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Bismarck Outdoor Skills Area Trails

OWLS fishing pond sign

The red star on the map is the starting point for both the wetland and upland interpretive trails.

Wetland Trail

Upland Trail Interpretive Stops

Wetland Trail Stops  |  Upland Trail Stops

Wetland Trail

Stop 1. Cattails

Cattails are a common wetland plant found along the edges of wetlands.

They are very beneficial to these habitats, providing food and shelter for a variety of animals and aiding in the filtering and cleansing of runoff entering these water bodies.

Stop 2. Water Cycle

Water is constantly moving in a continuous pattern called the hydrologic cycle.

The sun warms water on the surface of the earth causing it to evaporate and form clouds.

Clouds then drop moisture to the ground in the form of rain or snow.

Each wetland has its own water collection area on the ground called a watershed.

Water stored in wetlands is purified as it moves into the ground.

Part of the water in wetlands evaporates back into the sky to start the cycle once again.

Stop 3. Wetland Benefits

Wetlands are very beneficial for people and wildlife.

They provide important habitat for many wildlife and plant species.

Wetlands create clean water by filtering out pollutants.

They store water and prevent flooding in some areas.

Some water from wetlands filters into the ground creating aquifers which provides a source of water for drinking, irrigation, livestock and industrial uses.

It is important for all of us to keep this source of water clean.

Stop 4. Temporary/Seasonal Wetlands

Temporary and seasonal wetlands only contain water for a portion of the year.

Temporary wetlands will dry out quicker than seasonal wetlands.

Both provide important resting and feeding sites for migrating birds.

Stop 5. Wetland Threats

Wetlands have historically been thought of as not very important areas.

Therefore, many have been drained for agriculture and development.

Today, remaining wetlands are constantly threatened by pollutants and soil that run into them.

Stop 6. Semi-permanent Wetlands

Semi-permanent wetlands contain water year-round unless there has been a period of dry conditions.

Many bird species take advantage of these wetlands for rearing young in what is termed “brood water”.

Vegetation that grows along the shoreline provides good protection from predators.

Shore and wading birds also use these wetlands for feeding areas.

Reptiles and amphibians make this water their homes.

In the winter, vegetation in semi-permanent wetlands can be important cover for both birds and mammals.

Stop 7. Invertebrates

There are thousands of species of invertebrates.

These creatures are characterized by having no backbone and include insects, shellfish, worms and crustaceans.

Since many invertebrates are very small and provide food for larger organisms, they create the beginning of the food chain.

A large variety of invertebrates is generally a good sign of a healthy wetland.

Stop 8. Wetland Birds

Many species of birds utilize wetland habitats for rest stops during migration and raising young.

They are commonly grouped into waterfowl, which includes ducks and geese, and shore or wading birds like herons, sandpipers and egrets.

Some species commonly found in North Dakota wetlands are great blue heron, black-crowned night heron, great egret, avocet, willet and spotted sandpiper.

Stop 9. Small Rivers and Streams

These wetlands move precipitation that falls to earth to storage wetlands, thus helping in flood prevention.

They also provide important habitat for aquatic organisms and many species of mammals and birds that rely on the unique food and cover found in these special habitats.

Upland Trail Interpretive Stops

Stop 1. Riparian Areas

Riparian areas are zones of vegetation that grow along the edges of rivers and streams.

They stabilize vegetation to prevent erosion and sedimentation into other wetlands.

Riparian areas host a variety of unique types of vegetation since they tend to have ample moisture.

Stop 2. Native Grasses and Wildflowers

Native prairie is made up of a variety of grasses and wildflowers that have survived for thousands of years.

A large portion of the native prairie in North Dakota has been converted to cropland.

Many wildlife species that depend on this habitat have been negatively affected by the loss.

Prairie stabilizes the soil to prevent erosion, provides a habitat for ground nesting birds, and its plants provide food for wildlife and insects.

Stop 3. CRP

The Conservation Reserve Program is a government funded plan which puts marginal and highly erodible farmland back into grass.

