An exceptional birding drive begins at Main Street in Mandan. Turn S on Highway 1806 past Fort Lincoln State Park and continue for a total of about 13 miles, where you turn E (left) into the Little Heart Bottoms, which provides access to native woodlands and the river. Return to Highway 1806 and continue S (left) 4 1/2 miles to Sugarloaf Bottoms, another floodplain recreation area. Continue S on Highway 1806 about 4 1/2 miles, passing through Badlands Corner, a unique Badlands outcropping, and on to the small town of Huff.

From Huff, continue about 1 mile S, where you turn W (right) on County Road 136. Continue W, climbing up the Huff Hills and through prairie and agricultural areas about 5 miles to the "T" in the road. Turn N (right) and continue 1 mile, turn W (left) on 55 Street for about 1 mile, then S (left) 1 mile. Now turn W (right) on County Road 136 about 4 miles, turn N (right) 1 mile, then continue W (left) 4 miles to Highway 6.

Turn N (right) 1 mile, on Highway 6 toward Mandan for 3 miles, where you turn E (right) to enter the Morton County Wildlife Area. Continue N on Highway 6 for 10 more miles, where you can stop at the Northern Plains Experiment Station, where pine trees and other plantings attract a unique assortment of birds, then return N on Highway 6 for 1/2 mile into Mandan.