Your Ultimate Guide To Spring Attractions And Activities In North Dakota
Tori Jane
Author
It’s no secret that North Dakota is a little on the low-key side, but honestly, we wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s spellbindingly beautiful and filled from top to bottom (or should we say north to south?) with incredible things to do, see, and experience – no matter what time of year it is. And, indeed, each season has its own set of reasons to come experience them, but today we’d like to focus on the brilliance of spring. Turns out, there are a lot of amazing things to do in North Dakota in Spring, and we’ve gone ahead and put together a handy list of some of the best of them. Get outside and enjoy the warm days – summer will be here sooner than you think.
Flower Blooms In North Dakota
When people think of spring flowers, they might not imagine North Dakota right away (or at all). But the truth is: we’re an amazing place for flower blooms. While summer sees the dramatic blooms of millions of sunflowers across the state, spring also has its cast of characters that take the stage each year, too. Some of the downright best places to experience flower blooms in North Dakota are places like:
1. The Blooms at Theodore Roosevelt National Park
As if the Badlands weren’t beautiful enough, the spring wildflower blooms at Theodore Roosevelt National Park add layers and layers of additional wonder to the whole kit and caboodle. Wildflower season lasts from April until September, and the springtime firsts are always a welcome sight following a rough winter. The hills cover themselves in brilliant colors – yellows, golds, oranges, and more. Some flowers you can expect to see include Canada violets, Gumbo lilies, Milkvetch, and more. Bring a camera – you'll want to remember this one! There’s something about the colorful flowers carpeting the buttes surrounding you that’s just so refreshing for the spirit. The wildlife is also typically out and about this time of year; see if you can spot buffalo, bighorn sheep, or prairie dogs - it shouldn’t take long.
2. Orchard Glen Park
As if Fargo weren’t beautiful enough, the spring flower blooms at Orchard Glen Park add layers and layers of additional wonder to the whole kit and caboodle. Wildflower season lasts from April until September, usually, and the springtime firsts are always a welcome sight following a rough winter. The trees and shrubs cover themselves in brilliant colors – yellows, pinks, white, golds, oranges, and more. Bring a camera – you'll want to remember this one!
Botanical Gardens In North Dakota
Botanical gardens are magical in a way, wouldn’t you think? We certainly do; it’s not every day one gets to experience a fully immersive garden in which they might encounter flora and fauna from places they’ll never get to visit (well, unless one goes to a botanical garden every day, which sounds amazing to us). Botanical gardens are an amazing place to get back in touch with the beauty of nature, and thankfully, there are plenty of botanical gardens in North Dakota worthy of driving across the state for, such as:
3. The International Peace Garden
The wonderfully fun and totally gorgeous International Peace Garden is worth visiting from all over the state. The garden consists of 2,300 acres of beautiful planted and well-cared-for plants, including hundreds of species of flowers – many of which go off for spring. With two lakes, plenty of biking and hiking trails, and lots more to explore and see, this can easily be made into the perfect spring day for just about anyone. Plus, how often do you get to hang out in two nations at once?
4. The Northern Plains Botanic Garden Society
Nestled in the beautiful Fargo-Moorhead area is a gorgeous botanical garden in North Dakota that often goes unnoticed by all too many. While Fargo (and Moorhead) would likely be considered a small town by most states’ standards, they’re the biggest towns in this little state – but we digress. They’re OUR tiny cities, and the Northern Plains Botanic Garden Society makes it even better. Explore the park on your own or during any one of the many events held here every year; it’s a wonderful place to experience spring at its most awesome.
Parks To Visit In North Dakota This Spring
Speaking of parks and gardens, there are such an enormous number of amazing parks to visit in North Dakota in the spring that it’s impossible to list them all in one sheet of paper, let alone a couple of short sentences. That being said, some of our parks stick out above the rest in terms of wonder, awe, and so much more. Meander on out to one or all of the best parks in North Dakota this spring, and learn what spring is all about – warm temps, clear skies, wildflowers, and the hushed whisper of an approaching summer.
5. Fort Ransom State Park
Fort Ransom State Park is an incredible place to visit in the spring for SO many reasons. During this transitional season, everything is coming roaring back to life, and there’s no better way to enjoy this time of year than by meandering about in it for a while. There’s something amazing about the trees’ brilliant green sprigs bursting from the branches, and the wildflowers that show up every single year are an incredible sight. If you’d like to learn more about everything you see, head to the awesome visitor center onsite and do some learnin’. Even better still, just over an hour northeast of Fort Ransom is Lewis and Clark State Park, which is another historic site-turned-park well-known for its blooms.
6. McDowell Dam Nature Park
The 271-acre delight known to the locals as the McDowell Dam Nature Park is everything that’s right with North Dakota, especially during the spring. While the park is open year-round, we’re particularly fond of it at this time of year when the weather is perfect, and all the flowers are in bloom. Hiking and swimming are popular activities, and ice fishing becomes popular in the winter. But winter is over – at least for now – and it’s time to get out and enjoy the outdoors. McDowell Dam Nature Park is an awesome place for doing exactly that.
