12 Scenic Trails To Explore In North Dakota, One For Each Month Of The Year
If you’re a fan of hiking and/or the outdoors (okay, why not both?), you’re going to love this. It’s a brand-new year, and you know what that means: brand-new adventures! And, come on, you just know we’ve got some super awesome new adventures to take you on, and right now, that means checking out some of the best scenic hiking trails in North Dakota. So, here are one dozen of our favorites: one for each month of this beautiful, brand-new year. Which of these scenic hikes in ND are your favorites? Let us know in the comments!
This stunning trail is short, sweet, and to the point. Coming in at about a half-mile long, this beautiful mini-adventure takes you past some fascinating spots and some of North Dakota's most intriguing landscapes. This outrageously beautiful hiking trail in North Dakota is one of those amazing ones you won't soon forget!
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA
Should you choose to follow this list, you'll find yourself at Theodore Roosevelt National Park many times this year - not that there's anything wrong with (or boring about) that! It's a wonderful place full of amazing hikes - and here's another one. This trail is a one-mile trek that does include stairsteps, so make sure to plan for those accordingly with good shoes! This is one of our favorite North Dakota hikes, and we think it'll be one of yours, too!
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA
If you're a fan of beautiful, sparkling lakes, you might not want to wait until March for this one! Nestled within Fort Stevenson State Park is this hidden gem of a trail. This amazing ND hiking trail is the perfect way to explore the great outdoors and really, truly appreciate it.
Fort Stevenson State Park, 1252A 41st Ave NW, Garrison, ND 58540, USA
This trail's a bit longer, coming in at 8.3 miles long total if you opt to hike the entire thing. It's a loop, so you'll end up where you started off; it's dog-friendly and filled with wildlife (and some amazingly beautiful landscapes) so you and your furry BFF will find plenty to love on this one. This beautiful hiking trail in North Dakota is just waiting for you to come explore - check it out!
Ah, May. This hike comes just in time for all the stunning greenery this park is known to have come roaring back. This one is a 5.6-mile loop that's great for most skill levels. This one is also dog friendly and features some of the most gorgeous river and woodland views. This one is (like the others on this list) quite photogenic, so don't forget to bring a camera along. Learn more about Turtle River State Park before you go for the ultimate experience.
Turtle River State Park, 3084 Park Ave NE, Arvilla, ND 58214, USA
Tucked within Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park is this fun and historic 3.6-mile loop trail that's sure to create some memories. It features a breathtaking river and some of the most amazing views you can find in North Dakota. This is one of those times you'll forget you're still in the state, as it feels like something from out of a dream instead. Better yet, it's dog-friendly! Come see why this is one of the best hikes in North Dakota!
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park, 4480 Fort Lincoln Rd, Mandan, ND 58554, USA
Okay, this one's special! You might be thinking, really? Another trail within Theodore Roosevelt National Park? Well, yeah, except this one is probably the wildest one in the whole park - it's filled with petrified wood! In fact, it's one of the only places in the entire country where you can find the stuff all over the place, and we feel pretty lucky about that. It's 10.2 miles of the most outlandish landscapes in North Dakota, and you're gonna love it. This wonderfully scenic hike in North Dakota is definitely one for the bucket list.
If you enjoyed July's unique trek through a real petrified forest, you'll love the Big Plateau hike. Otherwise known as Eckblom Trail, this gem is 5.2 miles of simply stunning, wide-open space. You'll be intrigued by some of the truly unique features in the landscape here; make sure to bring water, as it gets warm in August. When it comes to the best hiking trails in North Dakota, this one is definitely toward the top of the ranks.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA
How does that song go? "Wake me up when September ends"? Something like that - when hiking this gorgeous trail this September, you're going to feel like you're asleep and dreaming (but nobody better try and wake you). Sperati Point is an excellent and dreamlike hike through North Dakota's breathtaking wildlands, and it's great for checking out the local wildlife, too, including herds of bison. We are obsessed with this nature hike in North Dakota and can't get enough of it. You'll see why.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA
This popular 2.3-mile loop trail is tucked within the Minot Park District and features a gorgeous river and plenty of trees (which is wonderful when the seasons are in mid-transition and everything's ultra-colorful). With this one, you can wander from the main trail to all sorts of others, creating your own adventure as you go along. The delights of the Bison Plant Trail are some you won't ever forget - make this trail one of your favorites!
Minot Park District, 420 3rd Ave SW, Minot, ND 58701, USA
Maah Daah Hey is amazing, plain and simple. Another trail that's lovely as the leave change, this one is located in Sully Creek Recreation Area and is 5.8 miles total. This one is used often for horseback riding and is purely pristine. It's lovely year-round, but November gets a little chilly, so dress appropriately for the cold! Read all about the Maah Daah Hey trail and then go do it - it's fantastic!
Sully Creek State Park, 1465 36th St, Medora, ND 58645, USA
Let's finish the year with a stunning view: Summit Viewpoint, near Grassy Butte, North Dakota, is the ultimate panoramic view. You won't believe your eyes with this one; you've done 12 months of amazing hikes - some easier than others - and this one is the perfect one to close everything out with. It's under a mile long, and it's oh-so-worth-it, trust us. This is one of the best views in North Dakota, and it's oh-so-worth-it.
Grassy Butte, ND 58634, USA
So, what are your thoughts? Which trails do you think deserve a spot on a list of the most scenic hiking trails in North Dakota? Tell us about your picks in the comments! We love hearing from you. Do you plan on tackling these hikes this year?
For more inspiration for your next hiking trip, you’ll want to check out the best hikes in North Dakota under five miles in length. Not only are they beautiful: they’re short and sweet, too!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Scenic Hiking Trails in North Dakota
December 19, 2022
Tori Jane
What are some of the most scenic hiking trails in North Dakota?
North Dakota is a fantastic state for hiking! Some of the most beautiful scenic hiking trails in North Dakota include:
The Old Oak Trail at Lake Metigoshe State Park (especially in autumn)
2. Which amazing North Dakota hikes belong on my bucket list?
Of course, with plenty of amazingly scenic hikes in ND come some that outshine the others. Some incredible bucket-list North Dakota hikes are ones like:
3. What are some of the best hikes in North Dakota?
Naturally, the list of the best hikes in North Dakota doesn’t end with the above-mentioned trails. Nope! There are many more, including amazing crown jewels such as:
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.
