Smith Grove Wildlife Management Area

This nature preserve protects native prairie, a declining, but important habitat in North Dakota.  Some of the cottonwood trees here are over 200 years old, meaning that they were here when Lewis and Clark passed through this area.  Similar trees were used by Lewis and Clark to create cottonwood canoes, which contributed to the success of the mission.  Furthermore, the expedition learned from local indigenous tribes about the varied uses of cottonwood trees for food, medicine, and transport.  This nature preserve contains approximately 30 actors of river bottom woodlands and 45 acres of native mixed-grass/shortgrass prairie and prairie woodland thickets and features hiking trails.