Forest Drive Trail

The Forest Drive Trail explores what is widely recognized as one of the largest naturally occurring forests in the state of North Dakota, a distinction that draws botanists and nature lovers alike to this quiet park near the Manitoba border. The trail loops through a diverse woodland community dominated by bur oak, green ash, and American elm, with a dense shrub layer of chokecherry, hawthorn, and wild plum that erupts in white blossoms each May. The forest exists here due to the protective topography of the Tongue River valley, which shields it from the desiccating winds and periodic fires that keep most of the surrounding region in open grassland.

Interpretive signs placed throughout the loop identify tree species and explain the ecological dynamics that sustain the forest in this unlikely location. The forest floor is carpeted with wildflowers in spring, including trillium, bloodroot, and wild ginger, species more commonly associated with eastern deciduous forests. White-tailed deer are abundant and often encountered browsing along the trail edge at dawn and dusk. Ruffed grouse drum in the dense undergrowth during April, and barred owls call from the forest interior at night. The trail surface is generally flat and well-maintained, with a few short muddy sections near seasonal drainage crossings in spring and early summer.