Find the top rated birding trails in Bismarck, whether you're looking for an easy short birding trail or a long birding trail, you'll find what you're looking for. Click on a birding trail below to find trail descriptions, trail maps, photos, and reviews.
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Mostly shaded and near the river. My favorite paved biking path.
The only desgnated parking area was small and full. Thankfully it was a Friday in August, so we were able to park at the Shiloh Christian School next door.
We didn't see any signs for the "Hay Creek Trail", but using the TrailLink map we headed out on our Trikkes.
The first part was a wide sidewalk by a road, later becoming a narrow sidewalk. There is a turn into a residential neighborhood that is not marked, while a sign saying "Bike Route" along a wide sidewalk went in another direction.
Eventually, the trail joined some off-road paths, near a golf course, but again the lack of signs made it confusing about which direction to take. Using TralLink and Google satellite views, we were able to choose a way to go which got us back to our vehicle.
There are several places where there are signs posted that show all the trails in the region, but the individual paths do not have any signage at any point. Also, there is also no way to tell if the various trails/paths are paved or not.
It seems that Bismarck has spent a good deal of time and money on recreation trails and paths, but has not utilized TrailLink to promote or inform potential users of the trails. Adding more signage to the various trails would be very helpful.
"The Roughrider Trail, as near as I can tell, from Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park south to Fort Rice, exists only in the realm of what can be rather than what is. The rail bed is disconnected as the bridges are all gone, and unless you enjoy riding over a series of overgrown burms and decayed bridge banks, biking is out of the question. It is not encouraged here and according to the ranger--she was miffed that anyone had even heard of this railbed before--even the snowmobilers prefer to ride the ditches in front of it. This is a shame because if this trail were ever developed, at least to the point of supporting biking, it would provide a stupendous, historical ride along the upper reaches of the Missouri.A better ride, which the same ranger suggested and we followed, was along a connecting bike route from the state park north to Mandan then across the river to Bismark. This is 12 miles one way and takes you into a series of the waterfront trails in Bismark where you can witness scores of roudy youth buzzing pontoon boats with their noisy skidoos."
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