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Ft. Ransom State Park |
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North Dakota's homesteading heritage is preserved at Fort Ransom State Park.
The park, nestled in the picturesque and heavily-wooded Sheyenne River Valley,
officially opened in July 1979. This park is managed as a natural and scenic
area, and is located on one of North Dakota's officially designated Scenic
Byways and Backways. The park is open for camping and picnicking year-round.
Canoeing on the Sheyenne RiverCanoeing is popular on the Sheyenne River during
the summer, with canoe and kayak rentals available in the park. A short segment
of the North Country National Scenic Trail winds through the park. Corrals and
trails are provided for groups bringing in their own horses. Those bringing in
livestock must use certified weed-free hay, which is available for sale at the
park.
Note to horseback riders: There was an outbreak of anthrax in the Fort Ransom
area last summer, with deaths of cows, horses, and domestic elk reported in a
four county area. It is recommended that anyone bringing horses into the park
have their animals vaccinated.
The park is located along the Sheyenne Valley National Scenic Byway/Backway, the
first such travel route to receive national designation in North Dakota. More
information on this scenic byway can be found at HelloValley.com.
Additional information about things to do and places to go in the area can be
found on the Ransom County Tourism's web site, http://www.ransomcountynd.com.
A farmstead within the park provides the setting for annual Sodbuster Days
celebrations, with demonstrations and exhibits of early homesteading life.
Snowmobiling and cross-country skiing are the major winter activities.
Upcoming Summer Programs—Schedules for special events, nature hikes and weekend
campfire and amphitheatre programs are posted here each week.
* August 4-6—GTO Cruise
* August 5—Visitor Appreciation Day. Free park entrance.
* August 5-6—Weekend Interpretive Programs
* August 12-13—Weekend Interpretive Programs
* August 19-20—Weekend Interpretive Programs
* August 26-27—Weekend Interpretive Programs
* September 2-3—Weekend Interpretive Programs
* September 2—Fish & Wildlife Issues in North Dakota, Doug Leier
* September 9-10—Fall Sodbuster Days
* September 9-10—Weekend Interpretive Programs
* September 16-17—Weekend Interpretive Programs
* September 16—Forests of North Dakota, Bob Harsel
* September 23-24—Weekend Interpretive Programs
Location—34 miles south of Valley City or 20 miles northwest of Lisbon or 2
miles north of the town of Ft. Ransom in southeastern North Dakota.
 Directions—Park
and campground maps are available online in pdf format and require Adobe Acrobat
Reader 5.0, which can be downloaded free of charge by clicking the Acrobat
Reader icon.
Park maps (pdf, 132K)
Nature—A plant checklist for the park can be found on-line in pdf format (139K).
Also available is a bird checklist for the park (pdf, 121K).
History—Ft. Ransom State Park takes its name from a frontier army fort once
located south of the park. More information about the history of the Ft. Ransom
area
Ft. Ransom Sodbuster Association—Each summer and fall, the volunteer Ft. Ransom
Sodbuster Association sponsors Sodbuster Days, with demonstrations and displays
about homesteading and 1920s farm life.More information about the Ft. Ransom
Sodbusters Association
Nearby attractions—Bears Den Mountain Downhill Ski Area • Ft.. Ransom State
Historic Site • Ransom County Historical Museum • Sheyenne Valley State
Snowmobile Trail • Sheyenne National Grassland • Sheyenne River Valley National
Scenic Byway/Backway
Ft. Ransom State Park
5981 Walt Hjelle Parkway
Ft. Ransom ND 58033
Ph. 701-973-4331
Reservations: 800-807-4723
E-mail frsp@state.nd.us |
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