Southern North Dakota Road Trip

Lewis and Clark Trail

By the last week of October 1804 the Lewis and Clark Expedition was well north of present-day Bismarck, North Dakota. From the start they had intended to spend the winter in the Mandan Villages, located in that vicinity. it was known that the Mandans were at the hub of Northern Plains trade, which involved numerous neighboring tribes as well as fur-trading companies from Canada and St. Louis. On October 24 the Captains met with Chief Big White and excellent relations were established. As recorded in Meriwether Lewis' journal, the average temperature that winter was 4 degrees Fahrenheit, yet recorded in those same journals are incidents of Mandan braves spending the night on the open prairie without a fire and only a buffalo robe to cover them!

The Fort Mandan Visitor Center hosts a wealth of information and the reconstructed encampment provides refurnished rooms and exhibits of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in a realistic setting. Programs and year-round tours of Lewis’ and Clark’s wintering post of 1804-1805 are provided.

A Most Unique Cruise

The Lewis and Clark Riverboat, at the Historic Port of Bismarck, is a great idea for anyone looking to relax and enjoy the beauty of the upper Missouri River. This great steamer mimics those of the past traveling between the trading posts of the northwest in the early 1800’s. Explore the same river as Lewis and Clark, Sacajawea, Custer, and Sitting Bull on this luxurious boat. Amenities include a gift shop, snack bar, licensed bar, and climate controlled lower deck.

A Frontier Outpost

Another place to stop on your road trip is Fort Abraham Lincoln, where Lt. Colonel George Armstrong Custer commanded and served before he left for the Little Big Horn River. The military was dispatched here to prepare for the Northern Pacific Railroad. Much of the fort has been rebuilt and is open to visitors including the home of George and Libbie Custer, enlisted men’s barracks, the 7th Cavalry stable, commissary storehouse, infantry post blockhouses, and the granary. Get a real feeling for the pioneering life of these soldiers and touch upon the lives of honored soldiers.

Free-Flowing River

Water sports enthusiasts will be particularly drawn to North Dakota’s Cross Ranch State Park. The park stretches across seven miles of the last undeveloped parts of the Missouri River and is purposely left alone to protect the land’s natural, primitive beauty. Anglers will happily catch walleye, pike, and bass here. Boaters can access the river via ramp and canoe rentals are provided. For those more interested in hiking and camping on the land, there is a vast trail system across more than 5,000 acres of grass prairie, forests, and woody draws. Cross country skiing becomes popular over these trails come winter.

Historical North Dakota

The North Dakota Heritage Center’s huge main gallery exhibits captivating tales of life on the northern plains of the United States. Epochs covered start from the very formation of the land, go through the history of conflict between Native Americans and Anglo-American pioneers, and even include the Great Depression. There are artifacts from every age including a Model-T and films from the early 1900’s.

For owners of an RV, Camper, Motorhome, Trailer or Fifth Wheel