It’s summer time, and we are looking for every way to be outside right now. Thanks to the NEW Rope & Oak Nature Park south of Fargo, we have a brand new, SUPER fun way to play!
Rope & Oak Nature Park
This is not your typical playground. Think of a playground, obstacle course, scavenger hunt, and nature museum all rolled into one. Located just 20 miles south of Fargo, you can explore 12 acres of forest, with over 50 attractions to climb, dig, build, explore, learn and play.
The entire park follows a half-mile trail, filled with attractions along the way. You’ll stop to participate in a scavenger hunt of birdhouses with clues inside, attractions to play on, areas to learn about wildlife and North Dakota history, and even a few spots to rest in the shade.
50 Attractions to Explore
There are 50 attractions to explore throughout the park (and a full list is found on ropenoak.com), but here are our favorite highlights we want to share!
Bicycle-Powered Roller Coaster
Coming in at the top of the list (and my legs still hurt from bicycling my kids on this over and over), is the bicycled-powered roller coaster! Just a heads up – a parent will likely be the one to power the coaster, but the kids will have such a blast doing it.
Trampoline Jumping Net
The concept is simple but so fun – it’s a rainbow net that acts as a sort of trampoline! This one is good for younger kids, as bigger kids can get a bit heavy for it.
Ziplines
Rope & Oak has not one, but two fun ziplines! One is a circle swing that rides along the zipline (again, great for littles). The other is a rope style that you’ll need to jump on as the zipline gets started (better for big kids).
Wheel Powered Tumbleweed Twister
This was definitely a top favorite for my kids. It takes two to get it going – one person rides inside while another spins it. Buckle up for safety, your kids will want to do this one again and again!
5 Foot Roller Racing Tubes
These giant racers will get the kids feeling competitive and working out! There are 3 racers available, so everyone can get in on the fun. See who can get to the end first!
Barefoot Sensory Trail
This one is best used barefoot, but is such a neat way to get kids exploring nature using their senses. We loved this one for how it really incorporates all the textures of nature first-hand.
Dino Dig Rock Quarry
If you have a dino-lover in the family, you may be spending a fair amount of time at this attraction! Let the kids dig to their heart’s content with some fun dinosaurs watching along.
Learning Zones
As a parent, I love when parks and playgrounds incorporate learning into their play. So one of my favorite features of Rope & Oak was all the learning along the way! There were multiple installments like the one below to identify furs, migratory birds, bird calls, paw prints, mushroom identification, animal skulls, and more.
Other fun includes simulated wood chopping, touch and feel bins of North Dakota crops, a mock bald eagle nest, simulated walk-through bat cave, and more fun games and interactive exhibits! There was also a fun scavenger hunt with bird houses, where kids had to figure out clues to get a letter. Once they found out what it spelled they got a fun prize at the end!
Hours & Admission
Rope & Oak is located about 20 miles south of Fargo at 17449 50th St SE, Hickson, ND. They are open May – October, on Wednesday-Sunday from 12:00 – 7:00 p.m. (CLOSED Mondays and Tuesdays). They may be closed due to weather, so make sure to check their Facebook page for the latest updates on closures.
Admission is $15 per person (including adults) on Wednesday-Friday, and $19 per person on Saturday and Sunday. Children age 2 and under are free. The best part is, there is NO time limit! You can spend hours here, bring a picnic lunch, and head back to play some more.
Tips for Visiting
Rope & Oak is stroller and wagon friendly (only on the trail though), so even the littles can tag along. Again, age 2 and under are free!
There are bathrooms (port-a-potties) at the beginning of the park, and we would recommend using them first since the attractions follow along the 1/2 mile trail loop through the forest. It’s definitely doable to head back for a bathroom break, but you’ll be heading back in to finish playing if you weren’t finished yet.
We recommend bringing bug spray and water (and possibly snacks). They have a water station to fill water bottles, but no food is available.
Rope & Oak is for all ages, but some attractions do have height and weight restrictions. There is definitely tons of fun for little kids, with fun equipment for big kids as well.
Closed-toed shoes highly recommended as there is some climbing and rougher terrain (it is a forest, after all!).
Rope & Oak Nature Park should be a must on your Summer bucket list!
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