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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Zap
Skip unless you're driving the Enchanted Highway or need a quiet stop between Lake Sakakawea and I-94: 30 minutes, no sights.
Zap is a 237-person town in Western North Dakota, 25 miles north of I-94 and 15 miles south of Lake Sakakawea. It has a grocery-grill, two bars and a city-park RV area. Most travellers pass through in under an hour; the town works as a fuel-and-snack stop or a base for fishing the lake.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, limited services)
- Stay
- 0 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $50–80 excl. bed · Mid $80–150 excl. bed · High $150+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Meal at T & G Grocery & Grill | $10–20 |
| Draft beer at Lignite Bar | $4–6 |
| RV site with full hookup | $25–35 |
| Tent site | $15–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- BIS · Bismarck Municipal Airport
- About 1 h 15 min drive via I-94 and ND-200
- MOT · Minot International Airport
- About 1 h 30 min drive via US-83 and ND-200
Typical fares
- Zap to Beulah (ND-200)
- about 15 min drive
- Zap to Theodore Roosevelt NP (North Unit)
- about 1 h drive
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
You need a car. The town is walkable in 15 minutes; everything else requires driving.
See and do
Known for
- Zap City Park RV Area
- Lignite Bar
- Little Dipper Bar & Lounge
- Lake Sakakawea access
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Lake Sakakawea | Drive north on ND-200 about 15 min | 20 min |
| Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit) | Drive west on ND-200 about 1 h | 1 h 15 min |
| Beulah | Drive east on ND-200 about 15 min | 20 min |
Sleep
- Zap City Park
- RV sites and tent camping in the city park; book by phone.
- Beaver Bay Recreation Area
- Primitive campground north of town near Lake Sakakawea.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Howdy |
| Thank you | Thanks |
| How much is it? | How much? |
| Where is the gas station? | Where's the nearest gas station? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- No gas station in town: fill up in Beulah or Hazen before heading north.
- Cell service can be patchy; download maps offline.
- Bars and the grill may close early or be closed on Sundays: call ahead.
Very low crime. Risks are limited to winter driving on ND-200 and wildlife on the road at dusk.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Zap yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Zap City Park RV Area
- Lignite Bar
- Little Dipper Bar & Lounge
- Lake Sakakawea access
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Zap, revision 5104338 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5104338
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Zap
Take me here
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/zap). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.