North Dakota

Understand

The "Peace Garden State" is the 19th largest state and the fourth least populated state, having 780,000 residents in 2022.

History

Much of the area that now comprises North Dakota has been inhabited for thousands of years by Native Americans.

It wasn't until the 1800s when European immigrants started coming in large numbers. Ethnic Germans from Russia were drawn by the prospect of owning cheap and plentiful land in North Dakota, and Norwegian farmers were drawn to the state's fertile land. To this day, Norwegians and Russian-Germans (also known as Volga Germans) are the two largest ethnic groups in the state.

North and South Dakota were once organized as the same territory, but as the railroads through Dakota Territory ran from east to west, tensions between the southern and northern rail corridors emerged. In 1889, North Dakota was admitted to the union as a state, along with South Dakota. President Benjamin Harrison shuffled the statehood papers before signing them so that no one could tell which became a state first.

North Dakota's rich natural resources became critical to economic development. Soil is North Dakota's most precious resource, the base of the state's great agricultural wealth. Oil extraction from the Bakken formation in the northwest has played a major role in the state's prosperity.

Tourist information

• North Dakota Tourism

Regions

Cities

• Bismarck – the capital of North Dakota.
• Devils Lake – the heart of North Dakota lake country.
• Dickinson – the crown of the Southwest, gateway to the Badlands.
• Fargo – the largest city in the state, and its economic center.
• Grand Forks – home to the University of North Dakota.
• Jamestown – the Buffalo City, pride of the Prairie.
• Minot – the Magic City, the primary city in northwest North Dakota.
• Rugby – the geographical center of North America.
• Williston – the biggest city on the upper Missouri, and the epicenter for the state's 2006-2015 oil boom.

Other destinations

• Little Missouri National Grasslands
• Theodore Roosevelt National Park – The park features badlands, open prairie, hard wood draws. It is home to bison, prairie dogs and many other wildlife species.

Get in

By plane

Scheduled airline service is available in Bismarck (BIS), Devils Lake (DVL), Dickinson (DIK), Fargo (FAR), Grand Forks (GFK), Jamestown (JMS), Minot (MOT), and Williston (XWA).

• Allegiant Air serves Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks and Minot.
• American Eagle offers daily flights to Bismarck and Fargo.
• Delta Airlines/Delta Connection offers daily flights to Bismarck, Fargo, Grand Forks, Minot, and Williston.
• Frontier Airlines serves only Fargo.
• United Express offers daily flights to all destinations except Grand Fork and Dickinson.

By car

Two Interstate highways connect to adjacent states:

• Interstate 29 connects Grand Forks and Fargo to South Dakota and Manitoba, Canada.
• Interstate 94 connects Fargo, Bismarck, and Jamestown to Minnesota and Montana.

Additional major highways:

• US 85, 83, 281, and 81

For those arriving from Canada, 24-hour customs stations are available at SK 39 (U.S. 52) in Portal, MB 10 (U.S. 281) in Peace Gardens, and MB 75 (I-29) in Pembina.

By train

Amtrak serves Fargo, Grand Forks, Devils Lake, Rugby, Minot, Stanley and Williston via its once daily Empire Builder train that runs between Chicago and Portland/Seattle.

Get around

By car

Given the vast area of the state, the best way to get around quickly is by car.

All major cities (Bismarck, Fargo, and Jamestown) are accessible from each other because they share one highway in common: Interstate 94 (I-94). You can easily cover all of them just by driving down this highway.

Wandering livestock and extremely harsh weather conditions (especially during the winters) can make driving on North Dakotan roads rather challenging.

The state Department of Transportation is a useful resource, with up-to-date road conditions and closure information. Refer to it often if you plan on driving during the winters.

By bus

• Jefferson Bus Line (888-864-2832) has a route that goes along I-29 between Fargo and Kansas City (via Omaha, Sioux Falls and points in between). They also have an east-west on I-94 between Billings and Minneapolis (via Glendive, Bismarck, Fargo, St Cloud, and points in between). Tickets can be booked directly with Jefferson Lines or on Greyhound.com (as an agent for Jefferson Lines).
• New Town Bus Line (701-421-9133) starts in New Town, ND, heads east on Highway 23 up to Minot and then back to New Town.

By public transportation

Information on state transit networks can be found from the American Public Transportation Association page for North Dakota and through the North Dakota Tourism Board transit list.

