In addition to North Dakota’s stunning landscapes and warm hospitality, the state’s tourism attractions are committed to ensuring accessibility for all. Whether you’re a resident or planning a vacation, the beauty of North Dakota, both outdoors and within many of the world-class museums, is increasingly accessible to everyone.
Here are a few highlights of accessible experiences in North Dakota with accommodations and access for individuals with mobility, sensory, vision, and hearing challenges:
Statewide
The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department
With a commitment to ensuring accessibility for all visitors, North Dakota’s Parks and Recreation Department recently acquired new equipment to bring greater accessibility and inclusivity for a fun experience. As of September 2023, North Dakota is home to the first park system in the nation to support color accessibility in all of its state parks with EnChroma glasses for color blindness, which enables users to experience the colorful beauty of nature more fully in North Dakota’s state parks.
Additionally, Lake Metigoshe State Park in Bottineau is one of 18 nationwide recipients to receive a free-to-use Action Axis Trackchair to ensure people with mobility challenges can enjoy the park’s natural beauty, recreational activities, and facilities. For those who want to enjoy water activities, many of North Dakota’s state parks are also equipped with adaptive kayak and canoe launches, which provide a safe and accessible way for all visitors to enter and exit small watercraft easily.
Bismarck
North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum
The North Dakota Heritage Center and State Museum is an educational adventure for visitors of all ages and abilities. From a life-size T. rex skeleton cast to a Mars spacesuit to exhibits of rare pottery and beadwork, four galleries with accessible features and interactive displays showcase 600 million years of North Dakota history.
Fargo
Enjoy a family day at Fargo’s Plains Art Museum with their Low-Sensory Mondays and the Art & Autism: Shape + Movement programs. Low-Sensory Mondays are on the first Monday of every month from 2 until 5 p.m. when sensory stimulants are lowered throughout the museum and attendance is limited. The Art & Autism: Shape + Movement effort features a 90-minute program that includes touring the museum and hands-on artwork activities to explore color, shape, writing, drawing, and body movement with the museum education staff.
The Fargo Theatre offers cinema support equipment for the hearing and/or visually impaired, including specialty headphones and personal receivers designed to make the cinema experience inclusive. The headphones can either amplify the existing soundtrack or play a special soundtrack with an audio description of the action on screen. The Theatre also offers personal receivers that attach to a patron’s seat and provide closed captioning of a movie’s dialogue and sound effects for those with significant hearing loss.
Jamestown
Jamestown’s Art Center offers an Art for Life program, pairing the arts center with a local elder care facility to provide intensive art and artist interaction for its residents and their families. The North Dakota Council on the Arts (NDCA) drew on the work of Dr. William Thomas to develop a program that provides daily spontaneity and opportunities for growth that help alleviate the loneliness, boredom, and helplessness of those residing in elder care centers. Ongoing grants from the NDCA and the National Endowment for the Arts have allowed the Art for Life program to grow from three sites (Jamestown, Langdon, and Pekin) to 14 elder care facilities in 11 communities across North Dakota. There is great variety in the program offerings, from a broad range of musical endeavors, poetry reading, mural painting, and yoga to the creation of ice fishing decoys and ceramic vases and instruction on kuchen making, weaving, and more.
Medora
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
In the colorful canyons of the western North Dakota Badlands, Theodore Roosevelt National Park should be a must on your list. With accessible trails and viewing areas, this park provides visitors with the opportunity to experience its breathtaking beauty. Monuments like the Painted Canyon and the Little Missouri River, as well as wildlife such as bison, horses, elk, prairie dogs, and other wildlife, are seamless for individuals with mobility challenges.
The Access Medora initiative creates accessible experiences for visitors with mobility and sensory challenges to enjoy the Old West charm of Medora with accessible tours, museums, and entertainment options. Most recently, Access Medora installed a high-capacity elevator at the Burning Hills Amphitheatre, making the Medora Musical even more accessible for people of all abilities to enjoy captivating performances under the stars.
Minot
The only outdoor museum in the world that showcases all five Nordic countries, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden, is located in the heart of Minot. The park has accessible pathways that wind through delightful gardens and traditional Scandinavian structures, creating an immersive experience for all. With audio tours, service animals, and total wheelchair accessibility, there is something for everyone at the Scandinavian Heritage Park.
This beautiful spot is the perfect place to go hiking or biking. There are five miles of trails total and two miles of accessible paved and gravel trails, featuring a scenic view of the prairie landscape and diverse native plants and animals.
The Magic City Discovery Center has entrances universally accessible to wheelchairs and strollers. The elevators provide access to all floors and exhibits designed for all abilities. Magic City offers Sensory-Friendly nights on Friday nights designed for children and their families. Staff at the center have been trained to create a fun, educational, and enjoyable experience for all.
Washburn
Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center
The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center highlights the journey of Lewis and Clark with accessible exhibits and educational programs. Additionally, the Washburn Discovery Trail has a paved pathway that travels toward the Missouri River and winds along its tree-lined bank, ending at Riverside Park, where you’ll find the historical Sioux Ferry.
For more on Legendary ways to experience North Dakota and the accessibility options, visit NDTourism.com.
