Welcome to the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, where pristine vistas inspire the imagination; the rugged, unspoiled beauty of the land invites exploration, and where the sights and sounds of the wide, rolling prairie stimulate the senses.

Stretching over 1.2 million acres, the Dakota Prairie Grasslands offer visitors opportunities to view elk, antelope, whitetail and mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyote, sharptail grouse, greater prairie chicken, pheasant, wild turkey, eagles, falcons, and the busy prairie dog. Recreational opportunities are hiking, camping, horseback and mountain bike riding, photography, canoeing, fishing, hunting, and backpacking.

The Dakota Prairie Grasslands are not solid blocks of National Forest System lands; they are intermingled with other federal, state, and privately owned lands. This mixed ownership pattern contributes to the uniqueness of the Grassland.

The Dakota Prairie Grasslands are publicly owned lands administered by the United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service. These large blocks of land in North and South Dakota are home to four Ranger District Offices: the Grand River Ranger District Office on the Grand River and Cedar River National Grasslands; the Sheyenne Ranger District Office on the Sheyenne National Grasslands; and the McKenzie Ranger District Office and the Medora Ranger District Office on the Little Missouri National Grasslands.

Each Grassland District has a flavor all its own. From the savannas of the Grand and Cedar River National Grasslands to the rugged badlands of the Little Missouri National Grasslands and the rolling plains of the Sheyenne National Grasslands, visitors can enjoy a wide range of outdoor recreation activities and witness the varied resource uses available on the grasslands. Resource use encompasses paleontological and archeological digs, oil and gas production, livestock grazing, and recreation.

The Dakota Prairie Grasslands hold a treasure trove of natural science, revealing its secrets to scientists, hobbyists, and enthusiasts who come here to observe, study, and conduct research. This unique outdoor laboratory has studied plants and animals, rocks and minerals, precious water resources, and even the air.