McDowell Dam — paved recreation circuit
North Dakota · Greenway
Follow the 0.6-mile paved recreation circuit once and return to the same public approach. The separate 2.4-mile unpaved nature/bicycle loop and boat facilities are excluded.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Bismarck area · North Dakota
- Ride length
- About 0.6 miles
- Ride format
- Loop
- Surface
- Paved designated shared-use loop
- Road crossings
- Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure.
- Elevation
- Local path climbs and bridge/crossing ramps may add effort; no surveyed maximum grade. Walk difficult or icy approaches.
- Starting location
- McDowell Dam public recreation access, 1951 93rd Street NE, Bismarck, ND
Owner-listed paved loop; approach walks and natural trail are extra.
Named public park, facility, address or crossing reference reconciled with owner access descriptions. Some park references are broader than the entrance and do not pinpoint the trail or a parking stall. Follow the written public start and signed paved bicycle route; no driving-route inspection claimed.
McDowell Dam — paved recreation circuit — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-23. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on a documented improved bicycle route. Follow the stated public start and course.
Start and parking
Start: McDowell Dam public recreation access, 1951 93rd Street NE, Bismarck, ND.
Use only signed public visitor/trailhead spaces under current fees, hours and event controls. Private, business, school, golf and reserved spaces are not assumed available.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: About 0.6 miles. Format: Loop.
Ride: Follow the 0.6-mile paved recreation circuit once and return to the same public approach. The separate 2.4-mile unpaved nature/bicycle loop and boat facilities are excluded.
Owner-listed paved loop; approach walks and natural trail are extra.
Surface and effort
Paved designated shared-use loop. Local path climbs and bridge/crossing ramps may add effort; no surveyed maximum grade. Walk difficult or icy approaches.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and obey posted trail, park and parking hours. Follow current public visitor-parking terms; reserved activities and events have separate conditions.
Reviewed 2026-10-23. Documented selected improved bicycle course. Short shared recreation loop with seasonal facilities. Use sunrise-to-sunset access, obey event controls and do not confuse the paved circuit with the longer unpaved lake route. This is a dated source review, not a field inspection or same-day all-clear. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.