Compare paved paths and trail systems around Bismarck and Mandan. Each guide explains the access point, route setting and what to check before walking or riding.
Walk or bike the paved riverfront route linking parks, public art and historic places.
Often called the Riverfront Trail, this shared-use route follows the Missouri River through Bismarck’s river parks. Connections cross into Mandan and continue toward Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park. Choose a short out-and-back from Pioneer Park or Sertoma, or consult the official trail map to plan a longer ride.
Paved shared-use trail
Connections between river parks
Public art and historic stops
Links into Mandan
Good to know before you go
Getting there: Park at Pioneer Park on River Road for this listed access point. Sertoma Park provides another convenient starting place farther south.
The map pin and directions use Pioneer Park as one access point, not the whole trail. Choose a route on the official map, allow for crossings and share the trail with other users.
Checked 2026-10-09. Source. Fees, seasons and conditions change, so confirm before you head out.
Explore unpaved bike and walking trails or join the Hay Creek paved-trail connection.
Sleepy Hollow combines a wooded trail setting with outdoor performance spaces. The paved connection is part of the Hay Creek Trail, and unpaved routes offer another way to explore the park. Summer theater is run by a separate organization, so an ordinary park visit and a scheduled performance require different planning.
Unpaved biking and hiking
Paved Hay Creek Trail connection
Picnic shelter
Outdoor stage and gazebo
Good to know before you go
Getting there: Use the East Divide Avenue parking area at the published park address. Check the park map for the trails and performance area.
Check trail conditions after wet weather. Stage and gazebo reservations and performances are managed separately from the park district. A park visit does not include admission to a performance.
Checked 2026-10-09. Source. Fees, seasons and conditions change, so confirm before you head out.
Follow riverside trails through cottonwood woodland and look for birds along the Missouri.
This Morton County natural area preserves river-bottom woodland near northeast Mandan. More than four miles of trails offer an outdoor alternative to manicured city parks, with river access and wildlife-watching opportunities. The trailhead also serves an area locally known as the Car Bodies.
More than four miles of trails
Cottonwood and riparian woodland
Public river fishing access
Bird and wildlife watching
Good to know before you go
Getting there: From I-94 Exit 153 in Mandan, follow the local route toward River Drive Northeast near Division Street and Missouri Drive. The county publishes 1472 River Drive Northeast for the trailhead.
The county lists no camping and no campfires. Conditions change with weather and river levels; use established access points and check current notices before visiting.
Checked 2026-10-09. Source. Fees, seasons and conditions change, so confirm before you head out.
