A true PNW and MW girl at heart, I spend as much of my free time as possible hiking, photographing, and indulging in the lush greens and larger-than-life landscapes of the West. But the Midwest – and North Dakota in particular – has definitely captured my heart over the last several years. In fact, I’m no stranger to the humble and vastly underrated beauty of the Peace Garden State, having gone on numerous photography excursions through the legendary Badlands and beyond. But one thing I hadn’t done before this year was take an extended, cross-North Dakota road trip. I finally decided it was high time to change that.

After much consideration, my plan was to explore the scenic recesses of central North Dakota by horseback, hike, camp beneath the stars, and experience the state’s rugged landscapes just as Teddy Roosevelt did back in the late 1800s. Unfortunately (or fortunately), Mother Nature had other plans! Enter North Dakota Adventure 2.0: an impromptu scenic drive up Highway 83. No adventure is complete without a few imperfect scenarios, but this spectacular North Dakota road trip wound up being better than I could have hoped for! Check out the Google map of our basic two-day route, and note some of my recommendations below.

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Final thoughts: North Dakota might just be one of the most relaxing and underrated destinations in the U.S. The state’s quiet, windswept grandeur intermingles both endless scenic beauty and history – all it takes is hopping in the car to experience it! That said, learn from our mistakes. I highly recommend planning a basic route in advance so you can have accommodations (and backup accommodations) lined up – whether that’s an RV hookup, campground, hotel, or a local Airbnb. You’ll get to see and experience so much more that way.

From tracing the original Lewis and Clark trail to hitting up lefse country, we personally enjoyed our many stops and historical detours on this two-day North Dakota road trip and left with happy hearts and even more appreciation for the calm, restorative beauty that can be found in this quiet Midwest state.

Note that this article has been modified and condensed from its original version. To discover more incredible boots-on-the-ground adventures across America from our team of local travel experts, be sure to check out all of the articles in OnlyInYourState’s Everyday Explorers series. In the meantime, what destinations would you like to see featured next? Tell us where we should go on our nominations page

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