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North Dakota National Parks
North Dakota is known for the first meeting of Lewis and Clark with Sakakawea and a favorite sanctuary of Teddy Roosevelt. Come #FindYourPark in North Dakota.
National parks guide · Updated October 2026
Every NPS site in North Dakota
4
National Park Service sites in North Dakota
There are four National Park Service sites in North Dakota: two national historic sites, a national scenic trail, and a national park. Tap any of them to jump to its details.
At a glance
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Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
In 1828, Kenneth McKenzie of John Jacob Astor’s American Fur Company established Fort Union on the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone Rivers. The fort was one of the most successful and enduring fur trading posts on the northern plains, operating until 1867. In 1966, the Fort was finally transferred to the National Park Service where archeological excavations began at the site. Today, the Fort has been rebuilt to its 1851 appearance at the height of the buffalo robe trade.
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site offers guests living history presentations throughout the year, as well as an annual fur trade rendezvous featuring period arts, crafts, and music. It typically occurs on the third weekend in June.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site commemorates the ancestral homelands of the Northern Plains Indians, particularly the Hidatsa and Mandan tribes. The site includes the remains of three distinct villages which were occupied for over 500 years before the arrival of European settlers. The villages played a vital role in the fur trade, serving as a center of commerce and cultural exchange.
The park offers hiking and walking trails that take visitors through the scenic landscapes of the Knife River valley, reconstructed earthlodges, and a visitor center that includes exhibits and displays that delve into the history of the villages, their relationship with European fur traders, and the eventual changes in their way of life due to the fur trade and westward expansion.
North Country National Scenic Trail
The North Country National Scenic Trail spans eight states and is part of the National Trails System Act signed into law by President Johnson in 1968. The North Country National Scenic Trail was added to the system in 1980 with seven states. Today, New York, Vermont, North Dakota, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin host parts of the trail.
It is the longest national scenic trail in the country and will stretch about 4,800 miles when complete. It connects various landscapes, urban districts, historic sites, forests, lakes, canals, towns, and large cities.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is located in the Badlands of North Dakota and is a symbol of the ruggedness of the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt. It was established in 1947 as a national memorial park and became a national park in 1978. The park preserves landscapes that once inspired Roosevelt during his time in the area as a rancher in the late 19th century.
Divided into three units (the North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit), the park showcases the distinctive badlands formations, vast grasslands, and the meandering Little Missouri River. Visitors can explore scenic drives, hiking trails, and overlooks that provide panoramic views of the dramatic Badlands terrain, offering a glimpse into the unspoiled wilderness that captivated Roosevelt.
The park offers a range of outdoor activities, including hiking, wildlife viewing, and birdwatching. Bison, elk, bighorn sheep, and prairie dogs are among the diverse wildlife that inhabit the park. The park also celebrates Roosevelt’s conservation legacy and his role in establishing the foundation for the National Park System.
Partners of the Park Service
NPS-affiliated sites in North Dakota
These sites aren’t run by the National Park Service, but they’re part of the NPS family through national trails and heritage areas.
Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail
The Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail marks the historic journey by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark along 4,900 miles of wilderness from Pennsylvania all the way to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. The Trail connects 16 states – Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon – and includes museums, landmarks, exhibits, and Visitor Centers along the route. For a complete list of markers and things to see and do, click here.
Northern Plains National Heritage Area
The Northern Plains National Heritage Area was created to help tell the story of the history and cultures in and around the Missouri River in Central North Dakota. This includes the stories of America’s westward expansion, Lewis and Clark’s first meeting with Sakakawea, Sitting Bull, and General Custer, and the Sioux Nation.
NPS sites within the Heritage Area include Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, and the North Country National Scenic Trail. The area is managed by the Northern Plains Heritage Foundation.
Good to know
North Dakota national parks questions
North Dakota has one national park: Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It also has three other National Park Service sites.
There are four NPS sites in North Dakota: two national historic sites, a national scenic trail, and a national park. Two more NPS-affiliated sites, like Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, round out the list.
We haven’t visited any of them yet, but they’re on our list.
Keep exploring
National parks in nearby states
There’s more to explore in these nearby states.
