Top Outdoor Destinations to Explore in the Dakotas and Minnesota

North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota are hubs for nature lovers seeking to immerse themselves in beautiful settings with sparkling lakes, open plains, and lush forests. Below, we provide a look at the most stunning natural destinations across North Dakota, South Dakota, and Minnesota.

Voyageurs National Park is a sprawling natural destination encompassing more than 215,000 acres of northern Minnesota near the Canadian border. This vast area’s diverse natural environments include forests, streams, lakes, and rocky bluffs. Visitors can enjoy boating and camping, and the lack of light pollution makes stargazing a must. During the winter, this frozen wonderland has trails for cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, and more. 

Gooseberry Falls State Park is located along the shores of Lake Superior. Visitors can enjoy the shoreline, observe abundant wildlife, and hike through pleasant multi-use trails to reach the park’s stunning highlight: Gooseberry Falls. This is a set of five cascading waterfalls, and each is an Instagram-worthy attraction. In the winter, visitors can rent fat bikes and take them along the park’s fat bike trails. 

Itasca is a sprawling 32,000-acre preserve and Minnesota’s oldest state park. It is where the iconic Mississippi River begins its winding journey. Popular for camping and cabin rentals, Itasca’s thickly forested area and deep blue waters create a perfect natural escape.

Icelandic State Park is a 900-acre park situated along the shores of Lake Renwick. With many preserved historical buildings throughout, this picturesque natural area is dedicated to helping visitors learn about the history of North Dakota. The park also includes areas for boating, fishing, swimming, and cross-country skiing.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is named for the legendary outdoorsman and president who visited this sprawling Great Plains landscape in the late 19th century. Today, it is one of the most scenic natural destinations in the country, filled with stunning native wildlife, including herds of roaming bison. Visitors can explore the park by foot on its numerous trails or spot the main attractions by car on the Scenic Loop Drive.

Badlands National Park is an otherworldly environment stretching for more than 244,000 acres. It is known for its unique geologic formations, including stark gray canyons and spires that jut out from the ground and contain numerous fossils. The mixed grass prairies of the Badlands are home to bison, prairie dogs, and an array of fascinating creatures. The park’s vast network of trails allows visitors to explore this magnificent landscape. 

Wind Cave National Park, on the surface, is a rich ecological world of forests and prairies housing bison, elk, and other large and majestic creatures. But a vast network of caves is beneath the surface. The famed Wind Cave, from which the park gets its name, has vast chambers visitors can stroll through. Exploring both areas of this stunning national park is a must for any outdoor enthusiast.