Since it is now officially December and a lot of us in North Dakota are seeing snow now, that means it is time to embrace the season and get out there! ND has quite a lot of things to do in the winter so the options are plentiful. A good amount of snow goes a long ways when it comes to activities! Here are 8 places in the state that have great opportunities for some snowy fun:
- Frost Fire - Pembina
Robert Linsdell/Flickr Editors Note: Pembina Gorge is closed for the 2022/2023 winter season. Feel free to check back with the Frost Fire website for updates about next year. Frost Fire is an amazing ski area in North Dakota right in the beautiful Pembina Gorge. Snowboarding and skiing are super popular here, but for pure fun for everyone, there is also tubing! For this upcoming winter, only the tubing is open while other parts of Frost Fire are being upgraded, so get ready to get out on the snow and have a blast tubing down the hills. Frost Fire Park, 11950 Co Hwy 55, Walhalla, ND 58282, USA
- Huff Hills - Mandan
Huff Hills Ski Area/Facebook Another awesome skiing area in a different area of North Dakota is Huff Hills, located in Mandan. They have amazing skiing and snowboarding opportunities that will be open this season. You don’t need to be in the Rocky Mountains for great skiing; you can find it right here. Visit the Huff Hills website for more information. Huff Hills Ski Area, 5455 County Rd 80, Mandan, ND 58554, USA
- Cross Ranch State Park - Center
NDPRD/Flickr The scenic Cross Ranch State Park is absolutely stunning in the winter, and they even have a Winterfest to enjoy it with. Take a horse wagon ride and see the frosted sights of the park and take in your surroundings. There are also cross country skiing trails here to add to the winter in North Dakota fun. Check out the park’s website for more information. Cross Ranch State Park, 1403 River Rd, Center, ND 58530, USA
- SnoTrails
J. Les Gainous/Flickr All the way from Minot to Bottineau and crisscrossing all over the region are some of the best snowmobiling trails in the state, known as the SnoTrails. If you love snowmobiling, then this is a place you’ll want to head out to this winter. Even if you don’t have a snowmobile, there are places to rent one to enjoy over 350 miles of trails that make up this system. Check out the SnoTrails website for more information.
- Turtle River - Arvilla
NDPRD/Flickr The trails along the Turtle River are almost prettier in winter than any other time of the year and should not be missed. Try out snowshoeing on the snowshoe trails here, or cross country skiing, or simply just walking in the crisp air and enjoying the sights. Check out the Turtle River State Park website page for more information. Turtle River State Park, 3084 Park Ave NE, Arvilla, ND 58214, USA
- Devils Lake
NDPRD/Flickr Devils Lake is a great summertime lake for all kinds of activities on the water, but those don’t end as soon as the snow starts to fall. Once the ice is thick enough, fishers come right back to take advantage of some of the best ice fishing in all of North Dakota. Even if you aren’t much of an ice fisher, the lake itself is beautiful to see and one of the best ways to enjoy winter in North Dakota. Check out the Devil’s Lake Tourism website for more information. Devils Lake, ND 58301, USA
- Wonders of Winter - Prairie Isle Dog Trekking
Prairie Isle Dog Trekking/Facebook Out in Petersburg, North Dakota is a unique activity you can’t find in many other places in the state: dog sledding! Prairie Isle keeps teams of happy, hard working dogs pulling sleds across the snow-covered plains, and you can try it out for yourself through their Wonders of Winter program. Be sure to check the Prairie Isle Dog Trekking website for the most up-to-date information. Petersburg, ND 58272, USA
- Winter Badlands
Andrew Bain/Flickr Most people make visiting places like Theodore Roosevelt National Park Theodore Roosevelt National Park a summer destination, but there is something equally as beautiful about them in the winter. Seeing the painted canyons covered in a layer of snow, even if just driving through, is awe-inspiring. Especially if you see a bighorn sheep strolling by! Check the National Park Service Theodore Roosevelt National Park webpage for more information. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA
Have you been to any of these winter wonderland spots? If so, which ones were your favorites? We’d love to see your photos and hear about your experiences. Are there any other spots you think should be added to this list?
Robert Linsdell/Flickr
Editors Note: Pembina Gorge is closed for the 2022/2023 winter season. Feel free to check back with the Frost Fire website for updates about next year. Frost Fire is an amazing ski area in North Dakota right in the beautiful Pembina Gorge. Snowboarding and skiing are super popular here, but for pure fun for everyone, there is also tubing! For this upcoming winter, only the tubing is open while other parts of Frost Fire are being upgraded, so get ready to get out on the snow and have a blast tubing down the hills.
Frost Fire Park, 11950 Co Hwy 55, Walhalla, ND 58282, USA
Huff Hills Ski Area/Facebook
Another awesome skiing area in a different area of North Dakota is Huff Hills, located in Mandan. They have amazing skiing and snowboarding opportunities that will be open this season. You don’t need to be in the Rocky Mountains for great skiing; you can find it right here. Visit the Huff Hills website for more information.
Huff Hills Ski Area, 5455 County Rd 80, Mandan, ND 58554, USA
NDPRD/Flickr
The scenic Cross Ranch State Park is absolutely stunning in the winter, and they even have a Winterfest to enjoy it with. Take a horse wagon ride and see the frosted sights of the park and take in your surroundings. There are also cross country skiing trails here to add to the winter in North Dakota fun. Check out the park’s website for more information.
