Williston, North Dakota, is a large town of almost 30,000 people. Just a few short years ago, it was half that size, but the population nearly doubled with the glut of oil that was discovered nearby. The oil business is now supplanting the traditional Williston economy that was based on ranching. Still, the ranchers have weekly cattle auctions in the town, and the BNSF Railroad regularly stops at the local grain elevator. Speaking of railroads, Amtrak has a station in this town, and it's one of the most popular ways that tourists visit the city.
You might not think that you can surf in the middle of the Great Plains, but the Williston Area Recreation Center has an indoor surfing contraption called a flow rider. The center also provides residents and visitors alike with batting cages, racquetball courts, and a golf simulator, along with many other sports-related items and activities. At the town's parks, you can play disc golf throughout the summer and skate throughout the winter. There are even swimming lessons for preschoolers at the local pool.
Hula's Fire Grill provides diners with well-regarded North American Asian cuisine and Hawaiian cuisine. For sushi, there's also the Basil Restaurant, which combines a sushi bar with a bistro. For a great sandwich experience, there's the Smiling Moose Rocky Mountain Deli. Lonnie's Roadhouse Cafe will satisfy your craving for stick-to-your-ribs diner food that is served with a smile. There are also options for pizza, Mexican food, and more family-style restaurants spread throughout Williston and the surrounding area.
Campgrounds Near Williston, North Dakota
Unfortunately, there are no significant RV campgrounds in Williston, North Dakota, or in the immediate environs. The closest RV campgrounds are at least 130 miles away in Medora, Regent, and Dickinson. The Cottonwood Campground is inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It consists of 76 primitive RV campsites for a rustic camping experience that costs as little as $10 a night.
The Enchanted Highway Campground provides 22 RV campsites with full hookups for just $20 a night. The campground provides access to an on-site gift shop so that you can send things to friends and family. The free WiFi has a strong signal, and the cell reception is above average for most carriers.
The Red Trail Campground has 100 RV campsites that have at least a 30-amp electrical hookup. Several of them also have full hookups. This is a pet-friendly campground as long as your furbabies don't bother anyone and stay on their leashes. This campground is only open from May until September, however, so plan your stay accordingly.
State Parks Near Williston, North Dakota
Lewis and Clark State Park is barely a 15-minute drive out of Williston, North Dakota. It's fairly small when it comes to parks of this sort and only covers 490 acres. The park contains an RV campground with 80 campsites, and boating is a popular activity. The hiking trails within the park cover 8 miles. If you like to swim, then the beach is a great place to spend a summer or early fall afternoon. For a fishing challenge, angle for the northern pike in the park's lake and streams.
Little Missouri State Park is 96 miles from Williston, North Dakota. Much of the park's more than 6,000 acres are accessible to mountain bikers, and people enjoy taking in the sights on two wheels almost as much as they do on foot. Bring your pets along the trails with you for a fun afternoon with your furry family members. There are also many picnic spots along the trails. Golden eagles soar overhead, and mule deer might stroll by while you're enjoying your lunch.
Cross Ranch State Park covers 5,000 acres about 180 miles from Williston, North Dakota. It's a preserved location dedicated to the First Nations peoples of the area. Today, you can experience what life was like there before European colonization. There are hiking trails in the park that crisscross the area for about 16 miles in total. You can set off on the Missouri River for a day of boating from the boat ramp at the park. Drop a line from a rowboat or from the shore and pull in a walleye, trout, or catfish.
National Sites Near Williston, North Dakota
Just about 170 miles from Williston, North Dakota, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site covers 1,800 acres and is dedicated to the tribes that have lived in the area since the 16th century. The site was a trading post between the First Nations and the European colonists, starting in about 1750. If you'd like to contribute environmentally, then you can take advantage of civilian science opportunities by helping to catalog different parts of the area's biodiversity.
Three-and-a-half hours' drive away in Bismarck, you will find the North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum. This museum features many exhibits, from dinosaur skeletons to rocks that are more than 600 million years old. It's truly a family-friendly museum, and parents and children alike will enjoy the learning labs put on by the museum throughout the year. These educational programs are provided free of charge, and archaeologists and geologists give these presentations. The museum provides free public WiFi, and you can have a bite to eat at the on-site cafe.
It's 245 miles from Williston to the Huff Archeological Site, which is one of the best-preserved Mandan villages in the state. The village was once home to 1,000 Mandan people and dates to before 1450 CE. The Mandans were particularly advanced agriculturally, and their farmed goods were in much demand from nomadic tribes in the area. Today, you can see some of the ways that they farmed, hunted bison and elk, and built their culture on the plains of what would become North Dakota centuries before the first Europeans arrived.
National Forests Near Williston, North Dakota
Custer National Forest is 275 miles from Williston, North Dakota. The forest covers 1.5 million acres on either side of I-90. The highway makes the forest quite accessible from many locations. Grizzly bears are among the forest's denizens, so it's wise to familiarize yourself with bear safety protocols before setting out on any hikes. Aside from the 2.2-mile Drinking Horse Mountain Trail, the hiking trails in this forest are grueling and rewarding trips, some of which are more than 11 miles long. The Sweet Grass Trail also gives you the option of climbing higher to catch sight of the Tetons in the distance.
The Black Hills National Forest lies about a seven-hour drive from Williston, North Dakota. The fishing and boating are magnificent in and along the 1,300 miles of streams, lakes, and reservoirs. The famous Centennial Hiking Trail cuts through the park. If you plan a multi-day excursion, you can hike its entire 111-mile length. It's a difficult trail, however, so you should have at least some experience in hiking before attempting it.
About 520 miles west of Williston, North Dakota, lies the Helena National Forest. It's a million acres of forest spread out over the Continental Divide. Lewis and Clark actually crossed the Continental Divide here in 1804. The hiking here isn't as difficult as you might think in a mountain forest. The Sauerkraut Wall Trail is quite flat. There are tough hikes, though, and the Lewis and Clark Pass Trail is exceptionally difficult, even though it's only 1.7 miles long. It begins with an early flat section that quickly becomes a nearly 90-degree ascent.
