Dickinson
Around Dickinson
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Town and around · North Dakota · 38k people
Dickinson
Locals say Western North Dakota · “Queen City”
Where the prairie meets the badlands.
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Welcome to Western North Dakota, where the prairie meets the badlands. Get ready for wide-open skies, friendly folks, and a pace that lets you breathe. Whether you're here for the oil boom or the quiet, you'll find your place.
Clubs for Dickinson
No clubs for Dickinson yet.
The room
One room for everyone around Dickinson. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around Dickinson. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) Iconic badlands with wildlife and scenic drives.
- Dickinson Museum Center Houses the Badlands Dinosaur Museum and local exhibits.
- Stark County Fairgrounds Hosts the county fair, rodeos, and community events.
- Killdeer Mountains Scenic buttes offering panoramic views.
- Patterson Lake Recreation Area Popular spot for swimming, fishing, and camping.
- Enchanted Highway Giant scrap-metal sculptures along I-94.
- Outdoors Hiking the badlands trails
- Outdoors Fishing at Patterson Lake
- With kids Visit the Dickinson Museum Center dinosaur exhibits
- With kids Swim at Patterson Lake
- Evenings Catch live music at local bars
- Evenings Dance at the rodeo after-party
- Locals love local diners
- Locals love small-town taverns
Through the year
- Stark County Fair July Carnival rides, livestock shows, and local food.
- Bowman County Fair August Small-town fair with rodeo and 4-H exhibits.
- Medora Musical Summer Outdoor Broadway-style show in the badlands.
- Roughrider Days June Parade, street fair, and rodeo in Dickinson.
- Killdeer Mountain Roundup Summer Rodeo and western heritage celebration.
Semi-arid continental climate: cold, windy winters; hot, dry summers; and frequent wind year-round. Best: Late spring to early fall offers the most pleasant weather.
Talk like a local
- “the patch”
- The oil fields and related activity.
- “man camp”
- Temporary housing for oil workers.
- “badlands”
- The rugged terrain of the region.
- “butte”
- A flat-topped hill, common in the area.
Getaways
Local flavour
Rooting for North Dakota State Bison (NCAA DI), University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks (NCAA DI)
Eat and drink
- bison burger Common in western ND steakhouses
- knoephla soup German-Russian comfort food
- lefse Potato flatbread, often with butter and sugar
- chokecherry jam Wild berry preserves
Where people go
- Badlands overlooks Scenic viewpoints over eroded buttes
- ranch country Working cattle ranches
- oil patch roads Gravel roads through the Bakken oil fields
- prairie small towns Tight-knit communities with grain elevators
- sculpture trails Art installations like the Enchanted Highway
Heritage and traditions
Western North Dakota is proud of its rugged badlands, ranching heritage, and the resilience of its small towns through the oil boom.
This time of year in Dickinson
- Hunting season Fall Deer, pheasant, and waterfowl hunting draw locals and visitors to the prairie.
- Dickinson Ukrainian Festival Fall (usually September) Celebrates the area's Ukrainian immigrant roots with food, dance, and music.
Say it like a local: “Uff da” — An exclamation of surprise or exhaustion, from Norwegian.
Festivals
- Dickinson Ukrainian Festival Fall (usually September) Celebrates the area's Ukrainian immigrant roots with food, dance, and music.
- Four Bears Powwow Summer (July) Hosted by the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation in New Town, featuring drum groups and dancers.
- McKenzie County Fair Summer (July) Held in Watford City, with rodeo, 4-H exhibits, and carnival rides.
- Hettinger Sodbuster Days Summer (July) Celebrates pioneer farming with threshing demonstrations and antique equipment.
- Beach Rodeo Summer (June) A small-town rodeo in Beach, ND, with local cowboys and barrel racing.
Landmarks with a story
- Ukrainian Cultural Institute In Dickinson, preserving the heritage of Ukrainian immigrants who settled the region.
- Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site Near Williston, a reconstructed trading post that was a key hub in the 1800s, now a National Historic Site.
- Four Bears Bridge Spans Lake Sakakawea near New Town, named after a Mandan chief, and is the longest bridge in North Dakota.
- Fort Dilts A frontier fort near Bowman, used during the Indian Wars, now a historic site.
- St. Patrick's Catholic Church A historic church in Dickinson, reflecting the area's Catholic and German-Russian roots.
- Earthlodge Village Remnants of Mandan and Hidatsa earthlodges near New Town, showing traditional life.
Food traditions
- Perogies Ukrainian dumplings filled with potato and cheese, a staple at church suppers and the Ukrainian Festival.
- Kuchen German-Russian fruit or custard pie, often served at community gatherings.
- Fleischkuechle German-Russian fried meat pies, a hearty snack from the homestead era.
- Chokecherry jelly Made from wild chokecherries, a prairie favorite spread on toast or lefse.
- Bison jerky Dried bison meat, reflecting the ranching and hunting heritage of the badlands.
Music and arts
- Cowboy poetry A tradition of reciting verse about ranch life, often at local gatherings and festivals.
- Ukrainian dance Folk dance ensembles perform at cultural events, preserving the heritage of Ukrainian settlers.
- Powwow drumming Traditional drum groups and singers are central to Native American powwows in the region.
- Enchanted Highway sculptures Giant scrap-metal sculptures along I-94, a unique public art project.
A little history
- Battle of Killdeer Mountain, a U.S. Army expedition against the Sioux, took place near Killdeer. 1864
- Railroad arrival and homesteading brought settlers, including German-Russian and Ukrainian immigrants. 1880s
- Cold War missile silos were built across western North Dakota, including near Dickinson. 1950s
- The Bakken oil boom transformed the region, bringing rapid growth and economic change. 2000s
- The Enchanted Highway was created with giant scrap-metal sculptures along I-94. 1990s
Rivalries
- NDSU Bison vs UND Fighting Hawks The big in-state college football rivalry.
- Dickinson vs Watford City Friendly competition in high school sports.
- Game day Six-man high school football
- Game day Rodeo events
- Outdoors Hiking the badlands trails in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Outdoors Boating and fishing on Lake Sakakawea
- With kids Attending a powwow at the Fort Berthold Reservation
- With kids Visiting the Ukrainian Cultural Institute in Dickinson
People speak with a Northern Plains accent, influenced by Scandinavian and German roots. You'll hear phrases like 'you betcha' and 'uff da', and locals often use 'pop' for soda.
Only here
- The Bakken oil formation, one of the largest oil reserves in the U.S., drives the local economy.
- The Enchanted Highway features the world's largest scrap-metal sculptures.
- The Four Bears Bridge is the longest bridge in North Dakota.
- The Killdeer Mountains are a sacred site to the Lakota and other tribes.
New here? A few tips
- Dress in layers; weather changes fast, and winters are harsh.
- Learn about the oil patch; it's a major part of the economy and culture.
- Try knoephla soup and lefse at a local diner.
- Be friendly and wave to neighbors; it's a small-town custom.
- Expect long distances between towns; plan your gas stops.
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Nearby
Every areaLake SakakaweaNorth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the big waterBowmanNorth DakotaWhere the prairie meets the badlands, and the sky goes on forever.Watford CityNorth DakotaBadlands sunsets and open skiesGlendive–SidneyMontanaRanch country on the YellowstoneBismarckNorth DakotaPrairie capital by the riverWillistonNorth DakotaRooted in the prairie, fueled by the Bakken.MinotNorth DakotaWhere the prairie sky meets the magic of home.
Dickinson, ND. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.