North Dakota Trails
If you think of the movie Fargo whenever someone mentions North Dakota, I have news for you. North Dakota trails are incredible and offer an entirely different view of this seldom mentioned state.
North Dakota Trails
If you watched Fargo, you probably imagine North Dakota as a place where people meet grisly ends in wood chippers. The views of snow covered flat plains probably didn’t help much either. Well, it is pretty barren in the winter, but spring, summer and fall are an entirely different story.
The beauty of North Dakota has a lot to do with humans. Simply put, there aren’t many of them. North Dakota is one of the least populated states in the country. In hiking terms, this means North Dakota truly represents a chance to get out and away from the rat race.
There are numerous famous outdoors areas in the state, but you really don’t have to worry about finding trails in each. Instead, the best North Dakota trails are all organized into something known as the North Country National Scenic Trail. Yes, it is a mouthful.
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The trail extends from North Dakota to New York, but we are obviously interested in the west section. The beauty of this trail is that it is unknown. It was only authorized by Congress in 1980 and has been slowly coming together since. Much of the trail in North Dakota is open prairie land, but don’t let that stop you. Walking under the huge blue sky is a surreal experience. The best place to start the trail is at the Sheyenne Grasslands, an area of over 70,000 acres administered by the Custer National Park. Yes, that Custer. You will not find much up and down on the trail, just huge expanses where millions of buffalo used to roam. It will give you plenty of time to contemplate life and nature.
If you are big on sunsets, the best of the North Dakota hiking trails is White Butte in Amidon. The trail itself is long and meandering through mesas and vistas. The mesas, however, are the key. If you can be on top of one during a sunset, you are in for a treat. Speaking on behalf of all of us city dwelling folk, I can unequivocally state you will be amazed by a sunset without pollution. It is like being born again. Hell, you’ll run out and buy a hybrid!
Some people find North Dakota to be bland. Personally, I view it and North Dakota trails as an opportunity to take a timeout from the daily rush and just put along for a bit.