Theodore Roosevelt Presidential LibraryPublic Lands Directory

Alerts and conditions

All clear. The managing agency, the National Weather Service and wildfire reporting show no current alerts.

Overview

Between 1828 and 1867, Fort Union was the most important fur trade post on the Upper Missouri River. Here, the Assiniboine and six other Northern Plains Tribes exchanged buffalo robes and smaller furs for goods from around the world, including cloth, guns, blankets, and beads. A bastion of peaceful coexistence, the post annually traded over 25,000 buffalo robes and $100,000 in merchandise.

From the National Park Service

History

The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.

What to see and do

Activities

  • Arts and Culture
  • Craft Demonstrations
  • Cultural Demonstrations
  • Guided Tours
  • Self-Guided Tours - Walking
  • Living History
  • Reenactments
  • Historic Weapons Demonstration
  • Junior Ranger Program
  • Park Film
  • Museum Exhibits
  • Shopping
  • Bookstore and Park Store
  • Gift Shop and Souvenirs

Browse hiking, biking and paddling routes on AllTrails

Plan your visit

Hours

Park Hours: Hours are in the Central time zone.

Getting there

Located on North Dakota Highway 1804 right at the Montana and North Dakota state line. From Williston, ND, approximately 25 miles to the southwest via ND Highways 2 & 1804. From Sidney, MT, approximately 25 miles to the northeast, via MT Highways 200 & 58. Commercial flights and rental cars are available in both Williston, ND and Sidney, MT. Amtrak passenger train service and rental cars are available in Williston, ND.

Visitor centers

Weather

Weather in western North Dakota can be harsh, with extremes in temperature and sudden, violent storms. Be prepared for rapidly changing conditions. Summers are warm with average high temperatures in the 80s-90s May through September. Winters are cold with average lows in the single digits December through February. Wind is considerable year-round. Conditions can change quickly. Travelers should be aware of the potential for violent thunderstorms in the summer and the possibility of blizzards.

Phone: 7015729083

Whose lands these are

These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.

Photos

Candles illuminate the Bourgeois House porch at dusk
Twilight View of the Bourgeois House · NPS Photo / Kris Baxter
Courtyard of Fort Union Trading Post with Bourgeois House, Tipis and US Flag
Fort Union Trading Post Courtyard · NPS Photo
View of Fort Union and the Missouri River looking south
Fort Union and the Missouri River Valley · NPS Photo / Leif Halvorson
White canvas tipis in grassy area, Fort in background.
Tipis fill the fields around at Fort Union · NPS / EMILY SUNBLADE

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