News

The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department announces the Park District Facility Renovation Grant (PDFRG) opening on January 3, 2022. This 50% matching grant is available to local park districts for renovation, upgrade and/or repair of existing facilities. The grant application cycle will be open until January 31, 2022. 

North Dakota State Park annual permit holders will find a new option available to them this year. During the 67th Legislative Assembly, a bill was passed to allow members of the same household to buy two annual permits at a discounted price. This new option, the family permit, is now available for $55.  

BISMARCK, N.D. (SEPT. 20, 2021) – Gov. Doug Burgum today appointed Cody Schulz to lead the North Dakota Department of Parks and Recreation, citing his extensive record of public service and strong leadership at the state and county levels, including through some of the most challenging periods in recent state history.

The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department (NDPRD) is soliciting applications for the FY21 Land and Water Conservation Fund starting Wednesday, September 1 through Thursday, September 30, 2021.   

North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department continues to keep up with changing visitor needs and industry trends through master planning processes.  This process provides an opportunity for stakeholders, park users and park managers to provide input and guidance to future development of state park properties.  This week the Lewis & Clark State Park master plan was signed by Andrea Travnicek, Director of the North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department. This plan will set the course for the next ten years of park development, and potential improvements and advancements at Lewis & Clark State Park.

The North Dakota State Parks & Recreation Department (NDPRD) has published the draft 2021 Fort Stevenson State Park Master Plan for a 30-day public comment period ending on August 30, 2021. 

The North Dakota Parks & Recreation Department (NDPRD) announces seven trail projects across North Dakota that have received grant funding from the Recreation Trails Program (RTP). NDPRD received 18 applications totaling approximately $3,098,400 in grant fund requests during the last grant round. The projects selected for funding are: 

Paul Taylor, deputy director of Parks and Recreation, has been appointed interim director effective Aug. 1. Taylor brings a strong background in park planning, design, and construction, most recently serving as chief of park planning and development for the Maryland National Capital Park & Planning Commission. Applications for the Parks and Recreation director will be accepted beginning July 30.

BISMARCK, ND – The North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department saw increased visitation in 2020 with 1.29 million visitors to the state parks and continues to maintain high visitation this year. While COVID-19 had certainly prompted increased travel, results of surveys conducted by the Department show that increase was on top of an already loyal and growing visitor base to North Dakota’s state parks. When looking ahead to future travel, 74.6% of visitor survey respondents indicated that they plan to visit a North Dakota state park within the next 12 months. At the time of the survey, COVID-19 had little influence on respondents’ future plans with only 9.8% indicating their plans to visit were prompted by the COVID-19 pandemic.  
 

BISMARCK, N.D. – The North Dakota Department of Transportation (NDDOT) and North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department (NDPRD) have partnered to replace and install various signs to promote recreational opportunities across the state. This project is designed to increase visibility of North Dakota state parks and help guide visitors to parks and recreational areas.