Learn about the history of the Shoshone translator who aided Lewis and Clark, see Knife River Indian Villages and National Historic Site, and great scenery.
The Sakakawea Trail is 115 miles, beginning in Washburn and finishing in Grassy Butte. Majority of the drive is on Route 200A and Route 200. The journey starts just south of the 178-mile-long Lake Sakakawea. Start this momentous drive by taking a brief side trip and drive west from Washburn on Route 17 to Fort Mandan, where the explorers Clark and Lewis wintered. It was during the winter of 1804-1805, while residing at Fort Mandan, that the explorers added Toussaint Charbonneau and his wife to their group as translators. Charbonneau’s wife, a young Shoshone christened Sakakawea, provided priceless assistance as a translator to Clark and Lewis for several years. As you tour this part of the country, you can find many places named after the Shoshone translator, as well as Lake Sakakawea.
Return to Washburn and move west on Route 200A to the Arroda Lakes. About 3 miles from the lakes, you pass close to the Fort Clark Historic Site, where you should stop for a notable history break. A few miles to the west is the National Historic Site and the Knife River Indian Villages, which are also worth a short stop. Here you can understand a great deal about the Native Americans of the area. Over the next 40 miles, you’ll pass through the towns of Beulah and Hazen on your way to Lake Ilo National Wildlife Refuge. This is the place where many waterfowl make their nests while on their semiannual migrations.
The refuge is a big 4,043 acres of land and is closed on weekends. Several miles down Route 200A is the town of Killdeer, where you can pick up the Route 22 drive. Staying on Route 200A finally leads you to the end of the drive in the town of Grassy Butte. The views along this drive is truly great and is full of early American history.
Starting Point:
Washburn, ND
Distance of Drive:
115 miles
Must Eat:
Dakota Farms
1120 East Main St., Mandan, ND 58551
Phone: 701-663-7322
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Spring to fall
Points of Interest on Drive:
Knife River Indian Villages and National Historic Site
Fort Mandan
Tagged with: North Dakota • summer destinations
Filed under: Best Road Trips