Washburn Discovery Trail: concrete river return
North Dakota · Greenway
At Harmony Park by the Interpretive Center, follow the signed concrete Discovery Trail toward Riverside Park for up to one mile and retrace. Turn earlier at a steep slope, street interface, flood debris or gate.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Washburn · North Dakota
- Ride length
- Up to 2 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Concrete designated Discovery multi-use trail; not adjacent dirt/ATV routes
- Road crossings
- Designated separated shared path only. Stop at street/driveway crossings; no ordinary-road detour.
- Elevation
- Hills and riverbank transitions require effort. A 2018 visitor-bureau profile reports a short 150-foot stretch at 8.3 percent; it is historical context, not a fresh grade survey or a guarantee the selected return avoids it. Walk steep stretches and turn back if uncomfortable.
- Starting location
- Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center Discovery Trail access, 2576 8th Street SW, Washburn, ND 58577
Conservative selected distance cap; turn at half the listed return distance or earlier. Not a GPS measurement; parking walks are extra.
Approximate street-location reference near the published public start. It is not a surveyed parking entrance, trailhead pin or cycling route. Use the written arrival address and posted access signs.
Trailhead
Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center Discovery Trail access2576 8th Street SW, Washburn, ND 58577
Trail publisher identifies public trail parking at the Interpretive Center, whose state manager publishes 2576 8th Street Southwest. Use signed open visitor parking and confirm access with current seasonal center/gate notices. Museum admission and trail access are different; no free after-hours lot access or inspected entrance is promised.
Address source ↗Washburn Discovery Trail: concrete river return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-11-06. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A concrete riverside outing with hill warnings and a flexible turnaround.
Start and parking
Start: Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center Discovery Trail access, 2576 8th Street SW, Washburn, ND 58577.
Trail publisher identifies public trail parking at the Interpretive Center, whose state manager publishes 2576 8th Street Southwest. Use signed open visitor parking and confirm access with current seasonal center/gate notices. Museum admission and trail access are different; no free after-hours lot access or inspected entrance is promised.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 2 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: At Harmony Park by the Interpretive Center, follow the signed concrete Discovery Trail toward Riverside Park for up to one mile and retrace. Turn earlier at a steep slope, street interface, flood debris or gate.
Current city information explicitly welcomes bicycles on its broader riverside trail system. The historical designated Discovery segment is 2.2 miles, while the city describes a 4.5-mile system; those different extents are not added or doubled here. ATV areas and unpaved branches are excluded.
Conservative selected distance cap; turn at half the listed return distance or earlier. Not a GPS measurement; parking walks are extra. Parking walks are extra.
Surface and effort
Concrete designated Discovery multi-use trail; not adjacent dirt/ATV routes. Hills and riverbank transitions require effort. A 2018 visitor-bureau profile reports a short 150-foot stretch at 8.3 percent; it is historical context, not a fresh grade survey or a guarantee the selected return avoids it. Walk steep stretches and turn back if uncomfortable.
Yield to walkers, slow for blind bends and stop at every street, driveway and parking crossing. Wet boardwalks, loose gravel, flooding, debris and ice can change suitability. Turn back rather than bypass a closure or enter motor traffic.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and posted trail/parking gates. Current Interpretive Center building hours vary seasonally; do not assume a closed building means an open parking gate. Museum/fort admission is charged for those attractions. No separate Discovery cycling fee independently established; check current parking/access terms.
Reviewed November 6, 2026. Public path access and bicycle use are supported by the cited sources. No same-day condition clearance or universal e-bike class permission is claimed. Follow current signs and manager notices.
Map and Directions
The map is a published facility or corridor reference, not a surveyed parking entrance. Directions use the named public street destination above. The parking entrance and individual stalls have not been independently checked.