National Historic Site

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site

Midwest

About Knife River Indian Villages

Earthlodge people hunted bison and other game, but were in essence farmers living in villages along the Missouri and its tributaries. The site was a major Native American trade center for hundreds of years prior to becoming an important market place for fur traders after 1750.

From the National Park Service.

Region: Midwest
State: North Dakota
Designation: National Historic Site
Entrance fee: None listed

Trail data for this park is still being added.
Places for this park are still being added.

Know before you go

Fees, hours, weather and getting to Knife River Indian Villages.

Entrance fees

The National Park Service lists no entrance fee for this park.

Hours

Standard Hours

Mon: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Tue: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Wed: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Thu: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Fri: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sat: 9:00AM - 5:00PM
Sun: 9:00AM - 5:00PM

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is open from sunrise to sunset, every day of the year. Even when visitor center is closed, the park itself remains open.

Weather and when to go

Summers are warm and sunny with temperatures occasionally reaching 100 degrees F and frequent afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are invigorating, with extremely cold temperatures as low as -35 degrees F. High winds and sunny skies are common in winter. Snow is sporadic in the relatively dry climate, but blizzards are common.

Getting there

Plane: Closest Commercial Airports are Bismarck (60 miles) Minot (85 miles) Dickinson (102 miles). Hazen, ND (15 miles from site) has an airport for small planes. Car: One-half mile north of Stanton, ND on County Road 37. One hour northwest of Bismarck, ND and one and a half hours southwest of Minot, ND. Public Transportation Charter and tour bus parking available at Visitor Center parking lot.

Directions from the National Park Service

Contact the park

Address: 564 County Road 37, Stanton, ND 58571
Phone: (701) 745-3300
Email: KNRI_Information@nps.gov
Official site: nps.gov/knri

From the National Park Service, checked weekly. Fees, hours and road conditions change: confirm with the park before you go.

Trip planner

A day-by-day plan for Knife River Indian Villages

Tell us your dates and what you are into. We group the stops by where they are, so each day is one part of the park, not a zigzag.

Plan your park trip Free. No account needed.

Things to do in Knife River Indian Villages

The park service's own list, with how long each takes.

Walk the Village Trail

Hiking · about 40 min

Walk down the Village Trail (1.3 mi/2.1km) and see the remains of the Awatixa Xi'e Village (Lower Hidatsa Site) and Awatixa Village (Sakakawea Site). There is a loop at the second…