Bottineau: Parks, Ice Skating and Regional Specialties

In Bottineau, things to see and do range from local food production and parks to ice skating and alpine slopes. When planning your trip, it’s worth distinguishing between places in the city and destinations in the surrounding area. The season also matters: public skating at the Community Arena is available for a set period, while the seasonal operation of Bottineau Winter Park should be checked before your trip.

Regional Specialties and Local Places

At Pride Dairy, ice cream, butter, syrup and toppings are made from local ingredients. The company also operates the old-fashioned “Dairy Dipper” ice cream parlor in Bottineau. This means the city’s attractions include both regional food production and a specific local spot centered on ice cream. If you don’t want to plan your stay solely around outdoor activities, you can include this culinary highlight in your plans.

Parks Within Bottineau

Open spaces and wooded areas define Forestry Park, which offers room for recreation, adventure and leisure activities. It also has hiking trails and a 9-hole disc golf course. The park offers different ways to spend time outdoors, from trails through the park to a clearly defined sporting activity.

McBain Park, also known as “Old City Park,” has a peaceful picnic area beside Oak Creek. Its focus differs from Forestry Park: here, the emphasis is on a place to take a break by the creek, while Forestry Park offers open and wooded areas as well as hiking trails and disc golf. So, when choosing between them, consider whether you’re looking for a picnic spot or a range of recreational options in a park.

Activities in the Surrounding Area

The Turtle Mountain State Recreation Area is six miles northwest of Bottineau. It has more than twelve miles of motorized trails open to off-highway vehicles (OHVs), hikers, cyclists, snowshoers and horseback riders. The activities listed range from motorized use to trails for walking or cycling. This gives you a clear point of reference if you’re considering a walking outing, a bike ride or one of the other listed uses.

Ice Skating and Winter Sports

The Bottineau Community Arena, also known as the “Lumberdome,” is one of the oldest ice arenas in North Dakota. It offers public skating and is open each season from mid-October to mid-March. Two outdoor ice rinks are located right next to the arena: one is for recreational skating, the other for hockey. This clearly distinguishes indoor skating from the two outdoor areas designated for different uses.

Bottineau Winter Park is located ten minutes north of Bottineau and offers eight alpine runs, ranging in difficulty from beginner to expert. The runs complement the skating options with a different kind of winter sport. Since operations are seasonal, check before your trip. When planning, you can distinguish between public skating, the two outdoor rinks designated for different uses, and alpine runs.

More Facilities at Tommy Turtle Park

Tommy Turtle Park has an RV park with 16 full-hookup sites, as well as restroom and bathhouse facilities. It also has two large children’s play areas.

For the broader travel overview: Bottineau County.