McClean, Burleigh, Sheridan, Wells and Eddy Counties, ND
147.1 mi total 32.0 certified 0.0 connecting 115.1 marked 0.0 bare
The Garrison Diversion Project offers the North Country Trail a route for about 40% of the route across North Dakota, on lands operated by the US Bureau of Reclamation, or on Bureau of Reclamation lands operated by the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. Were it not for the Garrison Diverson route, a completed trail in central North Dakota would be difficult, indeed; as it is, it offers a route that is partly certified, with the rest in progress, and an easy walk across public lands.
The canal route comes in three segments: the McClusky Canal, the westernmost segment, which runs 73.6 miles from Lake Audubon to the Sheyenne River Valley; then follows an off-road hiking route for 32 miles across prairie in the reservoir area of Lonetree Wildlife Management Area, then continues east for another 41.5 miles along the as-yet incomplete New Rockford Canal.
The Garrison Diversion has a long and complicated history. Only about half of the project has been completed, in spite of a huge investment, mostly in the '60s and '70s, but major development work has been halted since the early '80s. The result is a political hot potato for much of North Dakota; the hiker stopping in one of the several little towns along the route and admitting that they're hiking the canal route can expect to get an earful about it.
The canal project came as part of the Pick-Sloan Missouri Basin Program, which got under way in 1944 to provide irrigation and flood control; Garrison Dam and Lake Sakakawea were a primary part of this project. As originally envisioned, Garrison would have irrigated more than one million acres in central and eastern North Dakota. In 1965 the initial phase, consisting of 250,000 acres of irrigation, was authorized for construction. Work on the project began in 1967 but progress was sporadic due to environmental and cost concerns.
These issues, as well as Canadian concerns over impacts project flows could have on Canadian waters, resulted in appointment of a special Department of the Interior Secretarial Commission in 1984. It was charged with assessing the water needs of North Dakota and recommending alternatives which would enable the project to proceed. The Commission's recommendations were the basis of the Garrison Diversion Unit Reformulation Act of 1986. The act significantly altered the nature of the project, reducing the irrigation component to 131,000 acres, 17,500 acres of which were to be developed on the Fort Berthold, Standing Rock, and Fort Totten Indian reservations. The act also authorized and provided over $260 million in Federal funding for significant municipal, rural and industrial development. It also called for establishing a Wildlife Trust and required acre-for-acre mitigation of wetlands impacted by project construction.
Only those features of the reformulated project which are consistent with Presidential policy and direction contained in the 1990 Garrison Diversion Unit Task Group Report are supported for funding. Those features include the state grant and Indian water supply programs; Indian irrigation development; recreation and fish and wildlife mitigation and enhancement initiatives; and a minimum level of operation and maintenance of completed facilities. Funding for completion of non-Indian irrigation facilities and related water supply works is not being considered. About $2.8 million is spent annually for routine operation and maintenance of existing facilities along the canal. The project is in limited use today, with irrigation projects only along the western portion, the McCluskey Canal.
North Dakotans are generally not happy about having the partly-completed project just sitting there. North Dakota officials have made a priority of getting the project going again, but as yet without much success. A 1996 proposal calls for $400 million to complete the project, plus another $800 million for water projects related to the canal system, including stabilization of Devil's Lake, to the north, and piping drinking water elsewhere in the state. However, the tough budget environment in Washington, and environmental concerns have kept the proposal from going ahead.
Though the ins and outs are complicated, the Garrison Diversion makes a reasonable walking route on public lands. The route of the NCNST follows the maintenance access roads on either side of the canal, and the gravel road, closed to public motorized vehicles, is generally level. However, this means that large parts of the McClusky Canal are located in cuts, some of them quite deep, where the view is limited, and often uncomfortable on hot days, especially so since shade on hot days is hard to find. Plans for trail development call for developing routes marked with yellow Carsonite posts at the top lip ot the cuts, to provide an alternate route; however, the hiker may wish to still use the maintenance road due to the possibility of ticks in tall grass areas. The trail is not otherwise marked along the McCluskey and New Rockford Canals, but route finding is not a problem, so route descriptions will be limited here. Access limitation signs and other canal related signage exists at road crossings.
Finding water is generally not a problem on the McCluskey segment, as the canal is watered, at least until reaching the easternmost parts; however, on the Lonetree and New Rockford segments more careful water planning is called for. CAMPING: Camping is permitted anywhere along the canal lands, but there are no prepared campsites. Camps should be set up off of the access road. There are public campgrounds at Turtle Lake and McCluskey, and two in the Lonetree Wildlife Management area. Limited services are available at several small towns along the way.
