Traveling Along the Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway (Road Trip Guide, North Dakota)

Jul 21, 2025

We’re sharing the next stop on our summer vacation destination list! Today, we’re taking a tour along Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway and the area near Bottineau, North Dakota. This beautiful byway takes you more than 50 miles through gorgeous lakes, pastures, woodlands, prairies, and more, highlighting the diversity in ecosystem and wildlife of North Dakota. The area was once a historic outpost and trapping ground for early settlers, and you’ll find lots of history about local culture and settler life!

Turtle Mountain Scenic Byway is 53-miles long through north-central North Dakota! Stops along the way include Mystical Horizons, Lake Metigosh State Park, International Peace Garden, Martineau House Information Center, and Coghlan Castle. The trip will take you through some gorgeous landscapes including dead-ice moraine, glacial till, prairie grasslands, deep lakes and potholes, boreal forests, and gorgeous rural backdrops.

Bottineau County Museum offers exhibits chronicling the history and life of pioneer families in the area! The museum’s staff are friendly and knowledgeable and will guide you through this local history and heritage museum. You’ll get to check out locally acquired artifacts, documents, and more from the community’s past, as well as special events, lectures, and programs that highlight historical milestones!

Lake Metigoshe State Park is a popular year round vacation destination, but it really shines in Summer. You’ll find more than 8 miles of hiking and biking trails, more than 170 varieties of birds and immense wildlife. Water loving folks will enjoy an afternoon of canoeing or kayaking, and of course it’s prime real estate for fishing for crappie, bluegill, pike, and more. The Blue Heron Yurt is a memorable experience with room for four right in the heart of the park.

The Turtle Mountain Chippewa Heritage Center highlights the local traditions, culture, and rich history of the Chippewa, Cree, and Metis peoples who reside in the area. Chronicling the life and experiences of generations of indigenous people, you’ll learn about the health, beliefs, lives, art and language of the local community. Check out artifacts and hand-crafted belongings from indigenous families that lived in the area, and learn more about the Tribe and its unique heritage.

Another must-see is the beautiful International Peace Garden, an uninterrupted nature and land preserve featuring perennial gardens as well as specialty plant collections. There is a children’s nature play area with charming organic features and plant inspired designs as well as an animal habitat play zone! Features such as the Sunken Garden, Peace Chapel, and The Conservatory & Interpretive Center are must-see attractions, along with the numerous formal curated gardens. Enjoy a wonderful picnic with your family, take a hike through the trails and forests, or opt for a guided tour of the grounds to learn more about its history.

Mystical Horizons is often referred to as “stonehenge of the prairie”. This astronomical themed installation and site features a sundial, a north start sighting tube, and several rock formations intended to evoke half of the infamous Stonehenge. This is a working solar calendar built from granite pillars, and marks the position of the setting sun across the western prairie. It’s definitely a memorable tourist stop on your trip that makes for fun photos.

North Dakota Heritage Center offers a wide collection of artifacts, specimens, high-tech and interactive exhibits highlighting the history of North Dakota. Four different museum galleries chronicle 600-million years ago through today. You’ll not want to miss this one, especially the world’s largest giant squid fossil. Admission is free and the facility is open seven days a week for all ages!

Tommy the Turtle Statue is a local classic landmark featuring the world’s largest snowmobile-riding turtle standing at 26 feet tall! Perfect for goofy selfies and memory making with your family and friends.

Scandinavian Heritage Park embraces the local Scandinavian cultural roots of immigrants from Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland who settled in the area. Tour the park and check out the remembrances, memorials, and replicas of art and architecture from each of these beautiful countries! View a 25-foot tall Dala horse, a full scale replica of the Gol Stave Church, and much more! Start your visit at the Scandinavian Heritage Center Visitor’s Center to collect your tourist information and souvenirs.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a gorgeous state park teeming with wildlife, gorgeous prairie landscapes, and stunning scenery. Take the South Unit Scenic Drive for a 48-mile scenic drive through the Little Missouri Badlands for a 2 hour driving tour. The North Unit Scenic Drive takes just under 90 minutes round trip, and cuts through the badlands and up to Historic River Bend Overlook. No matter which route you take, there are beautiful views to be had everywhere you look at scenic overlook pull-offs, hiking trails along the way, nature photography hotspots, and more.