Village Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Historical Significance · River/Creek · Wildflowers

The visitor center provides the only services for the Villages River Trail. Restrooms and water can be found at the visitor center. The trail is exposed from the visitor center to the villages, so make sure that you carry some water and where a hat and use sunscreen, especially in the heat of the summer.

The trail is compact gravel, making this an easy, but short run.

The Village Trail departs the back for the visitor center near the earthlodge and Hidatsa garden that give you an idea of how the people lived here. Take time to enjoy the earthlodge before heading straight ahead out into the prairie as you descend gently toward the first village. Informational signs can be found along the trail giving you information on the environment and history of the people that once called this place home. Keep your eyes open for birds, butterflies, and other animals that call the area home. You'll quickly come to the Awatixa Xie Village (Lower Hidatsa Site). The depressions in the ground indicate the location of earth lodges.

This village is the older of the two and indicate that this was a densely populated area. Continuing ahead, the trail comes to a junction where a younger Awatixa Village (Sakakawea Site) sits in front of you. You can go to the left and make your way around the site to the point where you over look the Knife River. From here, you have a nice view of the Knife River, and the location of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Unfortunately, due to erosion along the bank, the cutback that you previously could take along the river to the other side of the village is closed.

If you go to the right at the junction instead of the left, you pass through a small grove of trees and quickly arrive at the river bank where you can enjoy the views of the site and the Knife River. To get back to the visitor center, simply follow the path back up hill to where you started.

Flowers and grasses that are found in the prairie ecosystem can be found here. Numerous birds can be found flying around the site, and small animals can be seen along the trail.