Independence Rock stands 6,028 feet above sea level. The tallest point of the rock is 136 feet above the surrounding terrain. If one were to walk around the base of this rock, the distance covered would be more than a mile, or 5,900 feet. Windblown sand and silt have grooved the rock and polished it to a high gloss in a process called "windfaceting." It is because of this smoother surface that the pioneers were able to easily carve their names into the rock. It was the names carved in stone here that caused Father Peter J. DeSmet to appropriately name this place "The Register of the Desert" in 1840. Register Cliff and Names Hill also contain names left by the pioneers.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services beyond signage available at the site.

In 1863, the U.S. Navy attempted to invade Confederate Texas through the Sabine Pass to gain access to Houston, the rail center of Texas. Guarding the pass was Fort Griffin, where on Sept. 8, 1863, Lt. Dick Dowling and 46 of his men used six cannons to defeat four gunboats and halt the invasion. In honor of the Texas defenders, a bronze statue of Dowling overlooks the 57.5-acre park. An interpretive pavilion illustrates the story of the battle, while a walking trail features historical markers. Four World War II ammunition bunkers stand witness to the site’s use by the U.S. Army Coastal Artillery Division.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services, beyond signage, available at the site.

The Lewis and Clark Expedition arrived at the Mandan-Hidatsa Indian villages on the Upper Missouri River on October 25, 1804. They found the Mandan people very hospitable and decided to remain at this wintering site until the spring thaw when they would resume their up-river journey. On November 3, William Clark made a simple entry in his journal, "We commence building our cabins." These cabins formed part of an enclosure that was christened Fort Mandan in honor of their hosts. As it turned out, Fort Mandan was occupied longer than any of the three winter posts used by the expedition. Reconstructed Fort Mandan rests in the riparian forests of the Missouri River. The refurnished rooms of this full-size replica depict the equipage of the Lewis and Clark Expeditio. On-site interpreters provide programs and year-round tours of Lewis and Clark's 1804–1805 wintering post. The Interpretive Center provides an overview of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, with special emphasis on the time spent at Fort Mandan. The displays include Native American artifacts, a buffalo robe visitors will be able to try on, as well as a "cradle-board" much like the one Sakakawea may have used to carry her baby. An authentic wood canoe carved from the trunk of a large cottonwood tree demonstrates the winter preparations the Expedition made while at Fort Mandan.

The site offers exhibits, tours, and occasional recreational and educational events.

This site preserves remaining vestiges of a military post established in 1864 by General Alfred Sully to supply his campaign into western Dakota and to protect traffic on the Missouri River, a function the fort continued until replaced by Fort Yates in 1877. There is a marker on the site.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services available at the site.

In 1839, the Nicollet-Fremont expedition camped here; Isaac I. Stevens and his party stayed here during a survey of a proposed railroad route in the 1850s; and the site was also used by James L. Fisk and his wagon trains bound for the Montana gold fields. There is a marker on the site.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services available at the site.

This site marks the approximate location of Camp Banks, an encampment used on August 2, 1863, by the Sibley expedition. Chaska, an Indian Scout, died at Camp Banks and was buried in the fortification ditch that surrounded the campsite.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services available at the site.

This site preserves an area of religious significance to Indian peoples. The site contains a large rock bearing pictographs and a circular ring of dark vegetation reputed to be the remains of a dance ring. There is a marker on the site.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services available at the site.

Two granite boulders inscribed with thunderbird figures of Native American origin are exhibited at Writing Rock State Historic Site.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services available at the site.

This site lies near the supposed route followed by trappers and traders en route between Canadian trading posts and the Indian villages along the Missouri River. It is named after the famous English explorer, scientist, and cartographer, David Thompson. There is a marker on the site.

The site is open to the public.

Website does not specify any interpretive services available at the site.

Fort Towson was established in 1824 in response to a need to quell conflicts between lawless elements, Native American peoples, and settlers claiming the area as part of Arkansas Territory. The fort also served as an outpost on the border between the United States and Texas, which at that time was part of Mexico. Connected to the East by road, Fort Towson served as a gateway for settlers bound for Texas during the 1830s. Those passing through the area included Sam Houston, Davy Crockett, and Stephen F. Austin. When the Choctaw and Chickasaw were displaced from their lands in the Southeastern United States, the fort served as a point of dispersal upon their arrival in the west. The fort was also an important staging area for U.S. forces during the Mexican War of 1846. Fort Towson was abandoned in 1856 when the frontier moved west. During the Civil War, however, it served for a time as headquarters for Confederate forces operating in Indian Territory. In 1865 General Stand Watie surrendered his command near the fort to become the last Confederate general to lay down arms.

Website does not specify services available at the site.