Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Today the village site offers a free tour of the museum, exhibits and artifacts, including
circular depressions in the ground that once were homes of the Hidatsa Indians. Visit in
July to watch the Northern Great Plains Culture Fest.
5.
Lake Sakakawea State Park
When Lewis and Clark added Charbonneau to their expedition, they could never have
dreamedthatSakakaweawouldbecomeaheroineoftheAmericanWest.Duringthewinter
of 1805, while wintering at Fort Mandan, she gave birth to a son, Jean Baptiste Charbon-
neau. Carrying her baby, she provided translation and guided the party on its arduous jour-
ney across the Rockies.
Sakakawea's legacy lives on in the name of an expansive reservoir on the Missouri
River, as well as a beautiful state park along the shoreline near Garrison Dam. The park's
mainentranceoffersvisitorsanewwelcomecenterwithinformationfortheareaandentire
state. Enjoy its swimming beaches, campsites and boat ramps.
6.
Garrison Dam
Itwouldtake2millionfreightcarstocarrythematerialusedtobuildtheimmenseGarrison
Dam, which holds back the waters of the mighty Missouri for nearly 200 miles upstream.
At 382,000 acres, Lake Sakakawea is one of the largest man-made reservoirs in America.
After crossing the two-mile-long dam, the drive rejoins Rte. 83 near the town of Colehar-
bor.
7.
Audubon National Wildlife Refuge
Few sounds in the natural world are as evocative as the mellow, throaty honking of a flock
of Canada geese—a true call of the wild that floats down from the skies as the big birds
passoverhead.Geesegatheratthislakesiderefugeinthefall,alongwiththousandsofother
waterfowl, feeding in preparation for their flight south. Other winged wildlife that may be
spottedalongtherefuge'seight-mileauto-tourincludeperegrinefalcons,whoopingcranes,
piping plovers, and bald eagles—all rarities eagerly sought by birders.
Notsorare,butperhapsmorefuntowatch,isthesharp-tailedgrouse,achickenlikebird
that spends most of the year hidden amid tall grasses. In early spring, males assemble at
traditional mating grounds called leks, where they spread their tail feathers, inflate purple
air sacs at the sides of their necks, and rapidly stamp their feet. Females watch this spec-
tacle from nearby, choosing the best entertainers as mates. The birds' movements inspired
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