Day Trips Around Bowman County

View the best sights in the southwest corner of North Dakota! These day trips will guide you to your best North Dakota adventure.

Two Days North from Bowman

Burning Coal Vein, Maah Daah Hey Trail, White Butte, Stewart Lake National Wildlife Refuge, Pioneer Trails Regional Museum

From North to South through Bowman

Burning Coal Vein, Maah Daah Hey Trail, White Butte, Pioneer Trails Regional Museum, Bowman Haley Dam, Cave Hills

One Day West from Bowman

Van Horn’s Western & Antique Auto Museum, Mystic Theater, Fort Dilts, Pioneer Trails Regional Museum

One Day South from Bowman

Bowman Haley Dam, Cave Hills, Pioneer Trails Regional Museum

Printable Map

ATV Tour

Pioneer Trails Regional Museum hosts this adventure-filled, historic tour annually in early June. Participants get a firsthand experience of historic sites such as old historic sites, points of interest, trails, and ranches that are located in Bowman, Slope, and Harding Counties. The route changes yearly, so check with Pioneer Trails Regional Museum for this year’s route.

Participants must have their own ATV to join the tour as most sites are not accessible without.

Best Places to Watch Stars, Sunset, and Sunrise

Best Places to Star Gaze

One of the many beauties of North Dakota is the minimal light pollution. This makes it a prime place to go star gazing. We may be a little bias, but if you feel like braving the cold, there is nothing like the winter stars in North Dakota. Winter is also a great time of year because one of the most prominent constellations, Orion The Hunter, is visible in the Northern Hemisphere. Grab some blankets and lay out under the stars until someone sees a shooting star.

Here are a few places in Bowman County to go star gazing:

• Bowman Haley Dam
• Maah Daah Hey Trail
• Burning Coal Vein
• Local Publicly Accessed Land

Best Places to Watch the Sunset

As the days get longer and nights get warmer, watching a beautiful sunset with friends makes a night in Bowman County even better. Below are some of our favorite places to watch the sunset in Bowman County. Most of them overlook the water, so take some camping chairs, hammocks, or blankets to enjoy the beautiful wildlife before the sun sets.

• Kalina Dam
• Bowman Haley Dam
• Stewart Lake National Wildlife Refuge
• Cave Hills
• Gascoyne Lake

Best Places to Watch the Sunrise

The early bird gets the worm, and in this case, the early bird sees some of the most beautiful landscape of the badlands of North Dakota. Set out early or pitch camp the night before to catch these breathtaking views.

Here are a few places to watch the sunrise:

• Bowman Haley Dam
• White Butte
• Burning Coal Vein
• Cave Hills
• Bowman Rotary Park
• Gascoyne Lake

Kayaking, Canoeing, and Paddle Boarding

Bowman County and the surrounding areas are home to lakes and dams for your summer water adventures. Many feature still water and limited motorized boat activity creating a perfect environment for kayaking, canoeing or paddle boarding. View a full list of area water recreations spots on our Hunting and Fishing page.

Sand Volleyball

Put your toes in the sand at the Sand Volleyball Courts located in Bowman’s Rotary Park. Two courts are available, bring your volleyball, friends and enjoy some fun competition. This is a perfect summertime activity located right in Bowman.