Cross Ranch State Park, 1403 River Rd, Center, ND 58530, USA
J. Les Gainous/Flickr
All the way from Minot to Bottineau and crisscrossing all over the region are some of the best snowmobiling trails in the state, known as the SnoTrails. If you love snowmobiling, then this is a place you’ll want to head out to this winter. Even if you don’t have a snowmobile, there are places to rent one to enjoy over 350 miles of trails that make up this system. Check out the SnoTrails website for more information.
The trails along the Turtle River are almost prettier in winter than any other time of the year and should not be missed. Try out snowshoeing on the snowshoe trails here, or cross country skiing, or simply just walking in the crisp air and enjoying the sights. Check out the Turtle River State Park website page for more information.
Turtle River State Park, 3084 Park Ave NE, Arvilla, ND 58214, USA
Devils Lake is a great summertime lake for all kinds of activities on the water, but those don’t end as soon as the snow starts to fall. Once the ice is thick enough, fishers come right back to take advantage of some of the best ice fishing in all of North Dakota. Even if you aren’t much of an ice fisher, the lake itself is beautiful to see and one of the best ways to enjoy winter in North Dakota. Check out the Devil’s Lake Tourism website for more information.
Devils Lake, ND 58301, USA
Prairie Isle Dog Trekking/Facebook
Out in Petersburg, North Dakota is a unique activity you can’t find in many other places in the state: dog sledding! Prairie Isle keeps teams of happy, hard working dogs pulling sleds across the snow-covered plains, and you can try it out for yourself through their Wonders of Winter program. Be sure to check the Prairie Isle Dog Trekking website for the most up-to-date information.
Petersburg, ND 58272, USA
Andrew Bain/Flickr
Most people make visiting places like Theodore Roosevelt National Park Theodore Roosevelt National Park a summer destination, but there is something equally as beautiful about them in the winter. Seeing the painted canyons covered in a layer of snow, even if just driving through, is awe-inspiring. Especially if you see a bighorn sheep strolling by! Check the National Park Service Theodore Roosevelt National Park webpage for more information.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, USA
There is tons to do this winter in North Dakota, so get your lists started! If you like festivals, check out these winter-season events that take place in the beautiful Black Hills!
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The OIYS Visitor Center
Winter Fun in North Dakota November 26, 2022 Lysa Allman-Baldwin Where can we go hiking in winter in North Dakota? Hiking in winter in North Dakota is one of the most popular activities. Lace-up your boots, grab your friends or family members and check out these outstanding spots:
The Fort Stevenson/North Pine Loop at Fort Stevenson State Park (near Garrison) The Cottonwood Trail at Cross Ranch State Park (near Hensler) The Woodland Trail at Beaver Lake State Park (near Napoleon)
We’re looking for things to do in North Dakota in December with kids. If you have little ones, you’ll find plenty of fun things to do in North Dakota in December with kids, especially when it is super cold outside. Here are a few to get the kids moving (and help you keep your sanity!):
The Gateway to Science in Bismarck Storybook Land in Aberdeen The Historic Prairie Village Carousel in Madison Reptile Gardens Wild Animal Park in Rapid City
Can you suggest some North Dakota road trip itineraries? No matter what time of the year, you can embark upon some awesome North Dakota road trip itineraries. A few to get you started are:
The Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway Road Trip North Dakota Fall Foliage Road Trip Old Red Old Ten Scenic Byway Road Trip Haunted North Dakota Road Trip
The OIYS Visitor Center
Winter Fun in North Dakota
November 26, 2022
Lysa Allman-Baldwin
Where can we go hiking in winter in North Dakota? Hiking in winter in North Dakota is one of the most popular activities. Lace-up your boots, grab your friends or family members and check out these outstanding spots:
The Fort Stevenson/North Pine Loop at Fort Stevenson State Park (near Garrison) The Cottonwood Trail at Cross Ranch State Park (near Hensler) The Woodland Trail at Beaver Lake State Park (near Napoleon)
We’re looking for things to do in North Dakota in December with kids. If you have little ones, you’ll find plenty of fun things to do in North Dakota in December with kids, especially when it is super cold outside. Here are a few to get the kids moving (and help you keep your sanity!):
The Gateway to Science in Bismarck Storybook Land in Aberdeen The Historic Prairie Village Carousel in Madison Reptile Gardens Wild Animal Park in Rapid City
Can you suggest some North Dakota road trip itineraries? No matter what time of the year, you can embark upon some awesome North Dakota road trip itineraries. A few to get you started are:
The Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway Road Trip North Dakota Fall Foliage Road Trip Old Red Old Ten Scenic Byway Road Trip Haunted North Dakota Road Trip
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Hiking in winter in North Dakota is one of the most popular activities. Lace-up your boots, grab your friends or family members and check out these outstanding spots:
- The Fort Stevenson/North Pine Loop at Fort Stevenson State Park (near Garrison)
- The Cottonwood Trail at Cross Ranch State Park (near Hensler)
- The Woodland Trail at Beaver Lake State Park (near Napoleon)
We’re looking for things to do in North Dakota in December with kids.
If you have little ones, you’ll find plenty of fun things to do in North Dakota in December with kids, especially when it is super cold outside. Here are a few to get the kids moving (and help you keep your sanity!):
- The Gateway to Science in Bismarck
- Storybook Land in Aberdeen
- The Historic Prairie Village Carousel in Madison
- Reptile Gardens Wild Animal Park in Rapid City
Can you suggest some North Dakota road trip itineraries?
No matter what time of the year, you can embark upon some awesome North Dakota road trip itineraries. A few to get you started are:
- The Killdeer Mountain Four Bears Scenic Byway Road Trip
- North Dakota Fall Foliage Road Trip
- Old Red Old Ten Scenic Byway Road Trip
- Haunted North Dakota Road Trip
