Sunday, 9 June
Journey from Pelican Lake State Recreation Area to Fort Ransom State Park
We left the campground around 10 a.m. and headed north, traveling approximately 150 miles to our next destination via scenic two-lane roads. The landscape transformed along the way, shifting from rolling hills dotted with ponds to a mix of flat croplands and shorter prairie grasslands scattered with grazing cows.
Fort Ransom State Park
Fort Ransom State Park is nestled in the picturesque Sheyenne River Valley, two miles north of the quaint town of Fort Ransom. The park preserves two historic homesteads, the Bjone House and the Andrew Sunne farm. It offers 68 campsites—ranging from primitive to electric-only—along with equestrian and group sites across several campgrounds.
When we arrived, we missed the turn to our campground and found ourselves on a dead-end road on the opposite side of the park. After consulting the map, we turned back and located the small sign for the West Side Campground that we had initially overlooked.
Our attempt to fill the freshwater tank at the campground hydrant was thwarted by low water pressure, so we drove back to the visitor center, where another hydrant had the pressure we needed. With our water tank full, we returned to site 21—a spacious pull-through site near the Sheyenne River. Though tall grass blocked the river view, the partially shaded site had a long gravel pad. However, the pad was uneven, and we needed blocks to level the camper.
After setting up, we ate lunch and ventured to the river. The muddy banks were deeply eroded, with drops of 6–8 feet to the water below, explaining the barbed wire fence blocking access.
The park’s restrooms were clean and charmingly decorated with artwork created by local children.
We later visited the visitor center, a modest building featuring a few informational displays about sod-busters and Indigenous communities. The highlight was a stuffed beaver in a display case, but overall, it was one of the smallest exhibits we’ve encountered at a state park.
Exploring the Area
With our gas gauge indicating we had only about 50 miles left, we drove 18 miles to the nearest town, Lisbon, for a refill. Along the way, we made a few memorable stops:
Hilltop Viking Statue and Pyramid Hill
We came across the Hilltop Viking Statue atop a 100-foot-tall pyramid-shaped hill just outside the park. The 25-foot Viking, erected in 1972, celebrates the area’s Norwegian heritage. Made of wire mesh covered with heavy fiber tape and painted soot black, the statue is encircled by a small wire fence.
A steep trail leads to the top of the hill, and despite the climb, the effort was worthwhile. The summit offered sweeping views of the surrounding landscape and a close-up look at the imposing Viking figure.
City of Fort Ransom
The town of Fort Ransom, located just outside the park, is a charmingly small community. Its downtown comprises only a handful of buildings, including two bars. One of them, Thors and the Old Mill Grill features a Viking statue on its roof, reinforcing the town’s Nordic pride.
Old Fort Ransom
As we continued toward Lisbon, we stopped at the site of Old Fort Ransom, a former military post established in 1867 to protect overland travelers journeying from Minnesota to Montana. Named after General Thomas E. G. Ransom, the fort was dismantled in 1872 when its resources were redirected to Fort Seward at Jamestown to safeguard the Northern Pacific Railroad construction.
Today, the site features a historical marker, a 350-by-400-foot fortification ditch with an embankment, and signs denoting the locations of former buildings. We also spotted a flagpole, a faint reminder of the fort’s former significance.
On a nearby ridgeline across the highway, we searched for Signal Rock, referenced on one of the information boards. While we didn’t find the rock, the views of the expansive flat terrain around us were breathtaking.
Lisbon
In Lisbon, we refueled and ran the truck through a car wash to remove the layer of dust that had accumulated during our drive.
City of Fort Ransom
On our way back to camp, we explored the opposite side of the Sheyenne River, passing a ski lift and an old Lutheran church.
Once at the campsite, we had dinner and settled in for a quiet evening.
Monday, 10 June
Fort Ransom State Park Overlook
After breakfast, we drove to an overlook in the park, where we had stunning views of the Sheyenne River Valley and the rolling hills, lush forests, and the winding river below.
Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway
We traveled north along the Sheyenne River Valley Byway, stopping at a restored Homesteader’s Cabin from the late 1800s. The cabin is built from local timber and offers a glimpse into early settler life with period furnishings and tools. Interpretive signs detail the hard work of clearing land, planting crops, and building homes. A nearby garden displayed heirloom plants used for food and medicine. While we took an alternate route through flat croplands, I wish we had stayed on the byway to enjoy more scenic views and historical sites.
Valley City
Medicine Wheel Park
Our journey took us to Valley City, where we stopped at Love’s gas station for a quick restroom break before heading to Medicine Wheel Park.
The park’s centerpiece is a large medicine wheel, a creation of Valley City State University students. This 213-foot-wide rock circle features 28 spokes radiating outward, symbolizing the days in the lunar cycle. Six longer spokes align with sunrise and sunset positions on the solstices and equinoxes, inspired by the Big Horn Medicine Wheel in Wyoming. Nearby, a meridian calendar uses stone markers and a utility pole to signal the start of each season at local apparent noon.
The park also includes a scale model of the solar system, with the medicine wheel representing the sun. Boulder “planets” are spaced as far as one-third of a mile apart, at a scale where one foot equals three million miles. A scenic sidewalk leads to these distant markers, offering a pleasant stroll and an overlook of the Hi-Line Railroad Bridge spanning the Sheyenne River.
Chautauqua Park
Next, we visited Chautauqua Park at the foot of the Hi-Line Railroad Bridge. This impressive structure, built between 1906 and 1908, stretches 3,860 feet and towers 162 feet above the river. It was the longest bridge at its height during its time. Supported by 30 steel towers, the bridge remains an iconic piece of engineering.
Fargo-Moorhead
F-M Visitor Center
Our next stop was Fargo, about an hour’s drive away. We began at the F-M Visitor Center, a building resembling a grain elevator. Inside, we found brochures, a gift shop, and an unexpected highlight—a woodchipper from the movie Fargo, complete with a mannequin leg for photo opportunities. Outside, the Celebrity Walk of Fame featured handprints from celebrities like Elton John and Metallica, though many tiles were cracked and hard to read.
Moorhead Dairy Queen
For lunch, we headed to the Moorhead Dairy Queen, famous for being the site of the world’s largest Dilly Bar statue and its historical significance as one of the original Dairy Queen locations. This 1949 establishment still serves unique items not found at other locations, such as the Monkey Tail, Mr. Maltie, and the Chipper Sandwich. We enjoyed chili dogs, a Cheezy Dog, and Heath Dilly Bars under large umbrellas in the picnic area.
Fort Abercrombie State Historic Site
Leaving Fargo, we drove south along US 75 through Minnesota before crossing back into North Dakota to visit Fort Abercrombie, also known as “The Gateway to the Dakotas.” Nestled along the Red River, the fort is significant in American history as the first military post established in the Dakota Territory.
The visitor center, operated by the State Historical Society, overlooked the historic grounds and provided restrooms, informative historical displays, and $8 golf cart tours to explore the site in detail. Friendly staff members also shared maps and answered questions about the fort’s history and role in westward expansion.
We opted for the golf cart tour, where our guide navigated us through the reconstructed grounds while narrating the fort’s fascinating history. Built in 1857, Fort Abercrombie became a critical stronghold that protected settlers and transportation routes. Originally constructed without defensive fortifications, the fort faced a six-week siege during the Dakota Conflict of 1862, also known as the U.S.-Dakota War. This conflict highlighted the need for improved defenses, leading to the addition of blockhouses, a stockade, and other fortifications.
During the tour, we stopped to examine the reconstructed blockhouses and stockade, illustrating the fort’s defensive evolution. Markers throughout the site identified the locations of original buildings, such as barracks, officers’ quarters, and storage facilities. Our guide shared stories of the soldiers and settlers who relied on the fort for safety, painting a vivid picture of life in the 19th-century frontier.
