Beaver Lake State Park, nestled within the rolling prairies of South Central North Dakota, offers opportunities for swimming, boating, hiking, mountain biking, camping, fishing, birdwatching, and picnicking. This peaceful area lies along the shoreline of Beaver Lake about 90 miles from Bismarck.
Beaver Lake State Park plays a significant role in its community with historical ties to the early settlers of Logan, McIntosh and Emmons counties; by featuring an historic cairn dedicated to the park’s founders; and by its charming camping loop that was once used as a horse racing track.
Activities
Have fun exploring the trails, kayaking, fishing, or swimming in Beaver Lake, or just taking a break in one of the scenic picnic areas. This serene North Dakota state park also features a spacious campground, a playground, and picnic shelters that have restrooms and electricity to make your stay more comfortable.
If you’re thinking about visiting during the winter, you’ll enjoy snowshoeing and ice fishing.
Here are some of the activities that you can do during your visit to Beaver Lake State Park:
Boating at Beaver Lake State Park
Grab your kayak, canoe, boat, or jet skis and spend a fun day out on Beaver Lake. For convenient access to the 964-acre lake, a boat ramp is located within the park. Kayak rentals are available seasonally.
Swimming at Beaver Lake State Park
The serene area along the 964 acre Beaver Lake offers guests a variety of summertime activities including swimming, floating, sunbathing, kayaking, jet skiing, and fishing. If you plan to visit Beaver Lake State Park during the summer you’ll be delighted by the refreshing waters of Beaver Lake and the secluded beach area that’s surrounded by wildflowers and mixed grass prairie.
Hiking at Beaver Lake State Park
Beaver Lake State Park has more than five miles of trails that wind through the surrounding woodlands, rolling prairie and along the lake’s shore. These trails are open year round for hiking, plus mountain biking during the summer and snowshoeing during the winter. Trail guides are available at the park’s entrance and headquarters as well as at the trailhead.
Here are a couple of the trails at Beaver Lake State Park:
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The Beaver Lake Nature Trail – This easy to moderate 0.32 mile trail offers hikers a closer look at some of the area’s wildlife, plants, flowers, and geology.
Pick up a trail guide for more information along this self-guided interpretive trail.
- Old Settlers Trails – A 0.49 mile trail that winds through the campground along Beaver Lake. This easy trail starts near the amphitheater and ends near the park entrance. It passes an historic stone cabin and provides spectacular views of the lake.
Biking at Beaver Lake State Park
Many of the trails found within the park are also open for guests with mountain bikes. Here are a couple of popular mountain bike trails at Beaver Lake State Park:
- Moraine Loop Trail – Easy 2.28 mile loop that offers guests spectacular views of the lake from the rocky moraine landscape.
- Rolling Prairie Loop Trail – This 1.02 mile trail offers guests a more secluded ride through wooded ravines and wildflower prairie.
Fishing at Beaver Lake State Park
With the appropriate fishing gear and a North Dakota fishing license you may fish from Beaver Lake all year round.
During the warmer months you may fish from your boat, along the shoreline, or from one of the floating docks scattered around the lake. These floating docks have benches for guests to sit and relax while fishing or nature watching.
Here you may catch bass, bluegill, catfish, crappie, bullhead, Northern pike and perch. And once the lake freezes, ice-fishing becomes popular within Beaver Lake State Park.
Birding at Beaver Lake State Park
Beaver Lake State Park lies within the central flyway. This makes it a prime location to see a variety of species during the early and late winter migrations as well as during the spring and summer. Be sure to bring your binoculars so that you can get a closer look at some of these spectacular species, including swans, pelicans, herons, warblers, goldfinches, kingbirds, meadowlarks, woodpeckers, chickadees, and hawks.
Nature and Wildlife at Beaver Lake State Park
As you walk through the woodlands and prairies, and along the shoreline of Beaver Lake you’ll have ample opportunity to observe the flora and fauna of North Dakota. This picturesque area provides an important habitat for birds, beaver, raccoons, rabbits, deer, squirrels, foxes, and coyotes.
An abundance of plants, trees, and prairie wildflowers such as goldenrod, silver scurfpea, white milkwort, yellow coneflower, and scarlet gaura also exist within this peaceful area.
Pets
Pets are allowed within Beaver Lake State Park as long as they are well behaved and kept on a leash. Pets are not allowed in cabins or park buildings.
Camping
Pack your overnight gear and come spend a few nights inside Beaver Lake State Park. This serene park features 25 modern campsites (with electric and water hookups), 3 group campsites, 5 primitive group campsites, and camping cabins nestled within the woodlands, not far from the lake.
All campsites and cabins have a picnic table and fire ring and access to restrooms and showers. A playground, picnic shelters and a dump station are also located within the campground area.
The 3 camping cabins lie along the lake’s edge not far from the primitive campsites and near the main campground loop. Each cabin has bunk beds and space for up to 5 guests plus air conditioning, heat, a small refrigerator, and a microwave. Guests must bring their own linens.
The camping season runs from about the middle of May through Labor Day weekend each year.
Park Location
Beaver Lake State Park
3850 70th St SE
Wishek, ND 58495
Phone: 701.452.2752
Map
Video
Here is a short YouTube video showcasing several attractions at Beaver Lake State Park:
