway 85 North) • The scenic drive is 14 miles and has turnouts with spectacular views and interpre ve signs • Nature trails are self-guided through coulees and breaks • Visit the prairie dog town, Oxbow Overlook and the Edge of Glacier Pullout

Overnight in Wa ord City (15 miles north of Theodore Roosevelt Na onal Park North Unit on Highway 85) www.ndtourism.com/all-ci es/wa ord-city. Please contact McKenzie County Tourism in Wa ord City for complete lis ng of local accommoda ons at 701-444-2804.

Day 6 Morning THE LONG X VISITOR CENTER • Central loca on for general visitor informa on on the area’s cultural, geological, historical and geographic a rac ons • Home to North Dakota’s largest, petrifi ed tree stump – a 17,000-pound Bald Cypress tree • The 60 million-year-old tree stump was discovered during a paleontological excava on in the Badlands south of Wa ord City • Long X Visitor Center is within the Pioneer Museum of McKenzie County

MCKENZIE COUNTY HERITAGE PARK • Original trapper’s log cabin, homestead shack, one-room school and original 1915 Schafer Law Offi ce. Mammoth fossil bones discovered in the area.

Killdeer (32 miles south on Highway 85, 20 miles east on Highway 200)

KILLDEER MOUNTAIN BATTLEFIELD STATE HISTORIC SITE • Commemorates a ba le fought on July 28, 1864, between 2,200 troops and 6,000 Sioux Indians • Interpre ve plaque explains the ba le

LITTLE MISSOURI STATE PARK • Wilderness experience in the picturesque North Dakota Badlands • Extensive trail system for hiking and horseback riding • Corrals are available for those bringing their own horses

Lunch at the Buckskin Bar and Grill.

Beulah (49 miles east on Highway 200) • Pfenning Wildlife Museum – Largest individual wildlife collec on in North Dakota. • Less than 30 minutes away from Lake Sakakawea. • Home to energy trail of North Dakota.

POWER PLANTS/MINES By appointment, you can visit most power plants or coal mines in the area • ANTELOPE VALLEY STATION – Lignite fi red electric genera ng sta on • COYOTE STATION – Lignite fi red electric genera ng sta on • DAKOTA WESTMORELAND COAL MINE – Coal mine • FREEDOM MINE – One of the 10 largest coal mines in the U.S. • GREAT PLAINS SYNFUELS PLANT – Only commercial-sized coal gasifi ca on plant in U.S.