WALHALLA, N.D. - Walhalla is the second-oldest community in North Dakota and is in the heart of the Rendezvous Region. The gemstone of the area is the Pembina Gorge, which includes Tetrault Woods State Forest, and the meandering Pembina River.
The area is a unique natural wonder, perfect for any nature lover, with 12,500 acres of unspoiled diverse landscape and 430 acres of protected riparian nature preserve.
There is something for everyone all year long: hiking, mountain biking, extreme/adventure sports, horseback riding, off-highway vehicle driving, berry picking and flower spotting (480 species of plants), picnicking, bird and wildlife viewing (75 species of birds and dozens of mammals, including moose, elk, bear and mountain lion), canoeing/kayaking/tubing, primitive camping, star gazing, downhill or cross country skiing, snowboarding, snow-tubing, snowmobiling, geo-cashing, paleontological workshops at the Mosasaur fossil site and cultural/historic activities and festivals.
There are two scenic overlooks than stand high above the river valley and offer amazing views. Both are part of a 33-mile North Dakota State Scenic Backway that includes the Gingras Trading Post, Walhalla Country Club and Frostfire Ski Lodge and Summer Theater.
Ecotourism is one of the fastest growing industries in the world, and the Pembina Gorge offers this part of the state a perfect chance to add some of that revenue to our coffers.
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People have become more interested in traveling closer to home for many reasons including worries over cost, time available for vacation and seeking to reconnect with “wild” places. We know that agricultural businesses are the backbone of our state’s economy, but tourism is very profitable and expanding all the time.
We have thousands of visitors from Canada, Minnesota, North Dakota and other locations every year to our area. The sales tax revenue for the city of Walhalla continues to grow, and our resident population is not the source.
Tourism businesses are a perfect chance for entrepreneurial individuals to stay in the state and make a living.
Our communities are dwindling. We need to find other innovative and diversified ways to keep our region and local businesses viable.
There are no guarantees that permanent residents will spend their hard-earned dollars locally. We all want to “get out” and do something fun, so while someone from Walhalla may drive to Grand Forks to see a movie, they likely will do some shopping there, too.
But visitors to the Rendezvous Region are making purchases at our local businesses.
Various parts of the needed infrastructure have been put in place, but there is much more to be done and built upon.
In the 2013 state legislative session, a bill was proposed that would have made it possible for the North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department to buy Frostfire and incorporate it into their holdings. This would have been a wonderful opportunity for the area.
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The Chalet could have become an administrative center for park employees and an interpretive center - usually the hub of activity for any tourism site.
There are so many recreating, teaching and entertaining possibilities using this as the center piece for regional tourism.
We have the beautiful scenery; what we need are the amenities that make the experience pleasurable. Visitors want a place to put their car, a well-groomed trail, interpretive panels and well-marked signs and restroom facilities.
We are at a critical juncture for the next phase of planning and development.
We have all the raw materials here to be an all-inclusive tourism destination. It has been proven time and again that if the foundation of an attraction isn’t organized and professional, some people may visit. But there won’t be many of them, and many of those who do come will not return.
Many years, many dollars and much time have been spent on nurturing this project. Now, it is at the point where it can take a leap forward as a North Dakota destination to rival those in Metigoshe, Sakakawea and Medora.
The Pembina Gorge is the hidden treasure of the Rendezvous Region, and we want to share it with everyone.
Lee is director of the Walhalla Area Chamber of Commerce.
