Getting Oriented
Pembina Gorge cuts through the Pembina Hills in the far northeast corner of North Dakota, about eight miles northwest of Walhalla near the Manitoba border. The Pembina River carved the gorge, exposing valley walls in a part of the state where terrain like this is rare. North Dakota Parks and Recreation opened the area as a state recreation area in 2012 and later folded it into the park system as the state's 14th state park, breaking ground on expanded facilities in 2024. The gorge holds the largest unbroken forest tract in North Dakota; state park surveys count more than 480 plant species along its slopes.
Trail Overview
The OHV network covers roughly 16 miles of the recreation area's 30-mile multi-use trail system, open to Class 1 motorcycles/dirt bikes, Class 2 ATVs, and Class 3 UTVs and side-by-sides up to 60 inches wide. Two loops, Lady Slipper and Blazing Star, are reserved for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders; every other trail in the system carries OHV traffic. The tread runs through wooded hillside single- and double-track, climbing in and out of the river valley rather than crossing open prairie, with grade changes and tight turns in place of long straightaways. ND Parks doesn't publish a technical difficulty rating for the system; the terrain reads as moderate, more about managing hills and turns than crawling over obstacles. Motorized use runs the third weekend in May through mid-October and closes temporarily after heavy rain.
Points of Interest
- Pembina River access. A truss bridge and gravel put-in near the trailhead area serve as the launch point for the park's guided kayak trips on the Pembina River.
- Lady Slipper Loop and Blazing Star Loop. The system's two non-motorized trails, closed to OHVs and reserved for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders.
- Multi-use singletrack through the gorge. Most of the OHV network doubles as the park's mountain-biking and hiking trail, so riders share tread with non-motorized traffic on the open sections.
Where to Camp
Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area runs its own campground at four price tiers: $30-35 a night for the top tier, $25-30 for standard and group sites, and $15 for primitive sites. Reservations go through reservendparks.com.
Tips for a Safe and Enjoyable Trip
- ND OHV registration ($20/year through ND DOT) is required for residents; non-residents need a $10 non-resident trails and lands access permit, valid January through December, available at any state park, by phone at 701-328-5357, or online at travel.parkrecnd.com.
- Riders must be at least 12 years old and hold an OHV safety certificate; anyone under 18 must wear a helmet.
- Trails close temporarily after significant rainfall; call the park office at (701) 549-2444 or check parkrec.nd.gov before a trip during wet weather.
- Riders must carry proof of liability insurance and obey standard traffic law while on the trail system.
- Lady Slipper Loop and Blazing Star Loop are closed to OHVs at all times, and the shared sections mix in hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders.
Fuel and Water
The trailhead has no fuel or potable water on site. Walhalla, about eight miles southeast, is the closest town.
Nearby
Frost Fire Park, a former ski hill now run as a summer adventure park with a zipline and mountain-bike trails, sits about 2.5 miles from the OHV trailhead near Walhalla.
