This is a stop in the Passport book of National Parks. You learn how the Native Americans lived on the river through the eyes of a woman of the village. Cool earth lodge. Nice. But don't go out of your way to stop read more

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Glad this site is preserved. Story worth telling. Well informed, energetic rangers. Good Junior Ranger program. Decent visitor center. Not a ton to see but could kill an hour. Wouldn't go out of my way to visit but worth a stop if in area. read more

This was the first stop of our 13 National Parks tour from Chicago to Glacier National and back to end June and start July. We concentrated on North Dakota and Montana National Parks properties, getting to them all before we finished our adventures. I'll admit it, we only came to Knife River Indian Villages so we could say we had been here, done that, and so the kids could earn a Junior Ranger Badge, which they enjoy doing. Our expectations were low, and we didn't do any advance reading on this site, which is not our typical approach when visiting these historic park sites. We were completely thrilled with our stop. What a wonderful surprise just north of Bismarck. Very worth the one hour detour. This, THIS is the site of the village where Lewis and Clark found and hired French Trader Charbonneau and his wife Sakakawea (alternatively, and also considered correctly spelled as Sacagewea). Thanks to Ranger Carlson, we learned the correct way to pronounce her name: Sa-COG-e-way-a. I am a big fan of the story of the Corps of Discovery, and was besides myself that our first stop on this 11 day journey was directly tied to one of my favorite American History adventures. We would bump along the Lewis and Clark Trail all the way to Glacier National and back. This unexpected Sacagewea village stop was a great start to our vacation travels. Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site specifically preserves the historic sites of three former village settlements of the Hidatsa, Mandan and Arikara peoples. They inhabited the semi permanent farming / hunting villages in this area for hundreds and hundreds of years before the Corps of Discovery showed up here in 1805. There are two historic village sites within easy walking distance of the Visitors Center, and a third is just up the street with a second parking area. Outside the informative Visitors Center, there is an exquisite replica of an earthen lodge (currently, without the earthen covering as it undergoes repairs) that is well appointed and extremely interesting, especially with a ranger guided tour. As it was a slow late Thursday June morning when we arrived, we had the distinct pleasure of a personal site tour with Ranger Carlson as our guide. He walked us through the lodge, took us down to the two village sites, showed us some artifacts near one site that Pocket Gophers unfortunately bring to the surface as they make their underground dens, and explained the difference in the sites, the location of other sites, as well as explained the perils of erosion from the river which is seriously threatening these historic Indian Village sites. It was an enthusiastic personal tour for our family, and you just don't get that kind of personalized ranger attention at the big park locations. The introduction film in the visitor center is excellent, there are some interesting exhibits in the Visitors Center, and the staff was all very friendly and helpful. Yeah, it is an hour, or 63 miles from Bismarck, but if you are passing through, DON'T MISS THIS side trip. It will inform you about the beginning of one of the most iconic American adventures, the native American woman who loomed large in the next two years of the Corps of Discovery's travel, and the villages and peoples she came from. AND, and, the rangers will make sure you can spell and say Sacagewea's name correctly before you leave, TRUST ME! This was a great start to our summer trip west. read more

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Before the European settlers came this land belonged to the Native American people. That's common knowledge, but how did they live? What was their lifestyle? Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site is where you can see what was once a village believed to have had over a thousand members. It was the Hidatsa Tribe who used to be here and while none of their homes are here they certainly left a mark. The Big Hidatsa Village is the largest of the three nearby and the only one which can't be accessed through the interpretive center. There were around 120 homes from this village that left a mark. There were once earthlodges here which are built by taking bent wood and using the earth to insulate it. As time went on they all collapsed leaving only circles in the locations. If you want to see what these earthlodges looked like you can, at the interpretive center. They have a replica full of furniture they believe were in these homes. Speaking of the interpretive center, the rangers here were very helpful and really knew about this park. This is a really awesome place to see the mark that the past has left on the present. read more

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For a NHS it is very good & well worth the visit. Not a bunch of stuff in the museum or gift shop part but the earth house makes it well worth it in my opinion. We caught the ranger tour of the house & we super enjoyed all of his knowledge & information shared!! My girls love the Jr Ranger program & they were able to earn 2 badges here! We have covered the beginning, end & in between parts of the Lewis & Clark Trail & now where they met Sacagawea! read more