A Trip to Fort Ransom

Many people don’t think twice about what North Dakota has to offer in terms of recreation. To be honest, there isn’t a lot to do in most of the state. A drive in North Dakota isn’t terrible, but it definitely can be boring at times. To avoid the boringness, it’s important to learn about the more unique and lesser-talked-about attractions in the state. Learning about what the land offers is a great way of making what seems empty feel slightly less empty, and learning about these attractions also gives visitors the chance to support the surrounding businesses.

This train of thought took me to Fort Ransom State Park, the location of my very first solo camping trip. Fort Ransom is a small park that is only an hour and a half away from Fargo. They offer both tent sites and camper hookup sites. It does offer historical homes — and even a wagon — that can be booked for overnight lodging, which I have not personally experienced, but have heard good things about. I was on my own, with no Wi-Fi, friends or family. All I had was myself, my van, my little one-person tent and my questionable campfire starting skills.

Fort Ransom is about 30 minutes away from the nearest town and gas station (besides Fort Ransom itself, which is a beautiful town). For me, the nature that surrounds Fort Ransom is what makes this stop so appealing. Not only does the park offer seasonal kayaking rentals, but it has multiple hiking trails and lakes in the area too, with the trails being my main incentive for going.

My favorite path at this park is the Mineral Springs Trail. It is a four-mile hike through multiple different scenic environments and takes you to North Dakota’s only natural waterfall. This alone was my main motivation for going here, and it proved to be extremely worth it. The trail itself is beautiful, taking hikers uphill through wildflower fields, part of the Sheyanne State Forest and even giving an overview of the Sheyanne River Valley. While Mineral Springs is deemed a moderately difficult hike, it is often uncrowded and has occasional benches for hikers to pace themselves and rest up periodically. The trail is also well kept, which brings the difficulty down a little bit.

During my trip, the weather was very hot, so I packed an Uncrustable sandwich lunch to have on the bench that overlooked the valley and forest. I could hear the bugs, plants and birds all around, and it proved to be one of the most calming hikes I had ever been on. In case of any emergency, there was cell reception, which some people may really appreciate. This allowed me to use the AllTrails app during my visit, which made the trails easier to navigate.

Besides the Mineral Springs Trail, there are other hiking trails too. There is the more challenging, nine-and-a-half-mile hike called Fort Ransom State Park Loop. I skipped this one, but I absolutely intend to visit again sometime to try out this trail and the countless others that are there. A popular one that I also enjoyed is the Little Twig, Nelson 80, Firebreak and Pederson Hills Trails Loop. It’s a four-mile hike that takes hikers through both the Sheyanne River Valley and also gives visitors an excellent view of the forest. In both my experience and AllTrails reviews, it is never crowded, making it a quiet and peaceful trail.

Another fun way to stretch out a day trip at Fort Ransom is stopping by the Dead Colt Creek Recreation Area. It is only 35 minutes away from the park, is free and is simply a beach on a small lake, which makes it a cute social setting for those passing through. I spent almost two hours just floating around in an inner tube. It’s a very sunny area with calm waters, making for a great spot to enjoy the weather when it’s nice. Many people choose to boat and fish there too, which is made easy by the presence of a boat landing and free parking. I have yet to bring my kayak, but many people were on canoes and kayaks while I floated around. This would definitely be a great spot for people who love lake life.

One last thing to note about this area is the night sky. While Fargo's light pollution will always be an issue, it was incredibly minimal here. Every single night I was at my campsite, I would spend a minimum of 20 minutes on a towel, laying on the ground and watching the night sky. I saw shooting stars, fireflies and so many more details in the sky that you can’t get near Fargo. That alone was one of the biggest highlights of the trip.

I recommend the Fort Ransom area for those looking for either a day or weekend getaway. There is so much more here than I think people even realize. If you ever get the chance to visit or are just passing through, please stop by; it is so worth it!