State Park

Fort Stevenson State Park

McLean County, North DakotaAbout 523 acresEstablished 1974
Status
Status not posted
Entrance fee
Statewide rule — see below
Day-use reservations
None mentioned
Dogs
Dogs allowed, with restrictions
Camping
140 campsitesAlso cabins
Official site
parkrec.nd.gov(701) 337-5576

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. Details last changed Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

In McLean County, about 4 miles south of Garrison, Fort Stevenson State Park covers about 523 acres.

Visitors come for cross-country skiing, winter sports, canoeing and kayaking, swimming, and boating. The official site lists about 10 miles of trails. On the water side, there is a swimming beach and a boat ramp. For overnight stays there are 140 campsites across 5 camping areas (RV sites with full hookups, tent sites, primitive or hike-in sites, group camping, and showers). There are also cabins for rent.

Fees and passes

Per vehicle, year-round ('All vehicles entering a state park must display a valid entrance permit year-round'); no resident/nonresident difference except resident senior/disabled-veteran discounts. Primitive areas such as Crow Flies High SRA state 'Free entrance'.

Statewide fee rule from North Dakota's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.

North Dakota park passes

  • Daily vehicle entrance — $7. One vehicle, one day Details
  • Annual single vehicle permit — $35. One vehicle, all state parks Details
  • Annual family permit — $61.25. 2 vehicles in the same household Details
  • Senior annual permit (ND residents 65+) — $28 Details

From the North Dakota state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.

Reservations

Day use
No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
Booking system
reserveNDparks.com
Phone
800-807-4723

Check availability and book

We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.

Pets

Dogs allowed, with restrictions

Not allowed in or on: cabins.

Pets are not allowed in cabins. Pets are welcome but must stay on a leash. Most parks have off-leash areas or dog parks for your four-legged friends.

Service animals are generally permitted where pets are not. Check with the park for specific areas.

Camping

Campground or site typeSitesHookups / featuresPrice
Premium Campsites
electricity, water & sewer; Price: $30-35 per night
48Electricity, water & sewer—
Premium Group Campsite
electricity, water & sewer; Price: $30-35 per night
1Electricity, water & sewer—
Modern Group Campsites
electricity, water and the ability to put multiple units on one site; Price: $25-30 per night, per unit
18Electricity, water and the ability to put multiple units on one site—
Modern Campsites
electricity & water; Price: $25-30 per night
56Electricity & water—
Primitive Campsites
Price: $15 per night
17—
Camping details from the park

campsite type

48 Premium Campsites

(electricity, water & sewer)

Price: $30-35 per night

1 Premium Group Campsite

(electricity, water & sewer)

Price: $30-35 per night

18 Modern Group Campsites

(electricity, water and the ability to put multiple units on one site)

Book Now

Campground Map

  • Campground Map

Full Park Map

  • Fort Stevenson State Park

56 Modern Campsites

(electricity & water)

Price: $25-30 per night

17 Primitive Campsites

Price: $15 per night

Camping Information

From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.

Cabins and lodging

  • Western Engineer Cabin
  • Camping Cabins
    Price: $70-85 per night (two-night minimum stay required)

Western Engineer Cabin

Price: $135-150 per night (two-night minimum stay required)

Book Now

The Western Engineer Cabin is a premium cabin available for year-round stays! The cabin sleeps six and features two bedrooms, one with a queen bed and the other with a queen bed and twin bunk beds. Enjoy modern amenities including full kitchen, full bathroom, air conditioning, heating, WiFi, and a patio with a picnic table and charcoal grill. There is also an adjacent campsite with power and water that can be added to your reservation for an additional $25 per night.

Camping Cabins

Book Now

The Rosebud, Yellowstone and Far West camping cabins each sleep five, bunkbed-style with one full and three twins. Each cabin is equipped with lights, heat, air conditioning, small refrigerator and a deck. Cooking is not allowed inside, but a grill and picnic table are located outside of each cabin. The cabins do not have showers, sinks or toilets, but most are within a short walk to a campground comfort station. Camping cabins are generally available from mid-May through September.

  • Game or fish cleaning in or around cabins is not allowed.

