Geographical Center of North America Sign in Rugby, North Dakota with Mexico, Canada and United States Flags

7 Underrated Small Towns to Explore in North Dakota

North Dakota is a unique combination of beautiful scenery from thanks to the rugged Badlands and its scenic prairies. Many small towns in North Dakota also possess interesting histories and cultures that make them enjoyable to explore. Some of North Dakota's most underrated towns include Garrison, a town of less than 1,500 people but boasts a community charm with fun and local festivals such as the Dickens Village Festival. Other towns such as Jamestown and Carrington are unique places to see diverse wildlife, from birds to buffalo. Here, we will explore the seven most underrated towns in North Dakota.

Discover North Dakota6 Coziest small towns in North Dakota

Garrison

Downtown street Garrison, North Dakota. Image credit Andrew Filer, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Downtown Street of Garrison, North Dakota. Image credit Andrew Filer via Wikimedia Commons

If Garrison is known for one thing, it is fishing. The town has a 26-foot-long statue of Wally the Walleye on the north end of Main Street, claiming that Garrison is the Walleye Capital of the World. You can explore the town's fishing past at the North Dakota Fishing Hall of Fame on the way up Main. Other cool places to check out on the way include the North Dakota Firefighters Hall of Fame and the Guardhouse Museum.

The rural community offers the peace of the countryside. Home to less than 1,500 people, the town is replete with natural beauty and is conveniently close to several parks, including Fort Steveson and Lake Sakakawea state parks. Here, you can enjoy hiking, camping, biking, and boating. In the winter, the community gets festive and hosts the annual Dickens Village Festival. This is a spectacular winter festival with local vendors and live music.

Walhalla

The Walhalla Trading Post, a historic landmark in Walhalla, North Dakota. By Elcajonfarms at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
The Walhalla Trading Post, a historic landmark in Walhalla, North Dakota. By Elcajonfarms at en.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.

One of the earliest settlements in the entire state of North Dakota is a town called Walhalla. This is a town with a vibrant community and scenic outdoor landscapes. Visit the Gingras Trading Post State Historic Site to go back in time to the 1840s. Here, you will see the home and trading post of the Metis legislator and businessman Antoine Blanc Gingras. The trading post is a great spot to learn more about the Metis' history in the region. If you're feeling hungry after you start exploring, visit a local staple, Waters Family Restaurant and Bakery. Here, you can pick up a delicious baked treat. To explore the outdoors in Walhalla, head over to the Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area. Only a few miles from the Canadian border, the park features a lush valley surrounding the Pembina River. There are thousands of acres of forest to explore here, making the area perfect for hiking or biking. This is a particularly stunning spot to visit in the fall as the leaves change color.

Pembina

Mikes Hardware store in Pembina, ND.
Mikes Hardware store in Pembina, ND.

While you might suspect the Pembina Gorge is in Pembina, this is not the case. Pembina is a 40-minute drive from Walhalla, where the Pembina Gorge is. Pembina is the town at the northeast corner of North Dakota and its claim to fame is as the oldest town in all of Dakota. This includes both North and South Dakota. You can explore the history of the town at the Pembina State Museum. Pembina is also home to the Oxcart Trails and the Metis Culture. Nearby the town is other fascinating attractions, including the famous International Peace Garden, Pembina National Forest, and many local wineries. Overall, Pembina is a great town in which to relax and enjoy local history.

Jamestown

Aerial view of Jamestown in North Dakota.
Aerial view of Jamestown in North Dakota.

Jamestown is a quaint North Dakota town home to the world's tallest buffalo. The tallest buffalo isn't roaming the streets, however; it is just a statue. The town's warm hospitality and prairie pioneer history inspired the great western writer Louis L'Amour. A walking trail takes visitors to some of the writer's favorite sports in town.

You can learn about the region's pioneer history at the Fort Steward Military Post and the Stutsman County Memorial Museum. The Memorial Museum has a collection of artifacts from the region, so you can vividly imagine the past. The town also has the Frontier Village, a spot that transports you back to the prairie pioneer days. For sports enthusiasts, the town also has a Sports Hall of Fame to explore the great sports legends of North Dakota. After exploring the town, discover some of Jamestown's natural scenery, such as the Jamestown Reservoir. In the summer this is an excellent spot for swimming, boating, hiking, and biking.

Carrington

Sign for Carrington, ND.
Sign for Carrington, ND.

Just northwest of Jamestown is Carrington, the perfect small town for outdoor enthusiasts. This is one of the best places to go birding in the country. The area is the breeding grounds and wintering site for thousands of waterfowl annually. There are so many birds in the area that Carrington is a part of Birding Drives Dakota. This is a trail of six different birding drives that leading ornithologists designed. The drives take guests to some of the best birding places in the country. On the drive, there is a good chance you will see various birds from waterfowl to grassland birds to birds of prey.

Besides the birding, Carrington is another town with a rich history. The best way to explore this is by checking out the local historic buildings. For example, the Putnam House on Main Street dates back to 1907 and is open for tours. The Foster County Museum is another place to explore more of the area's history.

