Double Ditch State Historical Area 5.0 (reviews)

Located north of Bismarck along the Missouri River, Double Ditch Indian Village is considered one of the most important of the Mandan Indian earthlodge villages that dotted the Missouri River region. Today, the state of North Dakota manages two areas at this site. Double Ditch State Historic Site, managed by the State Historical Society of North Dakota, encompasses the original village site.Double Ditch Indian Village was a large earthlodge village inhabited by Mandan Indians between about 1490 and 1785. The remains of earthlodges, midden mounds (trash heaps), and fortification ditches are clearly visible today. Interpretive signs are posted throughout the site.Adjacent to the historic site is a 116-acre buffer between the village site and the river that is operated as a state recreation area (day use only) by the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department.Visitors to the two public sites will find hiking trails, wayside exhibits and scenic vistas of the Missouri River.Trails for biking and hiking are currently planned, connecting Double Ditch to the Bismarck/Mandan trail system.