0.0 (0.0) MCCLUSKY CANAL INTAKE STRUCTURE
For the first part of the McClusky, generally speaking the north side of the canal is the preferred side, and is the side where alternate routes will be marked around the cuts. The route leaves the intake structure in such a cut, but often manages to be at or above grade, too.
11.0 (11.0) CROSS SR 41
At the next crossing, 1 mile east of SR41, is the best approach to the town of Turtle Lake. A public campground, with very limited facilities, is located about one mile north of this crossing. The town is about a mile to the south.
TURTLE LAKE, ND 58575 (Pop. 707). Restaurant, grocery store, hardware, drug store.
15.5 (4.5) CROSS SR 200
The canal is frequently in cuts for the next few miles.
24.4 (8.9) CROSS CH29
Between CH29 and SR41, 8.9 miles further east, the McCluskey Canal crosses the first of several lakes, reaching West Park Lake after about four miles, then East Park Lake about three miles farther on.
32.3 (7.9) CROSS SR 41
At SR41, the preferred side of the canal changes to the south side of the canal, for the sake of better passage around Heckers Lake, New John's Lake and some marshy areas. About 2.4 miles east of SR41, near the west end of Heckers Lake, enter Burleigh County.
41.3 (9.0) CROSS HWY FAS0819
The preferred route shifts back to the north (soon to be west) side of the canal. After about 2 miles, enter Sheridan County.
44.4 (3.1) CROSS UNNAMED RD.
About 2.5 miles north of the crossing, the side of the original John's Lake is reached. The lake was a casualty of canal construction, and is now a marsh.
48.8 (4.4) CROSS UNNAMED ROAD
55.0 (6.2) CROSS SR 200.
The preferred route switches back to the east side of the canal, using SR200 for a crossover. The McCluskey Canal administration offices are just to the west. The village of McCluskey is about 2.8 miles to the east. A final canal lake is about 2.5 miles north along the canal.
MCCLUSKEY ND, 58463 (Pop. 658) is the first reasonable place since Turtle Lake for resupply. The town has a restaurant, motel, grocery, hardware store, drug store, convenience store, and a municipal campground with limited facilities located to the south of town.
59.7 (4.7) CROSS HWY FAS 4211
Water becomes more of a problem past this point. The canal is less watered, and may be dry in the dry season; the next dependable water is at a small lake a couple miles into Lonetree Wildlife Management Area. There are a few farmhouses within sight of the canal, but widely spaced. Even if the canal has water, care should be taken, as what water there is may be stagnant. In this area, the Red River drainage is entered. After about 13.5 miles, the route reaches a 100-foot deep valley, and descends half a mile down a coulee to the Sheyenne River, and the start of the certified trail in Lonetree Wildlife Management Area.
73.6 (14.0) ENTER LONETREE WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA
26.3 miles of trail were certified in Lonetree WMA in 1995. There is no cut trail; the route goes through tall grass from one yellow trail marker to the next. The trail markers in Lonetree have a reputation for being rather far apart, and it's often hard to pick out the yellow Carsonite posts with the blue NCNST star, as they can get lost in a field of flowers; a map, compass, and perhaps binoculars are recommended for finding the trail route, but expect to be a little lost at times anyway, especially east of Coal Mine Lake. Some sections of the trail follow long-abandoned roads that have been disked up and planted to prairie grass. Ticks are a problem in Lonetree's tall grass, sometimes difficult walking. There are three campgrounds in Lonetree, all with very limited facilities. Low-impact camping is permitted anywhere along the trail, although sites with water are few.
The first section of the trail in Lonetree WMA follows the Sheyenne River -- an intermittant stream this far west. After about 1.5 miles, generally through prairie grass, the trail leaves the faint trace of river. After about another 2 miles, the route crosses an unnamed gravel road and rejoins what there is of the river; reliable water is available in a lake about a quarter mile to the east of the trail. About 3.5 miles further on, near the crossing of an unnamed road half a mile west of SR14, is a small prepared campground with limited facilities.
