North Dakota consists of 5 National Park Service sites, including 1 National Park, 2 national trails, and 2 other historical sites.
National Parks
There is one of the major 63 Nationals Park in North Dakota.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Named after the rough riding 26th president of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt National Park protects beautiful rugged badlands of North Dakota. in 1947 the park was established as Roosevelt Memorial Park and then became a national park in 1978. The park consists of a north and south unit that are not connected by internally by road (but can be hiked between through designated wilderness).
Other National Park Units
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site
Between 1828 and 1867, Fort Union was the most important trading post in the upper Mississippi. The person at the post when I visited even described it as the “center of the world” of the early 1800s. The park was established in 1966 and comprises of 444 acres across Montana and North Dakota.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site
Established in 1974, the Knife River Villages preserve the historical and archaeological remains of the Hidatsa people. It is also known as the home of one of the most well known Native Americans by the west, Sacagawea. There are several hiking trails and an earth lodge to explore as well as to possibly talk with researchers who are still exploring and digging in the sites.
National Trails
National Trails are trails that often span across states for various geological or historical nature. Two of these trails traverse the state of North Dakota. They are also national park units (with national park stamps) but are so diverse and connect across various parks and other sites that its not necessarily just one spot to visit. You can often visit (and get passport stamps) at various sites along these trails.
North Country National Scenic Trail
The 4,800 mile North Country trail is one of the longest in the National Trail system and follows the landscape from Vermont through North Dakota. You can hike the entire trail although few do the entire length. The diversity of the scenery and geological, archeological and natural history of the area are incredible.
Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
The Lewis and Clark National Historical Trail runs about 4,900 miles from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to Astoria Oregon. Across the trail you can visit quite a few National Park and State Park sites that comprised the journey of the Corps of Discovery. It follows the historical trail of the Corps as well as the preparatory sections between Pennsylvania and Illinois. Several sites such as Fort Mandan and Knife River are included along this National Historic Trail in North Dakota.
Check out Nearby States National Park Sites
South Dakota | Minnesota | Montana