Take A Journey Down One Of The Most Spectacular Rivers In North Dakota
By Leah|Published July 31, 2019
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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.
One of the most influential rivers in North Dakota is also one of the most fun to experience. You’ll want to explore it while summer is still around, and there are many ways to do that. From where it enters at the western border from Montana all the way to south-central ND, there are miles and miles of river to enjoy in all kinds of ways.
The mighty Missouri River — the longest river in North America, a huge part of the United States' history, and a gorgeous part of North Dakota. Our state is the second state it flows through, after beginning in Montana.
The river divides the cities of Bismarck and Mandan and many other towns lie along its path. There are quite a few historic brides going over it in North Dakota alone. Walking the trails next to it or over it is one way to experience the Missouri River.
Many people also enjoy the sections of the river that are sandy enough to lay out and soak up some sun or take a dip into the cool flowing waters. With tons of parks and recreation areas along the riverbanks, there are many places where you can do this for a whole summer of fun.
Another interesting way to explore the river in North Dakota is by boat. The Lewis and Clark Riverboat, which can be found in Bismarck, is the only riverboat ride you can take in North Dakota.
Seeing this beautiful river from the boat is a wonderful way to see it for yourself. It'll take you on a short cruise by the historic spots that line the river as well as some gorgeous nature.
Another huge part of the Missouri River is Lake Sakakawea, formed by the Garrison Dam on the Missouri. The lake is the second largest lake in the country and the largest lake in North Dakota. It has more miles of coastline than California does.
There are multiple state parks, recreation areas, and other spots along Lake Sakakawea that you can visit. People love boating, fishing, and swimming here — especially the fishing. With such a huge lake to take advantage of, the opportunities are seemingly endless.
You can also take a look at the Missouri River in its most natural form. Cross Ranch State Park, located near Washburn, North Dakota, is on one of the last completely undeveloped and untouched stretches of the river. It has trails, camping, and of course the opportunity to kayak or canoe down the river itself.
The Missouri River isn’t just an outdoor adventurer’s paradise, it’s also an incredible part of history. It was very important to the Plains Indians for hundreds of years and later drove the fur trade north back in the 1800s — with settlers quickly following.
