“Military and Native History!”
Rich in both military and early Native American history, Fort Abraham Lincoln was once an important infantry and calvalry post. It was from this fort that Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and the Seventh Calvalry rode out on their ill-fated expedition against the Sioux at the Little Big Horn. Portions of the military post, including the Custer House, have been reconstructed. The Mandan Indian tribe established a village at the confluence of the Missouri and Heart Rivers in about 1575. They built earthlodges and thrived in their community by hunting bison and growing a number of crops. Two hundred years later, an outbreak of smallpox caused the Mandan population to significantly decrease. The Mandan resettled, and in the 1870s the area along the west banks of the Missouri, the same location where the Mandan tribe had established their village, a military post was built in June 1872 by two companies of the 6th U.S. Infantry under Lt. Col. Daniel Huston, Jr. as Fort McKeen, opposite Bismarck, Dakota Territory
Reviews of Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park
27 people have reviewed this location
Ratings Summary
Cell Coverage
Verizon 4G
Confirmed by 18 users | Last reported on September 17, 2023AT&T 4G/5G
Confirmed by 8 users | Last reported on May 08, 2024T-Mobile 4G/5G
Confirmed by 2 users | Last reported on July 05, 2023Reviews
Go and stay. This was great. I wish we planned to spend an entire day, not just an overnight stop. Loris to do and see right there. Campgrounds were shaded in many spots. Primitive toilets at one end, but clean bathroom and shower in mid park.
Great look at some history both military and indian. Nice museum and outdoor indian village. We only paid the $7 park entrance fee [no guided tours] and were perfectly happy. Took us a little over an hour. Really enjoyed this. Park is well maintained and staffed, everyone was friendly.
We used this as an overnight stop on a cross country trip in lieu of a Wallmart or the like. The park is located about 15 minutes south of the interstate and there is a good grocery store on the way to stock up. This is a beautiful little ND state park with some military and Native American history. Many sites offer views of the Heart and Missouri Rivers. There are full service sites here although we opted for a water only site. The sites are typical for a state park and offer a good amount of separation.
Nightly Rate: $12.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 61
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
We stayed here for a few nights on our way across North Dakota. The day we arrived (a Thursday) the park was empty except for us and the camp host. The next night the entire park was full! I guess this is considered the local hot spot for camping in the summer. Despite the crowds, we had a pleasant stay. The sites are far apart with lots of grass and tall trees for shade.
We enjoyed the walking trails along the river and took a self-guided tour of the old military buildings and native american village. There's even a bike path you can ride all the way into town.
Nightly Rate: $23.00
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: 74
RV Length: 25 ft
RV Type: Travel Trailer
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
AT&T 4G
Stayed here for 1 night while traveling home. Nice and quiet with a great bike/run/walk paths. Bathrooms were spotless and staff was great!
Nightly Rate: $23.00
Days Stayed: 1
Site Number: 86
RV Length: 25 ft
RV Type: Travel Trailer
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
One of the best state parks I've been in. Staff very friendly and informative, well spaced sites, clean, 6 miles to groceries and RV service, and the history exhibits and info is some of the best. The surrounding countryside makes for beautiful rides. Western history buffs - it's a must go to!!!
Nightly Rate: $32.00
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: 9
Cell Coverage Rating
AT&T 4G
Well maintained and clean campground! Sites are are well spaced! Lots of cottonwood trees for shade!
Reconstructed Fort buildings help visualize what it was like for Army soldiers during late 1800s! Although they need to work on their historical accuracy! Dishes in enlisted barracks were labeled made China!
There is also a partially reconstructed Mandan Indian Village from the 1700-1800s period!
Many miles of multiuse trails from easy to moderate! Also, there are paved bike and hiking trails!
Close to Bismarck for shopping and dining!
Some sites have shared water faucets, which are up to 100 feet from the site!
There are several shared pull through sites (2 rigs) for those that travel with friends!
Nightly Rate: $25.00
Days Stayed: 5
Site Number: 80
RV Length: 34 ft
RV Type: Fifth Wheel
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
This is a beautiful state park campground. We had truck troubles on our way out west, and so decided to pull into somewhere with hookups instead of just an overnight parking lot as planned. Turned out we had to stay xtra days for truck repairs so were happy to have water and electric! The attendant was so helpful as we pulled in after 9pm but they took great care of us. Nice pull thru sites for larger rigs as well as tent camping. Would definitely come back again!
