Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

About Knife River Indian Villages

Earthlodge people hunted bison and other game, but were in essence farmers living in villages along the Missouri and its tributaries. The site was a major Native American trade center for hundreds of years prior to becoming an important market place for fur traders after 1750.

Hours

Getting there

Plane: Closest Commercial Airports are Bismarck (60 miles) Minot (85 miles) Dickinson (102 miles). Hazen, ND (15 miles from site) has an airport for small planes. Car: One-half mile north of Stanton, ND on County Road 37. One hour northwest of Bismarck, ND and one and a half hours southwest of Minot, ND. Public Transportation Charter and tour bus parking available at Visitor Center parking lot.

Weather

Summers are warm and sunny with temperatures occasionally reaching 100 degrees F and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are invigorating, with extremely cold temperatures as low as -35 degrees F. High winds and sunny skies are common in winter. Snow is sporadic in the relatively dry climate, but blizzards are common.

Things to do

Arts and Crafts, Arts and Culture, Birdwatching, Bookstore and Park Store, Citizen Science, Compass and GPS, Craft Demonstrations, Cultural Demonstrations, Fishing, Food, Freshwater Fishing, Geocaching, Guided Tours, Hands-On, Hiking, Junior Ranger Program, Live Music, Museum Exhibits, Park Film, Picnicking, Self-Guided Tours - Walking, Shopping, Wildlife Watching.