Things to do

FishingGeocachingCanoeing and kayakingSwimmingHikingBikingWinter sportsCross-country skiingBoatingPicnickingCamping

Trails

TrailLengthDifficultyNotes
Flicker Loop2.4 mi—Open to: hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeingHikingMountain bikingSnowshoeing
Northern Pine Loop2.1 mi—Open to: hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeingHikingMountain bikingSnowshoeing
Purple Coneflower Loop1 mi—Open to: hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeingHikingMountain bikingSnowshoeing
deTrobriand Loop2 mi—Open to: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing,HikingMountain bikingCross-country skiingSnowshoeing
Trooper Challenge Loop0.8 mi—Open to: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiingHikingMountain bikingCross-country skiing
Whitetail Loop0.7 mi—Open to: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiingHikingMountain bikingCross-country skiing
Arboretum Loop0.5 mi—Arboretum Trail is a double loop about 0.5 miles in length. The trail is an excellent educational experience as it winds through the planting of over 50 species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses.Hiking
Trail descriptions from the park

Nearly 10 miles of trails provide hiking, biking and interpretive opportunities in long, linear trail segments and shorter loops. The trail system winds through tree plantings, shrublands, ponderosa pine woodlands, wooded ravines, grasslands and native prairie. Trails follow the lake shoreline and wander over remote portions of the park.

Flicker Loop

Distance: 2.4 miles

Open to: hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing

Flicker Trail is the park’s longest at 2.4 miles. Its loops and segments stretch from the trailhead just south of the Guard House, up and along the western shoreline, past the Prairie Dog Town and include a one-mile loop just north of the North Loop Campground. The trail meanders through a remnant of native prairie. Common native grasses found in these areas include needle-and-thread, western wheatgrass, blue grama and little bluestem. The trail also skirts tree plantings and a couple of small wooded ravine areas with an overstory of green ash, American elm and box elder. The trail provides the access point to the Northern Pine Loop.

Northern Pine Loop

Distance: 2.1 miles

Open to: hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing

Northern Pine Loop, 2.1 miles, wanders into the park’s northern portion and is accessed by the Flicker Loop. The trail is secluded amongst the ponderosa pine woodlands. There are spectacular views of the marina and Garrison Bay.

Purple Coneflower Loop

Distance: 1 mile

Open to: hiking, mountain biking, snowshoeing

This trail is one mile and begins at the trailhead just south of the Guardhouse. This southern trail winds through non-native and native grasslands, eventually connecting to the deTrobriand Loop. The trail offers an overlook of deTrobriand Bay.

deTrobriand Loop

Distance: 2 miles

Open to: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing,

This loop is a 2-mile trail meandering through a variety of habitats including tree plantings, mixed-grass prairie and shrublands. Portions of the trail parallel the eastern shoreline of Lake Sakakawea.

Trooper Challenge Loop

Distance: 0.8 miles

Open to: hiking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing

This 0.8-mile trail, promotes health and fitness, providing a pleasant place to bicycle, walk or run. It also caters to cross country skiers during the winter. The loop offers 16 stations, each with exercise apparatus and posted instructions on how to use the equipment.

Whitetail Loop

Distance: 0.7 miles

Whitetail loop is 0.7 miles in length and wanders through tree and shrub planting offerings that support a diverse bird population.

Arboretum Loop

Distance: 0.5 miles

Open to: hiking

Arboretum Trail is a double loop about 0.5 miles in length. The trail is an excellent educational experience as it winds through the planting of over 50 species of trees, shrubs, wildflowers and grasses.

Trail Maps:

  • A PDF map of the summer trails is available here.
  • A PDF map of the winter trails is available here.

Amenities

Facilities

  • Restrooms
  • Flush toilets
  • Showers
  • Picnic shelters
  • Playground
  • Visitor center
  • Nature center or museum
  • Park or camp store
  • Restaurant or food service
  • Group facilities
  • Dog park or off-leash area

Water

  • Swimming beach
  • Boat ramp
  • Marina or boat slips
  • Fish cleaning station

Camping

  • RV dump station
  • Tent camping
  • Sewer hookups
  • Primitive or backcountry camping
  • Group camping

Lodging

  • Cabins

✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.

Getting there

Address
1252A 41st Avenue NW
Garrison, ND 58540-9229
Nearest town
Garrison — about 4 mi south (straight line)
Coordinates
47.5951, -101.4214
Phone
(701) 337-5576
Email
fssp@nd.gov

Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)

Nearby state parks

Sources and freshness

“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. “Last changed” (Oct 29, 2026) is when the information shown here last differed from the previous check. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology

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