Sleep Among Stunning Prairies At The Sheyenne National Grasslands In North Dakota
By Tori Jane|Published January 11, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
If you’re a fan of North Dakota’s unique prairie landscape, you’re going to be a huge fan of this amazing preserve area where you can camp ’til your heart’s content. Whether you prefer drive-up or hike-in types of camping areas, you’re sure to love camping at the Sheyenne National Grasslands, which boasts two developed campgrounds and allows for dispersed camping elsewhere. This “unofficial” campground has made its way into our hearts as one of our favorite campgrounds in North Dakota:
Welcome to Sheyenne National Grassland, an arguable paradise on earth.
If you're interested in a campground - albeit one with primitive campsites, no hookups here! - you'll want to stay at Jorgen's Hollow Campground, which is located on the northeast corner of the prairie. There is also Hankinson Hills Campground, which allows for large group camping.
If not, though - if you'd rather rough it away from other people - you're going to want to take advantage of the dispersed camping available onsite.
"Dispersed camping" means camping away from other campers and off designated campgrounds. It's legal in many areas of the grassland, and honestly, it's our favorite way to do things.
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This area is special; it's home to some amazingly rare and intriguing species of flora and fauna, like the western prairie fringed orchid, and the Sharp-tailed grouse.
If you're lucky (and you know where to look), you just might spot one of those or any number of other uncommon and rare species calling the grassland home. For example, if you'd like to admire the orchids, you'll want to keep an eye out for the tiny flowers on the roadside and in ditches, usually during the month of July.
There's something primal and wonderful about primitive, dispersed camping.
When it's just you and the great outdoors, it seems to hit differently. This grassland is one of the last remaining "virgin," meaning unmowed and wild, prairies in North Dakota. When you find yourself at a campfire surrounded only by the wilderness, especially this one, it stirs an old sense of belonging in the soul.
It's especially wonderful when there's nobody else around for miles, and it's just you, the sky, and the prairie.
Well, and your campfire. There's always that. You'll definitely never want to leave it unattended, though, and make sure it's dead-out before you leave. Don't forget the principles of Leave No Trace - let's keep North Dakota's landscapes perfect.
For dispersed camping, vehicles are allowed to drive up to 300 feet offroad to set up camp.
This is constrained to specific roads, though, so make sure to double-check your plans on the official USDA website.
So, what are your thoughts? Which campgrounds in North Dakota are your favorites? Tell us about them in the comments and you might just see your favorites featured in an article of their own someday!
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