The vegetation created by CRP over the years has increased the habitat available for wildlife and helps minimize soil erosion.

Stop 4. Wildlife Tracks

Wildlife tracks can be encountered just about everywhere – while camping, hunting, or just relaxing outdoors.

Being able to identify them allows you to see what kinds of animals may live in an area.

Stop 5. Reptiles and Amphibians

These animals are considered “cold-blooded” meaning they can’t regulate their own body temperature.

Amphibians like frogs, toads and salamanders lay eggs in the water that hatch into larvae with gills, then develop into adults with lungs.

Reptiles like turtles, snakes and lizards develop in an egg laid on the ground or in an egg inside the female.

They resemble their parents at the time of hatching.

Stop 6. Man-made Nesting Structures

Artificial nesting structures are not a replacement for good natural habitat, but can be important when natural habitats have been destroyed.

Along with providing important nesting habitat for birds, they also bring wildlife into places where they can be viewed and enjoyed.

Examples of nesting structures include wood duck boxes, bluebird boxes, bat houses, goose nesting tubs and culvert structures, and purple martin houses.

Stop 7. Snags

These include dead trees that have fallen to the ground, into water, or remain standing.

In the water, they help stabilize the banks of rivers and provide habitat for organisms that are food for fish, reptiles, amphibians and birds.

Standing snags provide homes for cavity nesting birds.

Stop 8. Cottonwood Forest

Cottonwood trees are primarily found lining riparian areas and wetlands.

They require a bare piece of earth to get their start.

Fluff y seeds blow around in the air during mid-summer and stick to mud or sand where the water has recently receded.

The historic flooding and receding periods along the Missouri River grew many large cottonwoods.

Since most areas don’t flood today, most cottonwoods are either dead or dying.

Stop 9. Beaver Lodge

Beavers are the largest rodents in North America.

They cut down trees to build dams, creating water habitat for themselves and other wildlife.

They also build a home of cut trees and mud called a lodge.

Their preferred food is the bark of aspen, willow, ash and cottonwood trees.

They make a pile of branches called a cache outside their lodge to survive during winter.

Stop 10. Deciduous Forest

Deciduous trees lose their leaves each fall.

In North Dakota, these forests can be found in the Turtle and Killdeer mountains, along rivers, and in the badlands.

They provide excellent habitat for deer, songbirds, turkey and elk.

Stop 11. Aging Trees

Each year trees leave behind a sign that will help tell their age.

They produce one growth ring each year.

In wet years they are thicker than during dry years.

Use this knowledge to determine the age of the tree trunks at this stop.

Stop 12. Badlands

Formed from ancient rivers, wind and water erosion, the badlands are found in western North Dakota.

The climate is much drier than the rest of the state, therefore, the area is unique to various plants and animals.

Stop 13. Decomposition

This is the process where dead animals are broken down by bacteria and fungi.

Rates of decomposition vary with temperature and precipitation.

The dead animal is utilized by mammals like the coyotes, insects and turkey vultures.

If anything remains, it is recycled into the soil.

Stop 14. Brush Piles

Brush piles are man-made from tree branches and bushes.

They provide escape cover, nesting sites and shelter to many small mammals and birds.

Stop 15. Upland Nesting

Many birds make their nests on the ground rather than in a tree or cavity.

These nesters require quality grasses to provide protection from the weather and predators.

Some of these birds include ducks, turkeys, pheasants and native sparrows.

Stop 16. Raptors

Raptors include birds such as hawks, falcons, eagles and owls.

These birds are hunters, preying on small mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and other birds for food.

Raptors vary greatly in size – the largest in North Dakota is the golden eagle with a wing span reaching up to 7 feet.

Stop 17. Bats

Bats are the only true flying mammal.

They are active mostly at night.

The main food source for bats is insects.

They use echolocation to find their food.

Bats roost (rest) in locations such as under the bark of trees.

The most common bat in North Dakota is the little brown bat.

Printable Trail Brochure