Photo: Andrew Filer from Seattle (ex-Minneapolis) · CC BY-SA 2.0Williston has 12 miles of mapped trails, 0.5 for every square mile of land
4% of Williston’s land is conserved, about 715 acres. 71% of residents live within a half mile of a park. 253 acres are parks and preserves, 9.0 per 1,000 residents.
Ahead of 57% of U.S. towns · #13 of 23 in North Dakota. What drives it
How much outdoors does Williston have?
On conserved land, trails, park land and how close residents live to a park, Williston is ahead of 57% of U.S. towns, #13 of 23 in North Dakota. Trail miles hold the grade up; park acres per resident pull it down.
PAD-US, OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors), Census 2025 Gazetteer and 2020 blocks; details in Sources below. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →
Conserved land, trails & bike routes
Tap a number to zoom to a park. Tap a layer to hide it.
Pick a walk
The longest trail network is Harmon Park, with 0.3 miles. Directions go to the nearest trailhead or public parking.
Cote Park
Recreation Park
All 5 parks & preserves
715 conserved acres
4% of Williston’s land. Who manages Williston’s conserved land, from the USGS Protected Areas Database. Approximate, because parcels can overlap.
| Parcel (PAD-US) | Managed by | Acres | Public access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sakakawea Recreation Area Recreation Management Area | Army Corps of Engineers | 488 | Open |
| Spring Lake Park Local Park | Town or city | 130 | Open |
| Western Star Complex Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 35 | Open |
| Davidson Park Local Recreation Area | Town or city | 32 | Open |
| Harmon Park Local Park | Town or city | 9 | Open |
| Dakota Park Local Park | Town or city | 8 | Open |
| Recreation Park Local Park | Town or city | 4 | Open |
| Unknown Park Local Park | Town or city | 3 | Open |
| Westlawn Park Local Park | Town or city | 2 | Open |
| Neighborhood Park Local Park | Private owners | 2 | Open |
1 smaller protected places aren’t shown.
10 places to go in Williston
Beaches, playgrounds, peaks, falls and more. Pick a kind.
Plus 7 playgrounds without a name on the map. Tap “Show all on map” to see them.
13 miles of bike routes
Bike lanes are often missing from the map in smaller towns, so that number is likely low.
Includes school and college facilities, which aren’t always open to the public.
6 places on the National Register, one a National Historic Landmark
The country’s official list of places worth saving (National Park Service). The map also marks 2 historic points from OpenStreetMap: plaques, memorials and old buildings.
The best walking months in Williston: May and July to September
NOAA’s 1991–2020 normals for the town and the daylight at its latitude. Outlined months have long days, highs of 59 to 86 °F and little rain for the place.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Daylight (h) | 8.8 | 10.1 | 11.7 | 13.6 | 15.2 | 16.0 | 15.7 | 14.3 | 12.5 | 10.7 | 9.1 | 8.4 |
| High (°F) | 22 | 27 | 41 | 56 | 68 | 77 | 84 | 84 | 73 | 56 | 39 | 26 |
| Rain (in) | 0.5 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 2.8 | 2.4 | 1.5 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.5 |
February is the driest month (0.4 in) and July the warmest (highs of 84 °F). 2.8 inches fall in June, the wettest month. The climate in Williston →
Williston and its neighbors
Tap a town to see its outdoors.
| Town | Conserved of land | Trail mi per sq mi | Park acres per 1,000 | Near a park ½ mile | Outdoors |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Williston | 4% | 0.5 | 9 | 71% | B |
| Missouri Ridge Township | 1% | 0.7 | under 1 | under 1% | C− |
| Stony Creek Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Williston Township | 47% | 0.5 | under 1 | under 1% | C+ |
| Mont Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
| Pherrin Township | — not graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its town | ||||
The four inputs of the Outdoors grade, from the engine; shares are of land, not water.
Questions about parks and trails in Williston
Where can I hike in Williston?
The longest trail networks: Harmon Park, 0.3 miles; Recreation Park, 0.1 miles. Each one is on the map above, with directions to the nearest trailhead or parking.
How much of Williston is conserved land?
4% of its land, against a typical 3% for a North Dakota town and 4% nationally (PAD-US). Conserved doesn’t always mean open to visitors: easements are usually private land.
Are dogs allowed on Williston’s trails?
Harmon Park and Spring Lake Park don’t have dog rules recorded on the map; check the signs at the trailhead.
Where can I bike in Williston?
13 miles of bike routes are on the map: 13 of off-road paths.
Is there public land near Williston?
32,548 acres of parks and open public land lie inside Williston or within 10 miles of it (PAD-US), 762 of them inside the city line.
How much outdoors does Williston have?
Ahead of 57% of U.S. towns on the Outdoors grade, #13 of 23 in North Dakota. The grade combines the share of land that is conserved, miles of mapped trail per square mile of land, park acres per 1,000 residents and the share of residents within a half mile of a park. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
Trail talk
Conditions, parking and favorite walks from Williston neighbors.
Where this page comes from
Conserved and public land: USGS Protected Areas Database of the United States (PAD-US), service updated July 2026. Parks, trails, playgrounds, beaches and other places: OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL), map data as of 2026-10-28. Land and water area: Census 2025 Gazetteer. Residents near a park: 2020 Census blocks. National Register: National Park Service. How TownRatings grades the outdoors →