Kansas City, Mo. - For most people, the word “adventure” doesn’t belong in the same sentence as the Northern Plains.
When you think of the Upper Midwest, you likely envision farmland as flat as a pancake, seemingly going on forever, interrupted by the occasional small town or truck stop.
Or, in a word, boring!
But these “boring” states offer several unique and exciting experiences.
So, dust off your old Rand McNally Road Atlas or pull up Google Maps to find some of the most unexpectedly cool (and definitely not boring) summer adventures in the Northern Great Plains.
10 Hike to the Highest Point Between the Rockies and France
While the Black Hills of South Dakota may be best known as the home of Mount Rushmore, the region offers visitors so much more than just four presidents carved into the side of a mountain.
Located in beautiful Custer State Park, Black Elk Peak (Link 1) is not only the highest point in South Dakota; it’s the highest elevation between the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. and the Pyrenees Mountains in France. So, climbing the 7,242-foot mountain gives you the bragging rights to say: I climbed the highest point between the Rockies and France this summer! What did you do?
In addition to those bragging rights, hiking to the top of Black Elk Peak will give you stunning views of parts of five states, including South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Nebraska, and Montana. Depending on how much hiking you would like to do, there are several trails to choose from.
9 Embark on a ‘Hellava’ Climb in the Wyoming Black Hills
Not for the faint of heart! Towering an impressive 867 feet from its base to its summit — Devils Tower National Monument (Link 2) offers thrill-seekers one of the best rock climbing adventures anywhere in America.
A lot of people think that Devils Tower looks like a volcano. But according to the National Park Service, this unique geological feature is like a “bunch of pencils held together by gravity.”
In order to safely climb Devils Tower, you will need technical rock climbing gear, as well as the skills and confidence to successfully complete the climb. Once you make it to the top, you can take in the breathtaking views of the Belle Fourche River from over 1,200 above the valley floor. But remember, what goes up must come down!
So, when you are done on top of the tower, you will need to rappel to safely make it back down to the bottom.
However, even if you aren’t into extreme climbing adventures, hikers and other nature lovers can still enjoy the beauty of Devils Tower National Monument from the many trails throughout the park.
8 Hunt for Dinosaur Fossils in Some Pretty ‘Bad Lands’
What can be cooler than hiking through a national park? How about going off-trail and hunting for super cool fossils on your hike! (Just don’t try to remove them.)
Prior to going out and hunting for old dinosaur bones, you can check out a working paleontology lab (Link 3) located inside the Ben Reifel Visitor Center at Badlands National Park, where you can watch paleontologists identify species and catalog specimens. You can also learn what to look for on your dinosaur hunt.
If you do discover any potential fossils, you have to leave them where they are. Instead, you can take photos to share with the park’s paleontologists, who are the only ones allowed to remove fossils. Just be sure to tag the location, so they know where you found them.
In addition to a fun adventure, you can end up with some really cool photos to share on Facebook and Instagram, where you can brag: I discovered a dinosaur bone today!
7 Go for a Bike Ride Through Teddy Roosevelt’s Old Stomping Grounds
Back in the 1880s, a young Theodore Roosevelt explored the North Dakota badlands (then Dakota Territory) on horseback. But you can explore the national park named in the former president’s honor on a mountain bike!
All roads in Theodore Roosevelt National Park (Link 4) are open to biking. The 35-mile loop road is especially popular among cyclists.
However, you just can’t do any off-road cycling or riding on hiking trails. In other words, you have to keep your bicycle on paved and/or dirt roads in the park. But you can still explore nearly everything that the park has to offer in terms of scenery and wildlife.
Speaking of which, you may encounter herds of buffalo, which you should admire from afar while keeping a safe distance. You can also pedal past unique badlands, rock formations, scenic river valleys, and some of the last remaining prairie grasslands in the U.S.
You can either bring your own mountain bike or rent one from a local provider.
Badlands aren’t just confined to the western areas of the Dakotas. The Nebraska Panhandle features all sorts of unique geological formations that tower above the surrounding prairie. And speaking of towering over the prairie. Scotts Bluff National Monument (Link 5) stands at more than 800 feet above the North Platte River valley.
The National Park Service refers to this site as a “landmark for many peoples” — from Native Americans to travelers on the Oregon Trail. In addition to the stunning geological features and rich human history, there are over 3,000 acres to explore at Scotts Bluff National Monument.