By plane

The only intrastate flight within the state is the United Express flight segment (operated by Skywest Airlines) between Jamestown (JML) and Devil's Lake (DVL). The same flight continues from Jamestown to Denver.

Stay safe

Severe weather

Perhaps the biggest danger you can face is the weather. North Dakota often experiences extreme temperatures, which should come as no surprise as the state has a continental climate. The weather can be quite nasty, so prepare and plan accordingly.

In winter people have frozen to death by getting lost on snow-covered fields or roads. Lakes can ice over in the winter, but be sure you know the thickness and quality of the ice before venturing out. (Ask a local if unsure.) Never explore North Dakota in the winter without proper gear.

Urban concerns

In terms of personal safety, North Dakota is an extremely safe state. Crime rates tend to be low, but can be higher in oil boom towns, especially in Williston.

Industrial oil development, mainly taking place in the area between Minot, Williston, and Dickinson, has made most highways unsafe for bicyclists.

Do not approach stray dogs on any of the Reservations. Beware stray dogs are more active after sundown.

Rural concerns

The poisonous rattlesnake can be stumbled on by mistake. Rattlesnakes should be avoided and never disturbed. Bison may be beautiful but a male bison can run faster than you can and may trample or maul if it feels threatened. Always maintain a safe distance (30 yards or more) from large animals. Coyotes have been known to venture into campgrounds and can have rabies. Otherwise coyotes won't threaten humans. Pets should be brought indoors at night. A dog can become a snack to a group of coyotes, especially small dogs. Deer are known to cross roads all over North Dakota so drive aware of deer crossings, especially in the early morning or dusk hours.

North Dakota's peaceful valleys can give way to challenging ravines and trenches, raging rivers and clay roads, cactus and thorns. A walk around Lake Sakakawea's beautiful shores can turn into a rescue mission, since lakes are deep shorelines are sometimes unsteady.

Blaze orange clothing during deer season is a must when hiking or hunting.

Respect

As aforementioned, North Dakota receives very few tourists. You may very easily attract attention from the locals if they find out you're a visitor. Don't be surprised at this, just go with the flow. Chances are, the locals might be very curious about you, and want to get to know you!

Since its creation, North Dakota has been a largely conservative state. The Republican Party is the most influential political party here. Be mindful of that when engaging in political discussions with the locals.

Religion plays an important role in the lives of many North Dakotans. Always be respectful when discussing religion.

Avoid comparing the state with its southern counterpart; North Dakotans are very proud of their state and may not appreciate such comments.

North Dakotans often love to have a chat about the weather, and people even bring it in up in casual conversations.

Do not associate the state with the movie Fargo. Many locals believe the movie portrays the state inaccurately.

North Dakota is considered a "sacred land" to Native Americans, and there are many sites in the state that are important to Native American history, culture, and spirituality. When visiting a Native American reservation, behave appropriately. If you don't know something, just ask; someone will be more than happy to explain.

The Lakota tribe (one of the tribes in the state) has had a history of conflict with European settlers, and some of them feel that outsiders (non-tribe members) have absolutely no reason to be here. Always be civil and polite if drawn into a sensitive discussion with the Lakotas.

Go next

If you're leaving North Dakota by car, you may wish to take Interstate 29 north to Winnipeg, or Interstate 94 east to Minneapolis. The adventurous might choose to drive US 85 straight through the Badlands south to Sturgis, either to see the motorcycle rally, or en route to Mount Rushmore National Memorial and other attractions of the Badlands and Black Hills.

• Minnesota - Known for cold winters and its ten thousand lakes, North Dakota's eastern neighbor is an ideal destination for wilderness enthusiasts and shoppers destined for the Twin Cities and Mall of America.
• South Dakota - Home to such natural and cultural wonders as Badlands National Park, Wind Cave National Park and Mount Rushmore, the other Dakota offers a surprising amount for travelers to see and do.
• Montana - North Dakota's western neighbor is often called Big Sky Country for its famed big, blue skies, but the amazing natural landscape varies from open plain regions to the east and the towering peaks of the Rocky Mountains in the west.
• Saskatchewan - Located to the northwest of North Dakota, the southern portion of Saskatchewan is predominantly prairie (with a reputation for being very flat) known for its seemingly endless fields of wheat.
• Manitoba - Sharing a border in the northeast of the state, Manitoba is known for its lakes, prairies, agriculture, culture and history.