Nightly Rate: $25.00
Days Stayed: 3
Site Number: 73
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
We used this State Park as a place for down time and this fit the bill. Pros and Cons:
* The State Park personnel were always super friendly and helpful, if needed;
* The showers/bathrooms were very clean and plenty of hot water;
* Had miles of trails to ride the bikes;
* Had plenty of trails for hiking;
* There was lots of historical buildings, museums and tours within the park;
* The south loop was relatively quieter than the other loop but strange set up, two rigs per site on some of the sites. It worked for us so no complaints;
* Town facilities were 10 miles so easy if you needed any thing.
* We could only get Verizon to work early in the morning for us to stay connected.
Nightly Rate: $21.00
Days Stayed: 8
Site Number: South Loop #7
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
Note: the price reflects the $25/night site fee + $7 ND State Parks fee + $5.80 booking fee. If you have a ND SP pass or register when you arrive it's only $25/night.
From our arrival where we were greeted by a friendly gate guard to dumping when we left 4 days later, this could not have been a better place. The CG is a bit down the road from the entrance gate so be sure to drive until you see the Campground sign then go down the hill. If you make online reservations be aware that sites 1 and 57 are across from each other and at the campground ENTRANCE though they don't appear to be on the map. There are pull through, shared sites and back in sites throughout. Sites on the other side of the bathhouse seem to be mainly back in. The sites seem to be mostly level though the pull thrus tended to have the level part at the end away from the water hookup (which is shared) None of this was a problem however. When we arrived on a Thursday the CG was virtually deserted but by Friday afternoon filled and empty again by Sunday afternoon. Quiet time is 10pm and despite the large number of families in shared sites and swarms of kids all over, it was dead quiet by then. There are two tipis for rent as well with vault toilets right next to the site and the convergence of the Heart and Missouri Rivers on the other side. There are a number of trails running through and around the CG- some multi use, non- motorized. One trail leads to the trolley stop for the trolley that runs from the park into the town of Mandan (afternoons only). The trail then continues to the Visitor Center for the On-A-Slant Mandan Indian village. * If you have bad knees or are unable to walk up VERY steep stairs, either drive or take the long walking trail that runs from the campground entrance. The center is WELL worth a stop and is done as well as some of the best NPS sites we've seen. The park is huge so a visit to the Commissary and the (reconstructed) Custer house will be a good hike or short drive. The Commissary has excellent coffee and an extensive bookstore as well as other park related items. Each of these places is staffed by very friendly and very interesting personnel who are very knowledgable about the history of the area. This is the oldest state park in ND, established 1907, but not at all like some of the "oldest SP" we have seen.
Back to the CG, itself. 30/20 amp sites with water, no problems with either. Bathhouses are clean, the water is good pressure, toilets are clean. It seemed that other than this main one though the remainder of toilets in the CG were vault. The camp hosts, although we didn't have occasion to talk to them, were circulating frequently and kept the place beautiful. There is firewood available from them and fishing along the shore of the river. The dump is easily accessed and there are 3 large dumpsters next to it that are kept clean.
The park has plenty on its own to keep one entertained for several days but is also less than a 1/2 hour drive from Bismarck and/or Mandan.
Other reviewers are correct that connectivity is not great (boosted we had 3 sometimes 4) but both the nearby visitor center as well as the Commissary have free (open) WiFi available from 9-5. The commissary has tables and the visitor center has comfortable arm chairs.
Nightly Rate: $28.00
Days Stayed: 4
Site Number: 57
RV Length: 33 ft
RV Type: Class A
Cell Coverage Rating
Verizon 4G
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Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park
Hours
- Sun - Sat: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Parking
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Pets Allowed
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Restrooms
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Wifi
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Wheelchair Accessible
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Credit Cards Accepted
- Affiliation
- State park or forest
- Back In RV Sites Count
- 14
- Last Nightly Rate
- 30.0
- Longest Vehicle Length Reported
- 39 ft
- Lowest Nightly Rate
- 12.0
- Max Length
- 70 ft
- Max Stay
- 14
- Pull Through RV Sites Count
- 30
- Sites Count
- 95
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Paved Sites
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Fifty Amp
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Full Hookup
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Rec Facilities
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Pull Through
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Tent Sites
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Dump Station
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Big Rigs
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Open Seasonally
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Age Restricted
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Back In RV Sites
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Boondock
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Cabin Sites
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Dispersed Sites
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Equestrian Facilities
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Firewood
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Fulltime Residents
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Group Tent Sites
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Laundry
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Mobile Homes
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Permit Required
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Potable Water
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Propane
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Public Water
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Pull Through RV Sites
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Reservations
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Sewer Hookup
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Showers
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Sites
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Standard Tent Sites
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Vehicle Wash Permitted
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Water Hookup
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Outdoor Seating
Campground, Parking, Dining, Restrooms
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