Beulah

Beautiful Downtown Beulah, North Dakota. Image credit J. Stephen Conn via Flickr.com
Beautiful Downtown Beulah, North Dakota. Image credit J. Stephen Conn via Flickr.com

A town right in the middle of the state is Beulah. The area has a long history that you can learn about by visiting the Mercer County Museum. The museum explores the early settlement days of the town. Immigrants from Norway, Sweden, Ireland, and Germany all settled into the town. Often the middle area of North Dakota is called the "power belt" region. This is because of the large number of power plants and mines in the region. In Beulah, visitors have the opportunity to book a tour of the mines to learn more about the industry.

The town is also next to Lake Sakakawea, an outdoor oasis. Beulah Bay is an excellent spot on the lake to enjoy gorgeous lakeside views. There is also the opportunity for camping, boating, fishing and swimming here.

Rugby

Geological Center of the United States Obelisk, Rugby, North Dakota, USA. Editorial credit: Dirk Wierenga / Shutterstock.com Rugby is another North Dakota town near the northern end of the state. It has a population of approximately 2509 and was founded back in 1886 as a junction for the Great Northern Railway. What makes this place truly interesting is that it is considered the geographic center of North America. In a continent that is so vast, it is a pretty unique thing to say that you've been there. An obelisk near town marks this exact location. If you'd like to learn more about this prairie town's history, visit the Prairie Village Museum, which preserves some of the county's original buildings and artifacts. For bird-watching fans, just south of the town lies many lakes and natural areas, including the Seil Waterfowl Production Area, Bakken Waterfowl Production Area, and many more. Make Your Weekend Getaway in North Dakota Unforgettable Here are ten small towns you should visit during your weekend getaway in this often-overlooked state. The beauty of North Dakota is that it is jam-packed with many more towns that carry that no-nonsense small-town charm that is a much-needed break from big-city life (if you usually live in a big city, of course). All you have to do is get out there and explore. You might be surprised at what else you can find here. I was shocked by the sheer amount of unique and fun places available in this state during my research for this article. North Dakota's Picturesque Towns Explore the ten most scenic towns in North Dakota Share Home Places Cities 10 Small Towns in North Dakota to Visit for a Weekend Getaway Brendan Cane December 16 2023 in Places More in Places A group of people walking around at Fort Atkinson Historical State Park. Editorial credit: Dan and Ruth Photography / Shutterstock.com 9 Most Historic Small Towns to Visit in Nebraska Beautiful street view downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Image credit shuttersv via Shutterstock 7 Delightful Towns to Visit in Arkansas Noccalula Falls in Gadsden, Alabama. The Natural Wonders in Alabama Aerial view of the New Hampshire State House in Concord, New Hampshire. 10 Most Historic Small Towns to Visit in New Hampshire Historic downtown Dunedin, Florida: Market stalls at the Art Harvest one of the largest autumnal art shows in the Tampa Bay area., via Wicki58 / iStock.com 8 Underrated Small Towns to Explore in Florida Downtown Blue Ridge, Georgia, at sunset. Image credit Harrison Keely, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons 10 Underrated Small Towns to Explore in in 2024 Church Street in Burlington, Vermont, via vermontalm / Shutterstock.com 8 Most Charming Vermont Towns for 2024 Downtown Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Editorial credit: Rachael Martin / Shutterstock.com 2024's 8 Most Beautiful Small Towns In Arkansas
Geological Center of the United States Obelisk, Rugby, North Dakota, USA. Editorial credit: Dirk Wierenga / Shutterstock.com

Rugby is another underrated town in North Dakota worth exploring. For a long time, people believed the town was the geographic center of North America. Today, this is debatable, but the town still marks the suspected center of North America with a pyramid monument. The monument is 21 feet high and 6 feet wide at the base. Get your picture beside it to say you crossed the center of North America. Nearby this monument is another landmark, the Northern Lights Tower. The tower honors the Aurora Borealis, sometimes seen in the skies. Rugby is a great town to see the Northern Lights in. There is little light pollution, making the nighttime sky more visible.

Besides the monuments, the town has some historical sites to look at. Some of the most fascinating include the Prairie Village and Museum's 23 historic buildings and exhibition halls. These buildings tell the story of the town's past as a pioneer village. Other interesting spots include the Victorian Dress Museum, Niewoehner Bell Tower, and the Pierce County Courthouse.

More in North Dakota10 Small towns in North Dakota for a weekend getaway

North Dakota is a beautiful state to explore. The state's small towns are some of the best places to explore the state's beauty and history. In Carrington, you can see some of the most birds in the state, including waterfowls and birds of prey. Jamestown is home to a Frontier village that will transport you back to the pioneer days. In Garrison, you can enjoy the natural beauty of Fort Steveson and Lake Sakakawea state parks. Whether you are an outdoor enthusiast or a history buff, any of these small towns are a great vacation spot to explore North Dakota.

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Megan Deak August 19 2024 in Places

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