White Horse Hill National Game Preserve

White Horse Hill National Game Preserve (formerly Sullys Hill) protects a scenic wooded hill and prairie above Devils Lake in central North Dakota, a small refuge where visitors can see bison, elk and other prairie wildlife in a beautiful glaciated landscape of wooded hills, prairie and wetlands. It is one of the few places in the region to view the great plains animals up close.

The preserve maintains herds of plains bison and elk, along with white-tailed deer, prairie dogs and abundant birds, viewable from a four-mile scenic auto tour route and trails through the rolling, wooded terrain. Set on the homeland of the Spirit Lake Dakota people (the preserve was renamed in 2019 to honor that heritage), it offers wildlife watching, hiking and a peaceful prairie-and-woodland setting. A small haven for plains wildlife, White Horse Hill is a treasured natural icon of North Dakota.

White Horse Hill is enjoyed via the four-mile scenic auto tour route through the preserve, with chances to see bison, elk, deer and prairie dogs, along with hiking trails, an observation tower, a prairie-dog town, picnicking and wildlife and bird watching in the wooded hills and wetlands. The scenic auto tour past the bison and elk herds, and wildlife watching and hiking, are the signature draws. The combination of accessible plains wildlife, scenic glaciated terrain above Devils Lake, and a peaceful refuge makes White Horse Hill a rewarding stop.

Late spring through fall is best, with summer bringing active wildlife, green woods and full access (and the auto tour open), and fall bringing color to the wooded hills and the elk rut; spring brings birds and young animals. Winter is cold and access may be limited. Wildlife is most active and visible in the early morning and evening. Spring through fall for wildlife and access is the highlight — drive the auto tour early or late for the best wildlife viewing, and enjoy the peaceful woods and prairie above Devils Lake.

The hill and lake region are the homeland of the Spirit Lake Dakota (Sioux) people, whose reservation surrounds it. Established in 1904 (one of the older federal wildlife areas), the preserve was long called Sullys Hill (for a general involved in the Dakota Wars); in 2019 it was renamed White Horse Hill National Game Preserve to remove that association and honor the area’s Dakota heritage and a sacred hill. It protects bison, elk and prairie wildlife. White Horse Hill preserves this wildlife refuge and its renewed heritage, a treasured icon of North Dakota.

White Horse Hill rises in the glaciated landscape of central North Dakota, where the Ice Age glaciers left rolling hills (moraines), kettle wetlands and the basin of nearby Devils Lake. The wooded hill stands above the prairie and the lake, its rolling, wooded terrain a product of the glaciers’ deposits. Devils Lake itself is a large, fluctuating closed-basin lake. The glacial deposits, the rolling moraine hills and the lake basin created the scenic terrain of the preserve above Devils Lake.

White Horse Hill protects herds of plains bison and elk — the stars of the preserve — along with white-tailed deer, a prairie-dog town, and abundant birds (the wooded hills, prairie and wetlands draw songbirds, waterfowl, raptors and migrants near the great Devils Lake birding area). The mix of woods, prairie and wetland supports varied wildlife. White Horse Hill offers accessible wildlife watching, with the bison and elk herds and the rich birdlife among the highlights, in a scenic refuge above Devils Lake.

White Horse Hill protects a mix of glaciated prairie, woodland and wetland ecosystems above Devils Lake, with the wooded hills, native prairie, prairie-dog town and wetlands supporting bison, elk and abundant wildlife and birds. The preserve is a small island of protected habitat in an agricultural region, near the important Devils Lake wetlands of the prairie pothole region (a continentally important bird area). Protecting the prairie, woods, wetlands and wildlife sustains both the ecology and the wildlife-viewing value of White Horse Hill.

White Horse Hill National Game Preserve holds a treasured place among the icons of North Dakota — a scenic refuge protecting bison, elk and prairie wildlife on a wooded hill above Devils Lake, on the homeland of the Spirit Lake Dakota people, renamed in 2019 to honor that heritage. Its accessible plains wildlife and peaceful glaciated setting embody the prairie heart of North Dakota. White Horse Hill is a cherished natural and cultural icon of North Dakota.

White Horse Hill National Game Preserve is in central North Dakota, near the town of Fort Totten on the south shore of Devils Lake, within the Spirit Lake Reservation, off State Highway 57 (about 10 miles south of the city of Devils Lake). It is managed by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service. There is no entrance fee. The preserve has the four-mile scenic auto tour route, trails, an observation tower and picnic areas; hours and the auto tour may be seasonal. Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for hours, the auto-tour status and conditions before visiting.

The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service protects White Horse Hill and its wildlife. Visitors help by staying in their vehicles near the bison and elk (and keeping a safe distance — these are large wild animals), not feeding or approaching wildlife, staying on the auto route and trails, respecting the Spirit Lake Dakota heritage, packing out everything, and following all rules. The bison, elk and the prairie-woodland-wetland habitats are managed and sensitive. Protecting the wildlife and the habitats sustains both the ecology and the wildlife-viewing value of White Horse Hill.

Bison and elk are large, powerful wild animals — stay in your vehicle when near them on the auto tour, keep a safe distance, and never approach or try to touch them. Watch for wildlife on the road. Summers are warm with biting insects (and ticks in the woods/grass — check for them); carry water and insect repellent. Watch footing on the trails. Respect the bison and elk, the wildlife on the road, the insects and ticks, and stay in your vehicle around the big animals.

There is no entrance fee. Stay in your vehicle near the bison and elk and keep a safe distance from all wildlife; do not feed or approach them. Stay on the auto-tour route and designated trails. Pets must be leashed and are restricted near wildlife. Drones are restricted. Hunting is not allowed in the preserve. Respect the Spirit Lake Reservation and the area’s heritage. Pack out all trash. Check the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service for hours, the auto-tour status and rules before visiting.

The historic Fort Totten State Historic Site, the city of Devils Lake and the vast Devils Lake itself (a renowned fishing and birding destination in the prairie pothole region), the Spirit Lake Reservation, and the prairie of central North Dakota lie near the preserve. Devils Lake and the prairie pothole region define the area. White Horse Hill anchors the wildlife and heritage of the Devils Lake region, a centerpiece of a central North Dakota visit, easily combined with Fort Totten, Devils Lake fishing and the region’s prairie birding.

Drive the four-mile scenic auto tour route early in the morning or in the evening for the best chance to see the bison and elk herds, deer and the prairie-dog town — and stay in your vehicle and keep a safe distance from the big animals. Climb the observation tower, hike the trails, and bring binoculars for the rich birdlife (the Devils Lake area is renowned for birding). Bring insect repellent and check for ticks, respect the Spirit Lake Dakota heritage, and combine your visit with historic Fort Totten and Devils Lake.