Dakota Prairie Grasslands

Welcome

Welcome to the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, where pristine vistas inspire the imagination; where the rugged unspoiled beauty of the land invites exploration; and where the sights and sounds of the wide, rolling prairie stimulate the senses.

Stretching over 1,259,000 acres, the National Grasslands offer visitors the opportunity to view elk, antelope, whitetail and mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes, sharptail grouse, pheasants, wild turkeys, eagles, falcons, and the busy prairie dogs. Recreational opportunities offer hiking, camping, horseback riding, photography, canoeing, fishing, hunting, and backpacking.

The National Grasslands are not solid blocks of National Forest System lands; rather, they are intermingled with other federal, state, and privately owned lands. This mixed ownership pattern contributes to the uniqueness of the National Grasslands.

Each of the National Grasslands has a flavor all its own. The tallgrass prairie on the rolling hills of the Sheyenne National Grasslands are a significant contrast to the stark badlands found in the Little Missouri National Grasslands. The resources are as varied also; paleontological and archeological digs, oil and gas production, cattle grazing, and recreation.

Current Events

Attention Plant Enthusiasts

The Cedar River and Grand River National Grasslands contain a variety of habitats. The mixed-grass prairie, cottonwood riparian, and woody draws characteristic of the Northern Great Plains are all here. This diversity creates a welcoming site for plant enthusiasts.

Introducing (free to the public) the Plants of the Grand River and Cedar River National Grasslands: 2008, by Kurt Hansen of the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, Forest Service. This document holds 56 pages of a summary of the current list of known plant species found on the Grand River Ranger District. The current known number of plant species on the district is 470 plant species from 78 families. Much remains to be learned, Please, come explore this wonderful place and make discoveries of your own!

The book is available at the Grand River Ranger District in Lemmon SD, or the Supervisor's Office in Bismarck, ND. Or you can download it here, .PDF, 2.80 MB.

Land Conveyance News Release: U.S. Forest Service Begins Process to Convey Some Federal Land to Private Sector, February 12, 2008

Public Law 110-161, Consolidated Appropriations Act 2008

- Criteria for Ranking of Parcels
- North Dakota Conveyance Parcels
- North Dakota Conveyance Parcels Map

Noxious Weed Management Final Environmental Impact Statement,
228 pages, .PDF, 2.19 MB
Noxious Weed Record of Decision, dated 3/2/07. 18 pages, .PDF, 126 kb

Livestock Grazing Record of Decision
(Corrected) Final Scientific Review Team Response
(No substantive changes were made to the Response document in the corrected version.)
Final Record of Decision, dated 09-20-06

Travel Management

Travel Management Plan for the Sheyenne Grasslands and
Motor Vehicle Use Map
dated 06-01-07

Please Note: This is a .pdf file at 978kb; it may take a moment to download. You could also right-mouse click on the link and then "Save as" to your computer. The dimensions of this map are 22x34 inches and the file opens with a diminished view. You will have to use the zoom tool to see the file in detail. If you do not have a large format printer or plotter, you can print portions of the map on a smaller printer. To print on a smaller printer: once you zoom in to the area of interest, go to "File", "Print", then select the "Current View" box. You will have to select several views of the document to print the full document.

Contact the Sheyenne Ranger District for more information at
(701) 683-4342.

Grand and Cedar River National Grasslands
Travel Management Plan, 31 pages, 236 kb
Map Appendix, 28 pages, 2.96 MB
Grand River Motor Vehicle Map, 1 page, 1.79 MB

Cedar River Motor Vehicle Use Map

Travel Management for the Denbigh and Souris Grassland

Motor Vehicle Map
and Cover Sheet

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