This Scenic 256-Mile Drive Just May Be The Most Underrated Adventure In North Dakota
By Leah|Published May 03, 2018
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Leah
Author
Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
America’s “Road To Nowhere” cuts right across North Dakota and one of its end point is actually within the state itself. By following US Highway 83, you’ll take a long, scenic drive through the prairie in a seeming path to nowhere. Many people may not even consider it much of a trip, but when they come across all the hidden gems along this route they’ll realize this is one of the most underrated adventures the Peace Garden State has to offer. Here’s what they’re missing:
The "Road to Nowhere" is a route that spans all the way from the Mexican border in Texas to the Canadian border in North Dakota, entirely along US Highway 83.
The full span of this road trip from border to border would be an 1,885-mile trek that cuts right across America's heartland. It goes through tons of small towns, a handful of major cities, and explores some of the lesser known.
North Dakota's segment of the Road to Nowhere is 256 miles long. If you were to take the route from the South Dakota border northwards, you would start near the town of Hague and soon after reach Strasburg.
In Strasburg, you can visit places like the Lawrence Welk Homestead, shown above. This is where music and TV legend Lawrence Welk was born and raised. It's roadside attractions like these that you'll come across on your journey. They aren't huge tourist destinations, but they are hidden gems most people might not consider - but should.
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You'll continue north through the huge and expansive prairie until you hit I-94 and head west on it to Bismarck.
Linton, Hazelton, and Moffit are just a few more of the small towns you'll pass through, giving you a great small town North Dakota experience. Bismarck is the first major city you'll reach, and a great place to stop to check out the local sights or grab a bite to eat at one of the many fantastic restaurants there.
On one portion of US 83, you'll be crossing on a narrow road right through the Lake with seemingly endless water on both sides. This is a beautiful sight!
Continuing on, you'll keep heading north until you hit the Magic City of Minot, North Dakota.
The highway goes straight through the heart of Minot along Broadway. This is another great place to stop for a rest and discover all the unique attractions, stores, restaurants, and other intriguing spots within the city.
After checking out places like the Scandinavian Heritage Park and getting back on the road, you'll keep heading north until you hit Canada.
After another batch of small towns and simple yet beautiful scenery, you'll eventually reach the Canadian border and will have completed North Dakota's section of the Road to Nowhere. You can also take the route from north to south, all the way to Texas!
This would be a great potential summer road trip for people wanting to experience true North Dakota outside of the touristy areas. For more information on the Road to Nowhere, click here.
Looking for a scenic drive that’s a bit shorter yet still takes you through the grassy plains and charming small towns? That exists too, and you can find it here!
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