Long before Lewis and Clark ever stepped foot in our amazing state, there was another explorer who made his way through the still-wild land and was known as one of the first outsiders to ever be in the area. Pierre Gaultier de Varennes, Sieur de La Vérendrye – quite a mouthful – was originally commemorated for this act by having 101 acres of land preserved in his name, giving us the Verendrye National Park. This park, however, no longer exists. Why? Let’s find out about this lost national park in North Dakota:
The park was in existence from 1917 to 1956.
North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department It was located right on the upper Missouri River where what is now Lake Sakakawea, not far from New Town. Vérendrye and his son, François, had traveled down from Manitoba to a Mandan village, with structures much like the one shown below, in 1738.
After that, they headed back to the Canadian region and established multiple trading forts.
Jasperdo/Flickr Vérendrye’s two sons lead an expedition to the Missouri River yet again in 1742, and most likely camped on what is now Crow Flies High Butte, right in North Dakota, where the national park was originally dedicated. From there, they traveled further south, and were probably one of the first Europeans to ever see the Rocky Mountains, over 60 years before Lewis and Clark ever made the trek themselves.
There was controversy over whether the sons had ever truly traveled through Crow Flies High Butte and there was evidence that the route they took never took them anywhere near it.
Hank Dobbs/Google Local Because of this, the national park was stripped of its title and the land was lost underneath Lake Sakakawea.
More recent evidence suggests that they had actually traveled there and the national park should have never been removed, but in spite of that, there isn’t much of the park left.
Michael Foley/Flickr Below this lake is the remnants of the site and the actual sights that the French explorer and his sons saw as they stood upon Crow Flies High Butte and gazed down onto the Missouri River, well before North Dakota ever existed as a state and before Lake Sakakawea was created by the Garrison Dam.
Today, part of it remains as Crow Flies High Recreation Area near New Town. Verendrye National Park would have been North Dakota’s second national park. But with the lake and the unclear history, it will probably never get that title back.
North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department
It was located right on the upper Missouri River where what is now Lake Sakakawea, not far from New Town. Vérendrye and his son, François, had traveled down from Manitoba to a Mandan village, with structures much like the one shown below, in 1738.
Jasperdo/Flickr
Vérendrye’s two sons lead an expedition to the Missouri River yet again in 1742, and most likely camped on what is now Crow Flies High Butte, right in North Dakota, where the national park was originally dedicated. From there, they traveled further south, and were probably one of the first Europeans to ever see the Rocky Mountains, over 60 years before Lewis and Clark ever made the trek themselves.
Hank Dobbs/Google Local
Because of this, the national park was stripped of its title and the land was lost underneath Lake Sakakawea.
Michael Foley/Flickr
Below this lake is the remnants of the site and the actual sights that the French explorer and his sons saw as they stood upon Crow Flies High Butte and gazed down onto the Missouri River, well before North Dakota ever existed as a state and before Lake Sakakawea was created by the Garrison Dam.
North Dakota’s only remaining national park is the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, featured in its own article at the link.
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The OIYS Visitor Center
National Parks to Visit in North Dakota January 16, 2022 Tori Jane What are some of the best hiking trails in North Dakota? North Dakota is nothing short of a hiker’s paradise. It’s home to countless miles of truly amazing trails; in fact, we’ve published many articles about our favorite hikes all over the state. Some of those include just about every single hike in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, like the amazing Painted Canyon Trail, the absolutely bonkers Petrified Forest Trail, and the Big Plateau/Ekblom Trail. Outside of that park, of course, there are many more; some of our favorite hikes outside of Theodore Roosevelt NP include Bison Plant Trail, which is within the Minot Park District, and the Maah Daah Hey Trail, which is nestled in Sully Creek Recreation Area. If you ever find yourself near Grassy Butte, check out Summit Viewpoint! It’s amazing, too, like all the entries on this list. For more information about each of these, check out this awesome article! What are some fun things to do outside in North Dakota? North Dakota is an amazing state to live in or visit if you’re a fan of the great outdoors. It doesn’t get a lot greater than beautiful plains, photogenic prairies, intriguing geological formations, incredible landscapes, and everything else our amazing state has to offer. There are plenty of fun things to do outside year-round; during the warmer months, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, camping, rock climbing, and other much-loved activities are the norm. It’s also worth it to visit any of North Dakota’s amazing zoos or arboretums. During the cold months, you can still go hiking, but you can also do some sledding, skiing, snowboarding, or tobogganing, too! There is no shortage at all of fun things to do outside in North Dakota that’ll keep you wanting to come back for much more. Which ones are your favorites?
The OIYS Visitor Center
National Parks to Visit in North Dakota
January 16, 2022
Tori Jane
What are some of the best hiking trails in North Dakota? North Dakota is nothing short of a hiker’s paradise. It’s home to countless miles of truly amazing trails; in fact, we’ve published many articles about our favorite hikes all over the state. Some of those include just about every single hike in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, like the amazing Painted Canyon Trail, the absolutely bonkers Petrified Forest Trail, and the Big Plateau/Ekblom Trail. Outside of that park, of course, there are many more; some of our favorite hikes outside of Theodore Roosevelt NP include Bison Plant Trail, which is within the Minot Park District, and the Maah Daah Hey Trail, which is nestled in Sully Creek Recreation Area. If you ever find yourself near Grassy Butte, check out Summit Viewpoint! It’s amazing, too, like all the entries on this list. For more information about each of these, check out this awesome article! What are some fun things to do outside in North Dakota? North Dakota is an amazing state to live in or visit if you’re a fan of the great outdoors. It doesn’t get a lot greater than beautiful plains, photogenic prairies, intriguing geological formations, incredible landscapes, and everything else our amazing state has to offer. There are plenty of fun things to do outside year-round; during the warmer months, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, camping, rock climbing, and other much-loved activities are the norm. It’s also worth it to visit any of North Dakota’s amazing zoos or arboretums. During the cold months, you can still go hiking, but you can also do some sledding, skiing, snowboarding, or tobogganing, too! There is no shortage at all of fun things to do outside in North Dakota that’ll keep you wanting to come back for much more. Which ones are your favorites?
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
North Dakota is nothing short of a hiker’s paradise. It’s home to countless miles of truly amazing trails; in fact, we’ve published many articles about our favorite hikes all over the state. Some of those include just about every single hike in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, like the amazing Painted Canyon Trail, the absolutely bonkers Petrified Forest Trail, and the Big Plateau/Ekblom Trail. Outside of that park, of course, there are many more; some of our favorite hikes outside of Theodore Roosevelt NP include Bison Plant Trail, which is within the Minot Park District, and the Maah Daah Hey Trail, which is nestled in Sully Creek Recreation Area. If you ever find yourself near Grassy Butte, check out Summit Viewpoint! It’s amazing, too, like all the entries on this list. For more information about each of these, check out this awesome article!
What are some fun things to do outside in North Dakota?
North Dakota is an amazing state to live in or visit if you’re a fan of the great outdoors. It doesn’t get a lot greater than beautiful plains, photogenic prairies, intriguing geological formations, incredible landscapes, and everything else our amazing state has to offer. There are plenty of fun things to do outside year-round; during the warmer months, hiking, biking, fishing, boating, camping, rock climbing, and other much-loved activities are the norm. It’s also worth it to visit any of North Dakota’s amazing zoos or arboretums. During the cold months, you can still go hiking, but you can also do some sledding, skiing, snowboarding, or tobogganing, too! There is no shortage at all of fun things to do outside in North Dakota that’ll keep you wanting to come back for much more. Which ones are your favorites?