But the monument is actually a collection of five massive rocks (Link 6), including Dome Rock, Crown Rock, Sentinel Rock, Eagle Rock, and Saddle Rock.
With almost four miles of trails, hiking is a popular way to explore the monument. However, you can also reach the top of Scotts Bluff by driving on the Summit Road, which is just under a couple of miles.
5 Get Lost (in Nature) in Montana’s Largest State Park
While the western (mountainous) side of Montana is home to grand national parks like Glacier and parts of Yellowstone, the eastern side contains Montana’s largest state park, near the town of Glendive. Makoshita State Park (Link 7) offers visitors over 11,000 acres to explore. Popular activities include hiking and wildlife viewing, as well as exploring history and archeology.
Speaking of exploring archeology, Makoshita State Park contains a significant amount of dinosaur fossils, including Tyrannosaurus Rex and Triceratops, as well as other types of prehistoric life. In fact, the park is an official stop on the Montana Dinosaur Trail.
Makoshita State Park’s landscape resembles more badlands than flat prairie, so like many of the other destinations on this list, it doesn’t feel as much like the Great Plains. You can take in the scenery on miles of hiking trails. There are also dozens of camping sites where you can really get into nature.
4 Journey to the Oregon Trail’s Most Recognizable Landmark
If you ever played the old-school Oregon Trail game back in the day, then a trip to Chimney Rock National Historic Site (Link 8) will likely leave you with a serious case of deja vu. Both in the game and in real life, the significant rock formation that resembles a chimney is easily one of the most recognizable landmarks on the Oregon Trail. Back in the 1800s, Chimney Rock helped travelers mark their journey west.
According to the National Park Service, the unique rock formation was “mentioned in more emigrant diaries than any other landmark on the Oregon Trail.”
Today, visitors to the National Historic Site can explore historical information and interpretive exhibits. Furthermore, it’s an excellent spot for scenic views and cool photo ops. Plus, the surrounding plains and North Platte River Valley make Chimney Rock all that more stunning.
According to Google Maps, Chimney Rock is only 22 miles east of Scotts Bluff National Monument. So, exploring both of these attractions on the same day is easy.
Maybe you aren’t quite up for swimming between two countries yet. However, in the scenic Turtle Mountains on the border between North Dakota and Manitoba, you can paddle (e.g., kayak, canoe) between the U.S. and Canada on Lake Metigoshe.
Lake Metighoshe State Park (Link 9) is located near Bottineau, North Dakota. While the lake is a popular year-round destination, in the summer months it’s an excellent spot for water sports. In fact, you can even rent kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards at the park or bring your non-motorized own.
The majority of Lake Metigoshe is located in North Dakota, with the far northern stretches of the lake in Manitoba. So, it’s a cool adventure that lets you say you have paddled in international waters.
The International Peace Garden (Link 10) is also located along the U.S.-Canadian border in the Turtle Mountains, not far from lake Metigoshe State Park.. Its purpose is to celebrate peace, friendship, and cooperation among nations. The Peace Garden contains both indoor and outdoor gardens and visual displays, set among more than 2,000 acres of breathtaking prairie and wilderness, including lakes and ponds.
During the warmer months, miles of trails make it easy to explore the Peace Garden on foot or bicycle. Some of the more interesting highlights include the Peace Chapel, 911 Memorial, Carillon Bell Tower, and Historic Lodge. And when it comes to exploring the pristine lakes on both sides of the border, you can rent a kayak or bring your own canoe or kayak for an unforgettable paddling experience.
However, in order to visit the International Peace Garden, you will need to bring official identification documents (Link 11) For example, a passport or a driver’s license and birth certificate.
In most places, a stock tank is known as a way to water livestock. But in Nebraska, stock tanks offer a unique float trip experience known as tanking (Link 12).
What the heck is tanking, you ask?
Instead of using canoes, kayaks, or rafts, your group (typically four to six adults) floats down the river in a livestock water tank, minus the livestock! Depending on the tank’s size, it may have chairs or a small wooden picnic table for seating. There is also usually room for a cooler and standard float trip items.
As you float down the river, the stock tank will slowly spin. Everyone in your group gets panoramic views of the scenery. Furthermore, they are nearly impossible to flip, unlike a canoe or even a kayak. That makes tanking a safe and fun way to go floating.
There are numerous outfitters across Nebraska that offer varying types of tanking experiences.
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