Mercer: Nature, History, and County Fair

On the southern shore of the third-largest man-made reservoir in the United States lies Lake Sakakawea State Park. For a trip to Mercer, the park adds a distinct nature-focused element: visitors can enjoy the swimming beach, camp beneath the trees, hike the trails, and spend time on the lake. Two boat ramps with courtesy docks add to the opportunities on the water.

Lake, Trails, and Distinctive Landscape Features

The Shoreline Trail runs north to south for the entire length of Lake Sakakawea State Park. Along the way, it passes numerous scoria formations and the fossilized trunks of ancient trees. The park’s multi-use trails offer opportunities for hiking, biking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing. This provides different ways to enjoy the outdoors side by side.

When planning outdoor activities, the lake and trails offer different focal points: the swimming beach, camping beneath the trees, and time on the water direct attention to the shore. The Shoreline Trail, by contrast, highlights a specific route with distinctive landscape features; the multi-use trails also include biking and winter activities. In Mercer County, Lake Sakakawea also offers opportunities for fishing and boating, as well as camping, picnicking, and other developed facilities.

Exploring the Knife River

There are also places to fish, picnic, and camp at several locations along the Knife River in Mercer County. Another option is the 6.2-mile, or 10-kilometer, Two Rivers Trail. It follows the Knife River to where it flows into the Missouri River. This lets you follow a specific hiking route with a clear destination: the confluence of the Knife and Missouri rivers.

Archaeology and Settlement History

Fort Clark State Historic Site is considered one of the state’s most significant archaeological sites because of its well-preserved evidence of the fur trade and personal tragedies. It protects archaeological remains of an earth-lodge village, a cemetery, and two fur trading posts. The site thus represents archaeological traces, the fur trade, and personal tragedies.

A tour of the 15,000-square-foot Mercer County Historical Society Museum explores the early settlement by Norwegian, Swedish, and Irish communities, as well as by Germans from Russia beginning in the 1870s. The date beginning in the 1870s applies to the Germans from Russia; the Norwegian, Swedish, and Irish communities are also among the early settler groups covered.

The two historical themes differ: Fort Clark focuses on archaeological remains, the fur trade, and personal tragedies, while the museum tour covers early settler communities and their historical context. This allows you to choose between archaeological history and the history of settlement for your trip.

The Mercer County Fair in July

Held since 1853, the Mercer County Fair brings the county together every July. Evening events include a queen contest, Night of Destruction, flat track racing, a tractor pull, and a demolition derby. These events encompass different types of competition and motorsports, shaping the evening program at the fair.

If you’d like to plan your trip around the Mercer County Fair, check the specific event dates in advance.

Discover more destinations: Hazen, Beulah, Morton County, Walsh, Dunn County, Bowman County, Foster County, Cass.

For the main travel overview: North Dakota.