11 Most Scenic Road Trips To Take In North Dakota
Sometimes, the journey is better than the destination, and that can't be more true than in the state of North Dakota. There are many highways, byways and backways that people can take all throughout that lead to and through wilderness, giving unparalleled views of the state's natural beauty. These routes are peaceful, open, clear and full of views that you can't get anywhere else in the country.
Chan SanSan Scenic Backway
The Chan SanSan Scenic Backway is a 35-mile drive off of Highway 46, just south of Jamestown. It's unpaved and mostly gravel road, but don't let that stop you from experiencing the route, as there's plenty of nature and attractions to visit, like the Double Pony Truss Bridge, the Heinrich-Martin Dam, or even museums that encapsulate the areas history like the Toy Farmer Museum or Grand Rapids Museum.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit Scenic Byway
Often just called "North Unit", this byway in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park is alongside Highway 85. In it is a 28-mile round trip, 14 miles up and 14 miles down. The road has plenty of views and wildlife, including Bison that are protected by the park. At its peak is the River Bend Overlook, which has North Unit's iconic view of the park, just before Oxbow Overlook at its end.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit
The South side of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park is also worth a drive through. It has a 36-mile paved scenic loop and has plenty of wildlife and scenic views, just like the North Side. The loop also leads to many hiking trails and views, like the Medora Overlook, which has a stunning look over the Visitor Center and Chimney Butte Ranch. The Skyline Vista further in is even higher.
Sakakawea Scenic Byway
Along the Missouri River Valley is a 23-mile byway, from Washburn to Stanton called Sakakawea. It has some of the best views of the valley, along with the Cross Ranch State Park and several historic sites centered around Lewis and Clark, where visitors can follow the trail they took. The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, Fort Clark and Fort Mandan Historic Site are all worth a visit.
Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Scenic Backway
This 13-mile backway is full of local wildlife, like moose, deer, beavers and more than 250 colorful bird species. The road along the Des Lacs lakes, which include rolling prairie hills and over 20,000 acres of protected nature. While the backway is stunning any time of year, the best time to visit is when the many birds migrate, and the sky is filled with different flocks of species.
Old Red Old Ten Scenic Byway
What started as a dirt road alongside a railroad track ended up becoming Interstate-94, which spans over seven states. This 108-mile byway was an early effort by the American Automobile Association to make traveling across North Dakota easier, in which it succeeded. See tons of nature and wildlife, even including a massive Holstein cow sculpture named Salem Sue, which represents dairymen of the day.
Rendezvous Region Scenic Backway
Coming in at 22 miles, the Rendezvous Region Scenic Backway winds along the Pembina River, and tourists can enjoy the stunning views of the Pembina Gorge, which is the largest uninterrupted block of woodlands in all of North Dakota. The ride through the gorge itself is gravel, but it's still worth the journey. Many forests are dotted throughout and can be explored or just viewed from a distance, like the Tetrault Woods State Forest.
Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway
The Killdeer Mountains stand out for its types of terrains, both containing mountains and Badlands along the Missouri River. There are places to stop along this 64-mile mountain route for views, like the Crow Flies High Butte Overlook. The Little Missouri State Park and Lake Ilo National Wildlife Refuge are also on route, which makes plenty of places to stop and camp along the way.
Enchanted Highway
The Enchanted Highway's name is well deserved. It's a 32-mile set of road with scrap metal sculptures dotted all throughout by local artist Gary Greff, starting at Exit 72 of I-94. There's nothing like it anywhere else, with all of the sculptures relating to farm life. It starts off with Geese in Flight, before Deer Crossing, Grasshoppers in the Field, Fisherman's Dream, and more. The Enchanted Castle Hotel lies at the end of all of the sculptures.
Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge
The Arrowwood National Wildlife Refuge has a mix of forest, prairie and wetlands. The refuge itself is about 16 miles, but there's a road that goes through it that merges with Highway 9, making the journey more than 20 miles. There are plenty of places to stop and look at Arrowwood Lake, which has plenty of bird species like grebe, mallards, pintails, Canada geese, great blue herons, and more.
Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway
This 53-mile route begins ujst three miles north of Rolla to St. John and has plenty of peaceful forests and marshes to view. In the Turtle Mountain State Forest is a set of stone and cement structures, which can be used to view summer and winter solstices. The structures somewhat resemble the Stonehenge monument in England. The byway also passes through the Wakopa Wildlife Management Area, so there's plenty of woodland to go through.
North Dakota has plenty of places both on and off the beaten path to take, each of which prove that the journey is the best part. Mountains, swamps, badlands, forests, lakes, and stunning vistas are surprisingly common, along with an attitude of preserving history and showcasing creativity to boot.