After the tour, we wandered through the small museum, which displayed an array of artifacts. Highlights included a preserved oxcart, a replica cannon, and tools used by soldiers and settlers. Informational panels and multimedia exhibits delved deeper into the fort’s role in regional history, the challenges of frontier life, and the Dakota Conflict’s broader implications.
The Wahpper
Continuing south on US 75, we reached Wahpeton to see the world’s largest catfish statue, “The Wahpper.” This 40-foot-long, 12-foot-tall fiberglass marvel sits in the Kidder Recreation Area beside the Red River, famed for its catfish. We explored the area, which includes an RV park, boat launch, and fishing platform. While admiring the statue, we watched a park ranger release a snapping turtle back into the river.
Thors Old Mill and Grill
On our way back to the state park, we stopped in Lisbon for gas and then at Thors Old Mill and Grill for a classic small-town bar experience. We unwound over beers and greasy burgers before returning to our camper, just in time for a light rain shower.
Tuesday, 11 June
Sheyenne River Scenic Byway
We started the day driving north along the Sheyenne River Scenic Byway to Valley City, a picturesque route compared to the flat croplands. The gravel road, well-maintained throughout, offered scenic views of farms, grain elevators, and lush river valleys. Numerous canoe access points dotted the route, inviting outdoor enthusiasts. We made stops at a restored cabin, once a bachelor’s retreat, and a charming one-room schoolhouse. The area’s rich history, paired with its natural beauty, made the drive particularly enjoyable.
Ronald Reagan Minuteman Missile State Historic Site
After a brief break in Valley City to clean my windshield at a Loves Gas Station, we continued our journey north across the croplands to Cooperstown. Just outside the city, we stopped at the November-33 missile site. The site was open for pedestrian access, allowing us to walk around the missile silo, which featured the remains of hatches and vents. Informative signs throughout the grounds offered insight into the Cold War era and the role of Minuteman missiles in national defense. It was fascinating to imagine the significance of the once highly classified site during its operation.
Next, we visited the Oscar-Zero Missile Alert Facility just north of Cooperstown. This underground launch site offered guided tours of the above-ground living quarters and the expansive underground missile launch area. Admission was normally $10, but I received free entry as a Veteran. Our guide, though new to the site and lacking prior missile experience, did an excellent job providing an overview of the Cold War history and the site’s role in missile defense systems.
World’s Largest Buffalo and National Buffalo Museum
We continued on to Jamestown, home of the World’s Largest Buffalo Monument. Built in 1969, the monument stands 46 feet long, 26 feet tall, and weighs 60 tons. Constructed of stucco and cement around a steel frame, the bison was designed to attract tourists and encourage visitors to stop in Jamestown. In addition to the monument, the site includes the Frontier Village and National Buffalo Museum.
Frontier Village
Overlooking Jamestown and I-94, Frontier Village recreates a small Midwestern town from the 1800s, with historical buildings lining either side of a street. The village offers an immersive look at life during that era, with exhibits such as a library featuring books by Louis L’Amour, historical survey equipment, and old-fashioned dental and medical tools. Some buildings even showcased period-specific artifacts, such as a post office with original mailboxes and a bank displaying old safes. Visitors could also enjoy pony rides provided by a local vendor.
North American Bison Discovery Center
Next, we visited the North American Bison Discovery Center ($8 admission), where we learned about the bison’s significance to North American wildlife, its historical near-extinction, and current conservation efforts. The center featured an introductory film and rotating exhibits on the bison’s natural history and cultural importance. A special Wall of Fame honors individuals who have contributed to bison conservation. In addition to educational exhibits, a small herd of bison grazed in the distance, visible from a viewing area. Though the bison were a bit hard to spot in the tall prairie grass, seeing them up close in their natural habitat was a treat.
Scenic Backway
We followed the signs for an unnamed Scenic Backway along the James River Valley back to the campground. The landscape was green rolling hills with intermittent fields of wheat, corn, soybeans, and other crops. Farms and ranches dominate the landscape with grain silos, barns, and windbreaks of trees. We drove through the small town of Dickey, which had several interesting old buildings and an elevator.