Barry the Whitewater Kayaker who I met at the confluence of the Missouri and Yellowstone highly recommended going up the Knife river to see the NPS site called the Knife River Indian Village.
So when I found the Knife I took a right turn and upstream I went.
I paddled pushed, pulled and shoved until I arrived at Sakawea Park in the City of Stanton, ND and overnighted there.
The next morning was more of the same. The river had dropped over night and we kept going until it became just too hot to drag the canoe any further.
You could not see anything at all over the banks at this point.
I had earlier phoned the site and found Mindy who greatly helped me figure out where I was in relation to the site.
Figuring I was close Zeusy and I climbed the bank only to find an even higher and steeper levee.
Over we went and we found a massive field.
Time to call Mindy again. After a few minutes comparing landmarks off I went.
I walked about a mile through the field when I ran smack dab into it!
Made it!
First person to find was Mindy and gave her a huge thank you!
Here we met Jeff who was very informative about the site.
Three villages were here for many, many years.
Using earth lodges as homes the people farmed, hunted and to a lesser extent fished for the substinance.
The lodges have been worn down to small mounds but still give an idea of the layout of the homes.
Inside a re-creation of a lodge I spotted something I haven’t seen in months. A bed. Oh the temptation in the cool earthen lodge!
Soon I was back to the Knife river and after an easier 3 mile trip downstream we returned to our journey on the Missouri river.
I would also say thank you to the employee who gave up her lunch tupperware so Zeusy could have some water. I am sorry I did not get your name because I was really excited about being there!
Here is the link!
In The Middle of Somewhere 