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7. Sully Creek State Park
Hidden just minutes away from Theodore Roosevelt National Park is Sully Creek State Park, which pretty much has all the wonders of TRNP without the crowds. Sully Creek is also one of North Dakota’s specifically designated equestrian-friendly parks where horseback riding is welcome and the views of the Little Missouri River are impeccable. Hikers will love to learn that the hefty 144-mile-long Maah Daah Hey Trail has access points here (you know, just in case you were in for a big adventure), and the campgrounds here are wondrous as well. Springtime means wildflowers and plenty of wildlife; it’s not uncommon to spot deer or prairie dogs going about their lives. Wildlife makes everything better, if you ask us.
8. Lindenwood Park
Fun fact: Lindenwood Park is actually the largest multi-use park in the entire city. There are five picnic shelters that are absolutely perfect for a spring day spent lounging in the wonderful weather. The Midwest is full of amazing places to relax within, but Lindenwood Park is especially beautiful. There’s a playground for the kiddos, a wonderful campground, bike and kayak rentals, a fully ADA-compliant kayak launch, and more.
Spring Hikes In North Dakota
Up for some hiking? Perfect! Not only is hiking excellent for your mind, body, and soul, but it allows you to experience the great outdoors in the best possible way – the way nature intended. You’d be hard-pressed to find any town in the USA where folks didn’t love hiking. Hiking and moving about on foot has been a human pastime for many centuries, though all different cultures and peoples. Today, we almost take it for granted; it’s a luxury we have to be able to meander outdoors in relative safety to experience it firsthand. So, this spring, embark upon some (or all) of the best, must-see spring hikes in North Dakota:
9. The Wind Canyon Trail
The jaw-dropping Wind Canyon Trail is quite easy and makes for a wonderful springtime outing. As the snow melts and the wildflowers (which, we know, we keep mentioning – but they’re spectacular!) explode back to life, you’ll find that this simple little half-mile jaunt is excellent for the soul. You’ll find the trailhead for this one in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and you can’t miss it – that painted canyon splashed with color is extraordinary.
10. Lone Tree Spring Trail
The lovely Lone Tree Spring Trail looks and feels amazingly dreamlike thanks to its position within Theodore Roosevelt National Park. While you’re finishing up the Wind Canyon hike, consider doing this one.... if you’ve got the energy. This bad boy’s a lot longer than its shorter cousin, coming in at just over nine miles in length. And this trail, folks, is AMAZING. You’ll see buffalo, prairie dogs and all sorts of other critters – especially since it’s spring. We’re not the only critters that want to get out and enjoy the nice air! And please, don’t get us wrong – there are plenty of amazing spring hikes in the North Unit, too, but these two fan favorites are in the South Unit this time around. If you find yourself hopelessly fascinated with buffalo, you might also want to go to Mandan and check out the Buffalo Museum - it’s home to the world’s largest buffalo (statue)!
11. Little Twig Nature Trail
The Little Twig Trail is found at Fort Ransom State Park and it’s truly one of the best hidden gem hikes in North Dakota only made better by the incredible views and jaw-dropping wonder in the springtime. Coming in at just under one mile long, the Little Twig Nature Trail will lead you through woods and forest and along/through a ravine. Wear shoes you don’t mind getting wet and pack drinking water – this one’s a blast, and totally worth it.
Spring Picnic Spots In North Dakota
Okay, seriously – if packing up a picnic lunch and setting off in search of somewhere beautiful to eat it isn’t one of the best American pastimes there is, well, we’re just not sure what else could possibly be (except maybe hiking). Spring is undoubtedly the best time of year for an old-school picnic, and we’ve gone ahead and found a couple of the best places to set up shop. If these spring picnic spots in North Dakota aren’t just perfect, nothing will be!
12. Sertoma Park
Sertoma Park has the fancy distinction of being the most popular park in Bismarck, and in the spring when everything’s popping, it becomes especially wondrous. It’s a beautiful place where picnics are pretty much a shoo-in; set up under a tree, near the playground (there are eight of them!), beneath a shelter, or wherever else you find your peace. Sports are popular here, so bring your horseshoes or a volleyball – both are popular! While there are no official golf courses here, you’ll still find spring training classes like Golf Advice. This park is multi-faceted and makes for an awesome springtime getaway, especially if you have little ones.
13. Graham Island/Grahams Island State Park
If you’ve ever wanted to have a picnic on an island but were bummed out about living in North Dakota, don’t be – there's still hope. Turns out, Grahams Island is an amazingly beautiful island in North Dakota where you can set up shop (or picnic) with some truly gorgeous views of Devil’s Lake. Set up and snuggle down underneath a big shade tree, which will still be filling out since it’s spring and all. There’s something about the bright green, brilliant hue of brand-new leaves that refreshes the soul, isn’t there? Well, lucky for us, spring is all about that soul-refreshingly wonderful kind of stuff.
North Dakota is a place filled with beauty and wonder, and it’s honestly sort of a mystery as to why so many folks seem oddly eager to ignore it. After all, we’ve got some of the best places to visit in the spring – small towns like Minot, Dickinson, and others are all excellent ideas, as well as everything listed in the above article! But in the end, all this means is that we get our wonderful springtime attractions from every corner of the state mostly to ourselves. Skip the crowds forever: come to North Dakota! But, in all seriousness, spring is easily one of the best times to visit North Dakota thanks to mild temperatures, flora and fauna bursting back to life, and so much more. Come explore – you won’t regret it for a moment!
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