Northeast

Northeast North Dakota covers the Red River Valley and the Devils Lake basin in the upper-right corner of the state, the broad agricultural country running from the Manitoba border south to the Sheyenne River. The terrain is dramatically flat — the bed of glacial Lake Agassiz, with deep, rich soil that supports some of the most productive farmland in North America. Devils Lake (the largest natural lake in North Dakota) sits in the western counties; the Pembina Gorge cuts through the far northeast. Seven counties cover the region. Grand Forks holds Grand Forks (the largest city, with the University of North Dakota); Ramsey holds Devils Lake itself; Pembina holds Cavalier and Pembina (the country’s first port of entry on the U.S.–Canada border); Walsh holds Grafton; Cavalier County holds Langdon. Turtle River State Park, the Pembina Gorge State Recreation Area, and Icelandic State Park (with a strong Icelandic-heritage museum) anchor the public-land draws. Most trips here run college-town and lake-fishing focused. Grand Forks handles the urban itinerary — UND hockey, the Empire Arts Center, the redeveloped downtown along the Red River. Devils Lake draws walleye and perch anglers; the Pembina Gorge offers the only real elevation in the eastern half of the state.