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This historic route follows the edge of the river valley where river, woods, and prairie vistas attract an exciting variety of Dakota birds. Beginning your trip from Interstate 94, take Exit 157 and turn N 1 block, where you turn W (left), then right, to the Bismarck-Mandan Visitor Center at 1600 Burnt Boat Drive.
Exiting from the Visitor Center parking lot, turn W (right) on Burnt Boat Drive and continue 3/4 mile to the "T" at its intersection with River Road. Turn N (right) to follow River Road about 4 miles to its intersection with Highway 1804, where you turn N (left) for 5 miles to the Double Ditch scenic turnoff W (left), which is located about 1 mile N of Double Ditch State Historic Site. Return to Highway 1804 and drive N for 3 1/2 miles, where you can turn E on 175 Avenue for about 1 mile to explore the surrounding buttes and coulees from the road, then return to Hwy 1804.
Continue N on Highway 1804 for 16 1/2 miles, where you turn W about 1 1/2 miles to the Painted Woods Lake hiking trailhead. Return to Highway 1804, where you turn N 1 1/2 miles to Highway 83, where you turn NW (left) and proceed about 7 miles to the town of Washburn, where you turn left on Alternate Highway 200. After just 1/3 mile, turn right toward the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center and continue about 3 miles to Fort Mandan Historic Site, which provides access to the floodplain woods and river.
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Return to Alternate Highway 200, and turn right and continue 4 miles, crossing the Missouri River bridge and continuing to the small town of Hensler, where you turn S (left). Continue 5 miles S to the Cross Ranch Preserve and 1 mile more to the Cross Ranch State Park. Drive S about 3 miles to Smith Grove, then continue S about 24 miles through the Price Hills and Square Buttes to Mandan. |
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