June is the month that has the longest daylight hours, the ideal weather, and marks the beginning of summer break for many students. June has been celebrated as National Camping Month since the 1970s to increase participation in outdoor activities. In addition to National Camping Month, The 1st of June is National Trails Day. It is the perfect time to take advantage of the break and the perfect temperatures to go outside and stay active.

This can mean a day trip with family or a week-long camping trip with friends. In North Dakota, many locations are available to bike, hike, camp, etc. For example, the five national parks are the Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, the Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site, the Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, the North Country National Scenic Trail, and the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Each gives an insight into different topics like the history of the United States, the Lewis and Clark expedition, natural wildlife, and the coexistence between the Native Americans and European colonists. Enjoying these sites is a way to enhance the summer, which can otherwise be monotonous. It is easy to put off going on a trip so closer, local options near Bismarck may be easier to plan.

Trails such as the McDowell Dam Loop or the Fort Lincoln Loop trail are a way to enjoy the outdoors with easier terrain and shorter distances. Many trails are accessible for many forms of exercise too. The Missouri Valley Millennium Legacy Trail, or the Sertoma Park Loop, is known to have runners, bikers, skateboarders and even rollerbladers. At the end of the day, the summertime is a opportunity to travel and take advantage of those long, warm summer days.