24 Hours in Cross Ranch State Park
We recently spent a fun weekend with friends camping and exploring Cross Ranch State Park. The Park is beautiful with hills and trees lining the shore of the Missouri River. We only spent one night, but all agreed that we could have spent many more. Our campsite was secluded and quiet and there were plenty of things to do.
Here’s everything you need to know about spending 24 hours in Cross Ranch State Park!
Booking your Site at Cross Ranch State Park
Booking North Dakota State Parks campsites is easy on the North Dakota Parks and Recreation website. Cross Ranch has over 60 campsites (regular, sheltered and primitive) in addition to a variety of other accommodation options including several yurts and cabins.
We stayed at Campsite 52 in Senger Campground and LOVED it!
To enter any North Dakota State Park you need a pass for your vehicle. Passes are $7 per day, or you can purchase an annual pass for $35. The link to do so is HERE, otherwise you can purchase a pass at the park office when you check in to your site.
Packing List
This trip was my first time camping without my family. Let me tell you- my parents did so much that I didn’t even notice! Although we were a little more independent I can’t take too much credit for preparedness on this one. We camped with friends and they did a large part of the planning and organizing. Regardless, the following is a list of things that we brought:
- 4-Person Tent
- Two Thermarests
- Two Sleeping Bags
- Two Pillows
- Multiple Blankets
- Multiple Towels
- Camping Pots and Pans
- Dishes and Utensils
- Sharp Knives and Scissors
- Fire Starter and Matches
- Roasting Sticks
- Camping Stove
- WATER
- Citronella Candles
- Battery Powered Lantern
- Food- see recipes below!
Getting There
Cross Ranch State Park is about 45 minutes North-East of Bismarck. We stopped in Bismarck for golfing and lunch which broke up the drive. Going North from Bismarck/Mandan was easy and scenic.
Our Campsite
As previously mentioned we stayed at Campsite 52 in the Senger Campground. We loved it! It was secluded and although we could occasionally hear our neighbors we really couldn’t see them. Also important to mention- we were able to find two flat spots to pitch our tents! Each campsite comes with a fire pit and a picnic table.
Our site didn’t have any hookups, but we didn’t need them as we were only stayed one night. We made sure to charge our phones in the car on the way there, and had a portable charger just incase.
The Senger Campground only has vault toilets and no water. If you’re interested in running water, it’s a short drive to the visitors center. There is a place to get water across the road from the vault toilets, but before going we read reviews that it doesn’t taste good.
We were also in close proximity to the boat launch. Our dog, Brutus, likes swimming and there was a mowed path down to the river directly from our campsite.
If tent or camper camping isn’t your thing, check out the variety of Cabins and Yurts Cross Ranch State Park has to offer HERE.
Our Meals
Because we were there for a short time, we only ate a few meals at our campsite. We had supper the night we arrived and ate breakfast and lunch the following day.
Supper- For supper we ate had steak cooked on the camping grill. We kept the steaks in the cooler and brought our favorite seasonings. As a side we had potato packets: thinly sliced potatoes and onions, butter and avocado oil, and seasoning. Of course we had s’mores for dessert!
Breakfast- Breakfast was omelettes/scrambled eggs! We had originally planned to make omelettes in boiling water, but forgot the correct bags. Instead we added all of our ingredients (eggs, peppers, onion, steak, cheese) to our camping pot and pan and cooked them over the fire. For coffee we had a store-bought iced coffee we kept in the cooler.
Lunch- Lunch was sandwiches and chips. We brought buns, sliced cheese, deli meat, mayonnaise, and mustard. As sides we had potato chips and potato salad.
To Drink- Before arriving in Cross Ranch State Park we swung by a liquor store and grabbed some beverages. I had the Red Dwarf Raspberry Sour Ale from Laughing sun Brewery- local to Bismarck North Dakota.
Hiking in Cross Ranch State Park
Cross Ranch State Park hosts several hiking trails in a variety of distances. Typical of Central/Eastern North Dakota hiking there is limited elevation- meaning most trails are easy.
We hiked Ma-ak-oti Trail which was an easy walk from our campsite. The trail is next to the Missouri River allowing for awesome views. There are a few easy hills and passes; the trail crosses a light stream and the beautiful swinging bridge pictured above.
We hiked just over 3 miles completing all of the Lower Ma-ak-oti Trail and part of the Upper Ma-ka-oti Trail. With this trail it’s easy to do any distance.
Bring– Water, good shoes for walking (unless it’s muddy, I don’t believe there is a need for hiking boots), depending on the weather bring a hat and sunscreen.
For more North Dakota content check out my top Fargo-Moorhead posts:
How to Have the Perfect Fargo Staycation, Your Guide to the Fargo-Moorhead Beer Scene, and 9 Great Places to Shop in Downtown Fargo!
Stay tuned for more great blog posts highlighting Central and Western North Dakota!
North Dakota has some beautiful State Parks and I’m feeling so lucky to have explored part of Cross Ranch. The campsite was wonderful, the hike was scenic, and the company was fantastic. I look forward to visiting again soon!
