Sica Hollow State Park

Many people think that there’s little more to the Fargo-Moorhead area than what can be found in the cities. I used to think the same way. However, after spending all summer traveling on my own and seeing many hidden gems, my mind had been blown by the opportunities and places nearby that I had never heard of until recently. Despite the countless trips I took, one stood out in particular. This specific trip took me to a hidden gem that is only an hour and forty minutes away.

This gem is Sica Hollow State Park, which is located on the outskirts of Sisseton, South Dakota. Not only is it a perfect distance from Fargo for a day trip, but it is surrounded by dense tree coverage, wildflower fields and grassland. With all the vegetation, visitors get a wide variety of scenery. Besides of the natural ecosystems, the park also offers just enough activities to keep people occupied for a full day. Horseback riding, biking, camping and hiking trails can all be found in Sica Hollow. If you are visiting in the winter, the park offers snowshoeing, ensuring there are activities year-round. The park also has many tables set up around the grounds so that visitors can have lunch and enjoy the sounds of the variety of wildlife in the park.

I mentioned the park’s inclusion of hiking trails earlier, and I was especially impressed by these, which were some of the most stunning I’d ever seen — and that’s coming from someone who was all over the country this summer. My personal favorite was Perimeter Loop Trail. It is both a hiking and a horseback trail that spans almost seven miles and takes visitors through many scenic areas of the park. The path takes hikers through a forest, wildflower fields and ends with two miles of grassland. This last segment takes hikers uphill, where an overhead view of the forest sits. There are other trails that may be enjoyed as well, each with their own specific qualities. Each trail in the park represents the rich history behind the landscape, which I highly recommend looking into before visiting.

The most commonly recommended time to visit Sica Hollow is in the fall. This is because the forest is getting ready to transition for the coming winter, making for absolutely beautiful glimpses of the leaves changing from green to orange. Overall, this park should not be taken for granted and is something I would highly recommend planning a day trip to see. Whether it be summer, winter, spring or fall, there is always something you can find to make the trip worth it.