The Ride We Take Every Year — Through the Heart of the Bakken

There’s this one ride we do every year close to home, and it never disappoints. It runs through the heart of the Bakken Oilfields in Western North Dakota. But it’s not what you think. We’re not out here riding to look at the pump jacks and all the oilfield equipment. The Bakken Oilfields sit right against the Badlands.

This ride starts in Williston, ND and heads south to Watford City, it’s a four lane highway with lots of oilfield truck traffic. You have to have your head on a swivel out here. But even though you have to pay attention to everything around you, you can’t ignore how far you can see.

Once you get to Watford City, you head east toward Johnson’s Corner. It’s a roundabout now. Just take the first exit and head south on 110 Ave NW. After a bit, you’ll cut east again on Bear Den Road. And honestly, I have no idea where any of those names came from.

When you turn onto Bear Den Rd. this is where you slow down and actually start enjoying the ride. There are a lot of oil wells out here, but your also riding into the MHA Tribal area. Out here, the cattle and horses are free range, so you can expect to see them grazing on the side of the road or even standing in the middle of it. If you’ve never rolled up on cows or horses standing in the middle of the road, it’s a different kind of ride. Then you’ve got North American bison. They’re fenced, but we love seeing them and never get tired of it, no matter where we are. Sometimes I imagine this is what the old west felt like.

Free range cattle on the North Dakota Prairie

From here, you continue east a bit further and then head south on highway 22. This is where the badlands meet the prairie. Rolling hills and sweeping curves. This is the stretch that reminds us why we keep doing this ride. If you’re not from here, you expect North Dakota to be flat and treeless, but this is where that stereotype falls apart. There are plenty of trees in this area, and during the fall it’s one of our favorite routes. As you continue south toward Killdeer, ND, you start to notice the terrain change. The prairie gives way to the badlands. There are not any real areas to pull off and take in the beauty, but if you’re brave enough you just pull over on the side of the road, shut the bike off, walk 20 feet and take in the badlands. What you will see are steep drop-offs and jagged rocks, but it’s the colors that stick with you. Gray, red, tan — not loud, but enough to make you stand there a little longer than you planned. The longer you stand here, the quieter it gets. The chaos of the oilfields is replaced by the sounds of nature.

Back on the bike, and back to reality. The oilfields are never quiet, and the traffic can be relentless at times. You have to lock in and keep your head on a swivel. The hills and sweeping curves carry you all the way to Killdeer. If you need gas or are hungry, now’s the time to stop. I would love to tell you to go and check out our favorite bar, The Pipe, but it unfortunately burned down last summer. I really hope they are able to rebuild. because even though it was a bar, they did not serve your typical bar food.

After you have fueled up and filled your belly it's time to head back to Williston. Head south to the roundabout take the first exit and head west to highway 85. Once you hit 85, turn north and enjoy the ride. This is the same mix of scenery but from a different angle. If you've got the time and are feeling like a national park visit, stop into the Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit. It’s worth the stop if you have time. Otherwise, we keep going Once you pass the "North Unit" as we call it, you will be back to prairie land and oilfields. From here on home, it turns back into a four-lane.

It’s not some bucket-list ride or a big rally weekend. It’s just a stretch of road out here that most people wouldn’t think twice about. But if you ever find yourself riding through this part of North Dakota, slow down a little. There’s more here than people give it credit for.

If you’d like to read more on what North Dakota riding is like, check out our Western ND ride or the Enchanted Highway.

Free rage horses