Everyone In North Dakota Should Take This Underappreciated Scenic Drive
By Leah|Published October 12, 2018
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Leah
Author
Leah moved to North Dakota when she was 12 years old and has traveled from the Red River Valley to the badlands and many places in between. She loves small-town life and currently enjoys living on a small farm in the ND prairie. She's always had a passion for writing and has participated in novel writing challenges such as NaNoWriMo multiple times. Her favorite part about this job is recognizing small businesses that deserve a boost and seeing the positive affect her articles can have on their traffic, especially in rural areas that might have otherwise gone overlooked.
There are many well-traveled scenic drives and loops in North Dakota, like the ones in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. What about a route that not as many people have experienced, but should? This particular drive isn’t very long but will take you through gorgeous scenery and one of the state’s most charming small towns. It’s the perfect weekend afternoon cruise to take for a relaxing, visually stunning trip. Take a look:
This scenic drive is called the Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Scenic Backway and is just about 13 and a half miles long. If you make a few stops along the route, it should take you about an hour and a half to complete.
It skirts along all three sections of the lakes, starting at the Lower Des Lacs Lake, going along the Middle Des Lacs Lake, and catching the southern edge of the Upper Des Lacs Lake.
Along the way you can stop at the Munch's Coulee National Hiking Trail that weaves among the prairie grasses and offers truly breathtaking views of the water and surrounding hills.
As you'd expect with a wildlife refuge, you should constantly be on the look out for some of the many animals that calls this place home. Beavers, porcupines, and deer are just a few of the things you'll find here.
Kenmare has plenty of lovely local attractions, restaurants, and more, including places like the Pioneer Village that'll make you feel like you've stepped back in time.
From the gorgeous natural scenery to the enjoyable town, the Des Lacs National Wildlife Refuge Scenic Backway is an under-appreciated drive everyone should take.
There is a ton of awesome scenic drives to take in North Dakota other than this one. If you’re looking for your next road destination, take a look at these!
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