Epic Adventures

Fritillary prairie, also known as Biesterfeld Meadow, is a remnant of tallgrass prairie, a once much more extensive habitat but is now fragmented across North America. 

The prairie supports a variety of native grasses and wildflowers, including various orchids and ferns, and even prairie violets, a crucial food source for the regal fritillary caterpillars.

The USDA Forest Service established the Denbigh Experimental Forest in 1931 as part of a research project to determine what conifer or hardwood trees would survive in the area. Over the next 20+ years, more than 40 tree species were planted. Today, about 30 woody plants cover the land, including Scots pine, ponderosa pine, Siberian larch, Black Hills spruce, Elaeagus, and Rocky Mountain juniper. The forest became home to various grassland birds, prairie butterflies, and wildflowers and has a three-mile, well-marked, graveled trail loop primarily for hiking and biking, winding through the historic arboretum.  

The Maah Daah Hey Trail starts at the Burning Coal Vein Campground, about 49 miles south of Medora, ND, and ends at the CCC Campground, roughly 16 miles south of Watford City. This 144-mile trail winds through the badlands of North Dakota, offering views of rolling prairies, clay buttes, and the Little Missouri River. The trail winds through the badlands with canyons, gullies, and steep, rocky terrain.

The North Country National Scenic Trail (NCNST) is the longest continuous footpath in the country. It stretches over 4,800 miles across eight northern US states, from the Sheyenne National Grassland in North Dakota to Maine Junction within the Green Mountain National Forest in Vermont. The trail is used for backpacking, hiking, and walking. While on the Sheyenne portion of the trail, explore the Sheyenne River Valley and observe water birds in wetlands.