Cross Ranch State Park

Cross Ranch State Park
North Dakota State Park
Missouri River from Cross Ranch State Park
Country United States
State North Dakota
County Oliver
Elevation 1,759 ft (536 m) [1]
Coordinates 47°12′26″N 101°00′17″W / 47.20722°N 101.00472°W / 47.20722; -101.00472Coordinates: 47°12′26″N 101°00′17″W / 47.20722°N 101.00472°W / 47.20722; -101.00472 [1]
Area 589 acres (238 ha)
Established 1989 [2]
Management North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department
Location in North Dakota
Website: Cross Ranch State Park

Cross Ranch State Park is a public recreation area covering 589 acres (238 ha) on the west bank of the Missouri River in Oliver County, North Dakota.[3] The state park is located 9 miles (14 km) south of Washburn and 22 miles (35 km) east of Center. It lies adjacent to the 6,000-acre (2,400 ha) Cross Ranch Nature Preserve, which features a roaming herd of more than 200 adult bison.[4]

History

In the late 1800s, A.G. Gaines, a scout and land agent for the Burlington Northern Railroad, owned an 11,000-acre ranch where the park and preserve now stand.[5] Although the subsequent owners, Bob and Gladys Levis, wished for the land to become a state park, and its purchase was approved by the state legislature in 1979, Bismarck businessman Robert McCarney funded a statewide referral that killed the proposal.[6] In 1982, The Nature Conservancy purchased the ranch from the Levis, donating land for the state park in 1989, and holding onto 6000 acres for use as a nature preserve.[4]

Activities and amenities

The state park and nature preserve provide over 16 miles (26 km) of trails for hiking and cross-country skiing.[7] In addition, the state park offers boating, canoeing, cabins, yurts, and campsites.[3]

References

  1. 1 2 "Cross Ranch". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey.
  2. ↑ "Timeline". North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "Cross Ranch State Park". North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
  4. 1 2 Gehring, Brian (May 24, 2012). "Cross Ranch area offers history and eco-diversity". Bismarck Tribune. Bismarck, N.D. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  5. ↑ "History of Cross Ranch State Park". North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Historical Overview". North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Retrieved December 8, 2017.
  7. ↑ "Cross Ranch State Park Trails". North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. Retrieved July 1, 2014.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.