North Dakota Tourist Attractions

By | January 3, 2023

Special churches

Cathedral of St. Mary in Fargo
This cathedral in Fargo was built in the Romanesque style from 1880 to 1899. The nave, built of red brick, stands out wonderfully against the blue towers of the cathedral.

St. Mary’s Church in Bismarck
The St. Mary’s Church in the city of Bismarck was built in 1929 in the neo-Gothic style. The church is now a listed building.

Old Stone Church Heritage Center in Buffalo
The Old Stone Church Heritage Center includes the stone church built in 1885 in the city of Buffalo. Nowadays, however, it is actually a museum.

Basilica of St. James Catholic Church in Jamestown
The Grade II listed basilica in Jamestown was built in 1883 and has been on the list of protected structures since 1982. The style of the basilica can be attributed to the Gothic Revival.

  • Countryaah: Lists all towns and cities of North Dakota in alphabetical order. Also includes top 10 cities by population in North Dakota. Check medicinelearners for medical schools in North Dakota.

Big celebrations and events

Norsk Høstfest in Minot
The Norsk Høstfest is an annual festival that takes place in the city of Minot in autumn and deals with the Scandinavian heritage in North Dakota.

Contact www.hostfest.com

North Dakota State Fair
The North Dakota State Fair takes place annually in July in the city of Minot and is now the largest event in North Dakota with over 300,000 visitors. The first North Dakota State Fair took place in 1922.

Contact www.ndstatefair.com


Zoos, parks and amusement parks

Chahinkapa Zoo in Wahpeton
The Chahinkapa Zoo is located in the city of Wahpeton and was opened in 1933. At that time, it was the first zoo in North Dakota, making it the oldest zoo in the state today. On an area of ​​73,000 m² there are more than 200 animals from over 70 species. The zoo’s particularly popular residents include alligators, bengal tigers, orangutans, cougars, snow leopards and zebras.

Contact 1004 RJ Hughes Drive
Wahpeton, North Dakota 58075
www.chahinkapazoo.net

Dakota Zoo in Bismarck
The Dakota Zoo is located in the city of Bismarck and was opened in 1961. Over 600 animals from over 125 species live here on an area of ​​approx. 61,000 m². The zoo’s particularly popular residents include alligators, bengal tigers, camels, lynxes, orangutans, pumas, snow leopards and zebras.

Contact 600 Riverside Park Rd
Bismarck, North Dakota 58504
www.dakotazoo.org

National parks

Theodore Roosevelt National Park
The Theodore Roosevelt National Park covers a total area of ​​285 km² in western North Dakota. The national park is named after the 26th President of the USA, Theodore Roosevelt, who ran a ranch in what is now the national park. Remains of this ranch, called “Elkhorn Ranch”, dating from 1884, are still preserved today.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park was founded in 1978. However, the park is not a coherent area, but is divided into three units. The smallest part comprises the former area of ​​the “Elkhorn Ranch”, whereas the other two parts, the North and South Unit, are divided by the Little Missouri River.
The landscape of the national park includes weathered landscapes (wasteland, badlands) and prairies in the west of North Dakota. In addition to protecting flora, the national park also serves to protect the fauna and so there are American bisons, wild horses (mustangs), pronghorns, prairie dogs and coyotes. The American bison have been resettled since the 1950s. There are over 150 km of hiking trails in the park, which can be completed on foot or on horseback. There are several campsites in the park, making a longer stay in the sometimes surreal landscape possible. With around 560,000 visitors a year, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is still an insider tip.

Contact www.nps.gov/thro

North Country National Scenic Trail

The North Country Trail is a long distance hiking trail approximately 7,400 km in the northern part of the United States. This makes the North Country Trail the longest of the 11 National Scenic Trails in the United States. The North Country Trail was inaugurated in 1980 and to date around 3,400 have been certified as a paved and managed hiking trail. The North Country Trail runs from the small town of Crown Point in northeastern New York to Lake Sakakawea State Park in central North Dakota. On this course, the North Country Trail passes a total of 7 states. From east to west, these are: New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Wisconsin, Minnesota and North Dakota. When the trail begins in northeastern New York, it initially runs westward, then crosses northwest Pennsylvania. In Ohio, he joins the Buckeye Trail and makes a circular motion that swings him north-west in Ohio. In Michigan, the trail also runs from south to north until after crossing the “Straits of Mackinac” (Mackinac Strait, connects Michigan and Lake Huron) it turns west again, along the southern coast of Lake Superior (Upper Lake) respectively. After crossing Northern Wisconsin, the North Country Trail divides into two sections. One runs north along the coast of Lake Superior and represents a huge “detour”. The other part basically continues in a westerly direction and both reunite northeast of Minnesota. Finally, the trail runs through North Dakota where it ends in the central part of the state. On this trip, 10 National Forests (Finger Lakes, Allegheny, Wayne, Manistee, Hiawatha, Ottawa, Chequamegon, Superior, Chippewa and Sheyenne National Grassland) are hiked. Other highlights include the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, Wisconsin’s St. Croix National Scenic Riverway, New York’s Fort Stanwix National Monument and Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park, Tamarac Wildlife Refugee, Audubon Wildlife Refugee. In total, the North Country Trail runs through 57 state parks and 47 state forests. So the trail should offer something for everyone who has enough time.

Contact www.nps.gov/noco/index.htm

Other natural beauties

Little Missouri State Park
Little Missouri State Park is located in the west of North Dakota in the Badlands region and the landscape is dominated by the prairie and impresses with the eroded landscape forms such as mountain cones, plateaus, gorges and crevasses. In total, visitors will find over 120 km of hiking trails here. This state park is highly recommended and should give every visitor a “wild west” feeling.

Little Missouri State Park