CAMP ON THE HEART, DICKINSON, NORTH DAKOTA

Our Opinion: Recommend. Super wide spaces, a river runs through it, and management is mellow but attentive.

Date of Stay: July 11 through 13, 2008

Weather During Stay: Two days of dangerously high winds (temps in the 70’s), followed by a day of heat (high 80’s).

Site Description: Our site, 506, was a wide, level, east-facing back-in with 50 amp FHU with cable TV. The park has a mix of pull-through and back-in sites with varying amenities, including some W/E without S or cable. An above-ground swimming pool is available for guests. Adequate trash containers.

Rate: We paid the Passport America rate, $16/night for 50 amp FHU with cable TV. Very reasonable. Full price, $32/night, would be too high.

Phone/radio/TV: Good cable TV. Tall trees can challenge rooftop mounted satellite antennas. We didn’t try the TV antenna. Verizon phones had 5 bars; aircard on 5 bar Broadband. Local NPR on 89.9

Elevation/Landscape/Terrain: This private park at 2000’ is so roomy, rustic and spacious that it seems more like a county park. Roads and sites are gravel and dirt. The Heart River marks the eastern boundary of the park. Huge cottonwood trees shade many of the sites. This is not a manicured park. Sites are arranged in two long rows, so all sites have expansive views of mowed prairie grasses, big trees, the river and a few nearby rigs.

Lighting/Noise: A train goes by occasionally, but it wasn’t a problem even with windows open. No traffic noise; a hayfield provides a setback between the park and the road. No bright lighting at night.

Favorite Sites: Site 506 worked great for us, but there are many good choices here.

Hiking/Walking: Waling around the park is pleasant, but you need to go elsewhere for walks of any distance.

Comments: Dickinson is one of the larger towns in the area, with a good grocery store (Dan’s), a Walmart, and standard restaurants and other amenities. It is a 30 miles drive to Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s south unit and the tourist activities in the town of Medora. We enjoyed a day spent sightseeing the “Enchanted Highway” to Regent, east of Dickinson. Next trip, we would be likely to stay in Medora at Red Trails Campground, simply for the proximity to the national park.