81.2 (7.6) CROSS SR 14
Water isn't a concern for the next few miles. The trail follows a ridge overlooking Sheyenne Lake to the north, then descends to cross an embankment between Sheyenne Lake to the west and Coal Mine Lake to the east. The trail continues along the north shore of Coal Mine Lake; at the east end of the lake is another campground with limited facilities. The trail turns south around the east end of the lake, crossing the dam's spillway, and continues out to an unnamed gravel road, where it turns west for about 0.1 mile. If water is high, the wade can be avoided by bushwhacking east about 0.1 miles to an old road, then south for about 0.3 miles until reaching a gravel road, then heading back to the west about 0.3 miles to rejoin the marked trail.
88.0 (6.8) CROSS UNNAMED ROAD
About 0.1 mile west of the campground service road, the trail turns south on an abandoned road, and follows it south for about 0.8 mile before turning east across the grasslands. After about 2.5 miles, the route joins another abandoned road, and follows it eastward across the Sheyenne River and turns south to again cross the river after about 1.2 miles on another abandoned road. About 0.7 miles past the turn, the route turns east to reach the third of the campgrounds, again with limited facilities. The campground is located to the south of the trail; an access road continues south.
93.8 (5.8) PASS CAMPGROUND
The trail continues east from the campground for over a mile, winding around a bit before reaching another abandoned road, where it turns north for about 0.8 miles before turning east on another abandoned road. After a mile, it crosses into Wells County and heads southeast across the field; after about 1.6 miles crosses an unnamed road, and turns more southerly for another half mile, reaching the Sheyenne River yet again.
98.9 (5.1) CROSS SHEYENNE RIVER
This is the last crossing of the Sheyenne River for a while, but the long-distance hiker isn't done with this creek yet; it will be nearby for much of the trip through North Dakota. This small stream drains into the Red River, and, eventually, to Hudson Bay and the Arctic Ocean. The trail climbs a hill to the east of the road, and follows the bluff overlooking the valley northward for about 3.5 miles before it turns away from the river at a small coulee. The route heads east across prairie grass for about 1.0 mile, turns northeast for about 0.8 mile, then follows an old road and a fence row eastward for about another 1.3 miles until reaching the east trailhead, located on an unnamed gravel road paralleling and a mile west of SR3.
105.6 (6.7) EAST LONETREE TRAILHEAD; START NEW ROCKFORD CANAL
The start of the New Rockford Canal, the unfinished middle segment of the Garrison Diversion Project (the eastern segment has never been started), lies about 200 yards northeast of the east Lonetree WMA trailhead, up a canal access road. The New Rockford Canal starts in the middle of a field, the canal walls rearing up to either side, but just coming to a stop, leaving an empty, usually unwatered (except for standing water) canal between them. Yet, from here to New Rockford, the canal is nearly completed, with solid bridges and control structures. The New Rockford Canal is generally a more pleasant walk than the McClusky, because most of the level walk is slightly above grade level, giving a pleasant, elevated view instead of the bleakness of the McClusky's many cuts. However, water is a problem, and some hikers have likened it to a desert walk, mitigated by a few farmhouses along the way, and a few tiny towns, generally without services, within striking distance of the canal. After 1.4 miles, SR 3 is reached.
107.0 (1.4) CROSS SR3
HARVEY, ND 58341(Pop 2327) is located about 4 miles north of the SR3 crossing of the New Rockford Canal. A big town for this neck of the woods, it's the first good chance since McCluskey for resupply. Restaurant, grocery store, hardware, drug store, convenience store, other merchandise.
111.4 (4.4) CROSS US52
About 0.4 miles past US52, the canal joins a paralleling gravel road, separate from the canal maintenance road the trail follows.
115.8 (4.4) CROSS FAS755
MANFRED ND 58341 (Pop. 27) is about 2.5 miles south. General store.
126.8 (11.0) CROSS SR30
HAMBERG, ND 58337 (Pop. 41) is about 2 miles north. General store.
132.8 (6.0) CROSS FAS 154.
Enter Eddy County about 4 miles east of FAS 154.
BREMEN, ND 58319 is one mile north. Services doubtful.
146.1 (13.3) CROSS US 281
NEW ROCKFORD, ND 58356 (Pop 1791) is about 3.0 miles south, and provides the best services between Harvey and Valley City. Restaurant, grocery, convenience store, hardware, drug store.
147.1 REACH UNNAMED ROAD
The route follows the New Rockford Canal east for another mile, then turns north at an unnamed road, the beginning of the next section. The canal continues east another half mile, then ends in the middle of another field, just like it started. Description of this segment ends at this point.