Photos — Western North Dakota Enjoys this Kind of Summertime Green

Saturday Snapshot Summertime Green

It seems like every time rain enters North Dakota this summer, the central Badlands get a dose — and that includes Dunn County. The Killdeer area is enjoying summertime green even now into the end of July as we shot these.

We’ve been capturing summer life in Dunn County, this year: the lake, the state park, the small town celebrations and the rodeo. It’s the green that has caught our eye. The pleasant, peaceful, pastoral green of western North Dakota.

Cows graze in a vista of green summer grasslands in Dunn County, North Dakota. In the distance is the road to the Little Missouri Recreation Area, north of Dunn Center, ND

Wildlife Management Area

One of the largest wildlife management areas is on the back side of the Killdeer Mountains. The Killdeer Wildlife Management Area is about 7,000 acres of rolling land. It protects large game such as mule deer, and plenty of winged game.

In the Killdeer Mountains, the wildlife management area includes lush green valleys of trees and grass — good for a day hike, a horseback ride or even a primitive night of camping.

The remains of times long ago nestled in the green grasslands of Dunn County, North Dakota, just off of Highway 200, an abandoned building.

Charging Eagle Bay

Good rainfall here and farther upstream has helped attract people to the water where Lake Sakakawea meets the Badlands. Boaters access the water at Charging Eagle Bay, or Mossett Bay.

Play Time and Work Time

Good recreational opportunities remain for the rest of the summer in Dunn County. At the same time, farmers will continue their hay cutting. They are replacing stockpiles eaten up in the last couple years of drought. Any day now some of the first small grains will come off the fields — signaling the end of summertime green.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I camp in the Badlands?

Campgrounds in the National Park are popular. The US Forest Service National Grasslands includes several campground that are rustic and primitive. Some people like to spend a few days in a cabin in the far northern end of the Badlands.

Where can I drive in the Badlands?

As long as it’s dry in the summer and not blizzarding in the winter, gravel roads reach into the Badlands from Highway 22 and Highway 85.

Where are hotel accommodations in the Badlands?

In the Badlands themselves, the best accommodations are in Medora. On the edges of the Badlands, in the National Grasslands, Watford City, Killdeer, Dickinson and Williston have many hotels.

Mike Kopp

Love to tell stories -- romantic, nostalgic stories of our explorations in the Northern Plains. 15 years a television reporter/anchor, 12 years radio news director, 3 years newspaper editor, 6 years documentary producer -- a lifetime of communication.