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Major city · United States

GarrisonGarrison, North Dakota

Give Garrison one night as a Lake Sakakawea base: Fort Stevenson State Park, the dam tour and the Guardhouse fill a day; two nights if you fish.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
Jun–Sep
avoid Nov–Mar (ice, snow, many services closed)
Airports
MOT · BIS · N60
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Garrison is a town of about 1,450 people on US 83 in the Lakes and Gardens region of North Dakota, 40 miles south of Minot and roughly 70 miles north of Bismarck. It is a lake town, not a sightseeing city: the draw is Fort Stevenson State Park on Lake Sakakawea, the Garrison Dam, and walleye fishing. Most travellers pass through on US 83 or stop for one or two nights between Minot and Bismarck. A car is effectively required.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Garrison, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$2–4
  • Sit-down mealSupper-club dinner (steak or walleye)$18–35
  • Street or quick mealDiner breakfast$8–14
  • BeerDraught beer in a bar$4–7
  • Budget bedCampsite (tent or RV), a night, per roomUS$17
  • Mid-range bedMotel room in town, a night, per roomUS$110
  • High-end bedMotel room in town, a night, per roomUS$150

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$90 · Mid US$145 · High US$230

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Fort Stevenson State Park and Lake SakakaweaGarrison Dam and Power PlantWalleye fishingCamp Atchison State Historic Site
Airports
MOT Minot International (About 40 miles north via US 83; Delta serves it. The closest useful airport.) · BIS Bismarck Municipal (About 70 miles south via US 83; Delta, United and Allegiant serve it.) · N60 Garrison Municipal Airport (City-run civil aviation field; no scheduled passenger service.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Garrison: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−7°C

−18°C

7 rd

Feb

−4°C

−15°C

6 rd

Mar

3°C

−8°C

7 rd

Apr

12°C

0°C

8 rd

May

19°C

6°C

10 rd

Jun

24°C

11°C

11 rd

Jul

28°C

14°C

9 rd

Aug

27°C

13°C

8 rd

Sep

21°C

8°C

8 rd

Oct

13°C

1°C

7 rd

Nov

3°C

−7°C

7 rd

Dec

−4°C

−15°C

7 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the practical way to move: sights sit along US 83, ND 37 and ND 1804, and the dam is about 30 miles southwest on ND 200. Souris Basin Transportation runs a local dial-a-ride service and monthly buses to Minot and Bismarck, but you must call before 4PM Central the day before. New Town Bus Lines runs Minot–Bismarck daily except Wednesdays and Saturdays and will only stop in Garrison with a prior reservation.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time

Fort Stevenson State Park

go

Door to door: About 15–20 min (check)

Drive ND 37 and county roads to the north shore of Lake Sakakawea

Camping, cabins, boat ramps, marina and a Guardhouse interpretive center; the base for walleye fishing.

Garrison Dam and Power Plant

go

Door to door: About 40 min

Drive ND 200 southwest

Free guided tour of the dam and power plant, roughly 1–2 hours, seasonal and daytime only: check dates before driving.

Camp Atchison State Historic Site

caution

Door to door: About 20–30 min (check)

Drive south of Garrison on county roads

An open historic marker, not a built attraction; free, donations welcome. Combine it with the dam.

Minot

go

Door to door: About 45–55 min

Drive US 83 north

The nearest city with an airport, Amtrak's Empire Builder and a wider choice of hotels and restaurants.

Bismarck

caution

Door to door: About 1 h 20 min

Drive US 83 south

Doable as a long day out; better as a stop on the way south.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

In town (Main Street and Central Avenue)

Motel and B&B rooms within walking distance of the cafés and bars; best if you want a bed and a meal without driving.

Fort Stevenson State Park and the lake shore

Camping and cabins on the north shore of Lake Sakakawea, about 10 minutes from town; best for fishing and boating trips.

Highway 37 corridor and RV parks

RV hook-ups and campgrounds east of town near the golf course; best for self-contained road trips.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$70–110 excl. bed
Mid
$110–180 excl. bed
High
$180+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Motel room in town1 × 1 night × US$110US$110
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$145US$290
Car fuel, Minot–Garrison–lake loop, one day1 × US$25 · checkUS$25
Garrison Golf Course, 18 holes plus cart2 × US$46 · checkUS$92
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$15US$30
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$55
Trip total≈ US$301 per person per day, bed includedUS$602

2026 estimate in US dollars; sales tax added at checkout. Flights and car hire excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$2–4
Diner breakfast$8–14
Supper-club dinner (steak or walleye)$18–35
Draught beer in a bar$4–7
Gallon of petrolcheck$3–3.60
State-park camping, per nightcheck$17–30
State-park cabin, per nightcheck$60–70

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Garrison is a small, low-crime town and feels safe day and night. The real risks are driving: long empty highways, deer at dusk, winter ice and storms on Lake Sakakawea.
  • Distances are long and cell coverage is patchy outside town: fill the tank in Garrison or Minot before heading to the lake.
  • Winter brings ice, snow and wind; some campgrounds and seasonal businesses close from late October to May.
  • Bus service is reservation-only and runs on set days: confirm by phone the day before, or you have no ride.
  • Lake Sakakawea levels and boat ramps vary by season: check current conditions before launching.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire and ambulance
911

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

Stays in this browser only; nothing is sent anywhere.

GarrisonGarrison, North Dakota

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

Please take me to this addressPlease take me to this address

Emergency

  • Police, fire and ambulance911

Embassy

No embassies in Garrison; consulates and embassies are in larger US cities. For lost passports, contact your country's nearest consulate — check the address before you travel.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Minot → Garrison by car: about 40 miles on US 83, 45–55 min
  • Bismarck → Garrison by car: about 70 miles on US 83, 1 h 20 min
  • Garrison → Garrison Dam by car: about 30 miles on ND 200, 40 min

Say or show

  • Where is the boat ramp? — Where is the boat ramp?
  • Is the dam tour running today? — Is the dam tour running today?
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • How far is the lake from here? — How far is the lake from here?

Small-town services: many businesses keep short or seasonal hours. Call ahead.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Garrison. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Jun–Sep · avoid Nov–Mar (ice, snow, many services closed) · month by month →
  2. 3 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for MOT and BIS: last-drive times, winter road risk and a Minot overnight fallback.
  2. Walking cluster for Main Street with verified hours for the museum, cafés and bars.
  3. Lake day fixture: Fort Stevenson ramps, marina and dam tour cutoffs checked seasonally.
  4. Reservation-only bus and dial-a-ride rules tested so the no-car path is honest.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources