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Fort Ransom State Park preserves the legacy of homesteaders who settled in the picturesque Sheyenne River Valley in the late 1800s.
The park was named for a fort that was built three miles south in 1867. The fort guarded the trail from Fort Abercrombie to the Missouri River and protected railroad crews building the Northern Pacific rail line.
Half of the 887-acre park is woodland and the remainder is upland prairie and open grasslands. Elms, green ash and bur oaks line the Sheyenne River. In autumn, the trees blaze from golden yellow to brilliant red.
White-tailed deer, raccoons, beavers, squirrels, foxes and coyotes thrive in the park. Songbirds, shorebirds and birds of prey are also found here. Bird species include blue herons, mourning doves, wild turkeys, meadowlarks, wood ducks, red-tailed hawks, Hungarian partridges, brown thrashers and an occasional pileated woodpecker.
A small section of the North Country National Scenic Trail winds through the park. When completed, the trail will stretch from New York State to Lake Sakakawea.
Canoe rentals are available along the Sheyenne River. Anglers fish for walleyes, northern pike and rock bass.
The park also offers 6.5 miles of groomed trails for cross-country skiing. A portion of the Sheyenne Valley Snowmobile Trail passes through the park.
Two early homesteads are found in the park. The Bjone Home is used as a visitor center. The second farm, which was homesteaded in 1884, hosts the park's Sodbuster Days festivals, sponsored by the Fort Ransom Sodbusters Association.
The festivals, held each year on the second full weekend in July and the weekend after Labor Day, feature horse-drawn field equipment, antique machinery displays, blacksmithing and farm cooking.
The park is on he Sheyenne River-Valley Senic Byway.
Outdoor Activities |
Learn about the early agricultural methods of the pioneers at Fort Ransom.
Fort Ransom celebrates its pioneer heritage at Sodbuster Days.
Canoeists launch their boats into the Sheyenne River.
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