North Dakota Skiing – Best Of The Backcountry

When it’s time to seize the winter, North Dakota is here to provide all your snow-filled thrill-seeking slope adventures.

North Dakota Skiing – you already love the outdoors and you love your sport. Or maybe it’s your first time on the beginner course and you’re picking up a new passion in life. As the fresh powder falls, the eagerly awaited ski season brings unique ways to stay connected with nature in the cold winter weather, conquer new sport challenges, and discover beautiful places.

North Dakota Ski Resorts 

With 3 primary downhill ski areas and plenty of cross country ski locations available, North Dakota gives you amazing winter playgrounds to enjoy and make great friends along the way! Experience the thrills your seeking at one of our three downhill ski resorts, located throughout North Dakota. 

Aerial view of skier in North Dakota

Nestled in the Turtle Mountains, Bottineau Winter Park is a family-friendly park referred to as “The Jewel Above The Prairie”. Eight downhill trails and six lifts provide days of winter adventure for ski lovers of all ages. Just south of Mandan, South Dakota is the Huff Hills Ski Area. Beautiful ski lodge, country kitchen, and great views make Huff Hills a perfect spot for skiing. Friendly staff and good runs make this a family favorite. Frost Fire Park in the northeast, near the Canadian border, is an excellent place for skiing in North Dakota. This alpine ski area offers multiple trails and breathtaking views.

Woman in red jacket riding down North Dakota Skiing Slopes

Peace-filled scenic trails, full-body workouts, and connecting with the local environment are provided in abundance with North Dakota’s many cross-country skiing locations. North Dakota offers plenty of well-groomed trails as well as spots to blaze your own! Visit Turtle River State Park for a beautiful wooded valley or Cross Ranch State Park along the Missouri River. Fort Stevenson State Park runs along the bluffs of the Lake Sakakawea shore while Lake Metigoshe State Park takes you up along the Canadian border. 

Skiing Near Jamestown ND

For great skiing downhill skiing near Jamestown, North Dakota, enjoy Bears Den Mountain just 46 miles away which offers daily groomed runs in the beautiful Sheyenne River Valley. Huff Hills, approximately 96 miles from Jamestown, is a wonderful place to learn how to ski and great for families. Hillcrest Golf Course is the place to go for some cross country skiing fun as well. Jamestown Parks and Rec offers groomed trails at Hillcrest Golf Course where rentals are available. The ski season in North Dakota is usually the end of November through March with the best times to ski often around the middle of March when fresh powder can be deepest.

It’s always nice to have the great simple gear to help your days on the slopes be more comfortable and fun! And items such as skis, poles, boots, helmets, and sometimes jackets & pants are often available to rent.

Jamestown offers a wide variety of fun to experience when you are not skiing, too! Be sure to stop by the National Buffalo Museum as you take a journey back to a time when the buffalo roamed freely across the landscape. Here you can explore the significance and history of the American buffalo. Snap some photos with a visit to the World’s Largest Buffalo Monument. Created by sculptor Elmer Petersen, he has proven one of the Midwest’s most popular roadside attractions for over 50 years. In 2010, the World’s Largest Buffalo received his name, Dakota Thunder. 

Learn about the legendary author, Louis L’Amour, and visit some of the places that influenced the man he would become. You can find out more about Louis L’Amour and other stories that have made Jamestown the community it is today on the Jamestown Talking Trail. This self-guided audio adventure has 70 stops throughout the area including Frontier Village and St. James Basilica. Bring the world of the prairie pioneers to life with a trip to the Frontier Village! Original buildings from the frontier villages of North Dakota were brought to this site and filled with antiques and artifacts, creating informative historical displays. 

Prepare to be thrilled by all your choices because Jamestown, ND restaurants are plentiful! Whether you crave a quick drive-through dinner, the authentic taste of quality Mexican cuisine, spit-roasted chicken, a steak cooked to perfection or even a bowl of knoephla like Grandma used to make, you can find it here in Jamestown! Traditional Knoephla is a rich and creamy chicken and potato soup with chewy little dumplings. To take a bite of Knoephla is to taste the contentment of a prairie home. You can find Knoephla soup served on Thursdays at The Depot Cafe in downtown Jamestown.

You’ll also love the juicy, hearty flavor packed into a Bison Burger! A couple of Jamestown restaurants serve this tasty burger. You can try one at the Sabir’s Buffalo Grill, located downtown, or at the Frontier Fort Bar & Grill.