Sanish Ghost Town

Mountrail County, North Dakota47.9739, -102.5460

Can you visit?

Tribal land

Fort Berthold Reservation · Ask the tribe first

Nearest town
2.9 miNew Town, ND
Mild months
Apr–Oct7 of 12
Elevation
2,120 ft646 m
Sanish, North Dakota
Photo: Andrew Filer, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Sanish is a former settlement in Mountrail County, North Dakota, listed among the ghost towns of North Dakota. It lies at about 2,120 feet above sea level.

On the map

20 mi40 miWatford CityTiogaStanleySanish
  • Tribal
  • Private or unlisted

Star: Sanish. Dots: other ghost towns within 40 miles, colored by land manager. Squares: towns over 1,000 people. Rings are straight-line distance. Live map: © OpenFreeMap, OpenMapTiles, OpenStreetMap contributors.

The closest town with more than 1,000 people is New Town, ND, about 2.9 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bismarck, ND, 115 miles away.

Ghost towns nearby

  1. Van Hook8.8 mi east
  2. Belden15 mi northeast
  3. Wabek27 mi east
  4. Schafer32 mi west
  5. Roseglen36 mi southeast
  6. Temple37 mi northwest
  7. Tagus38 mi northeast
  8. Wheelock39 mi northwest

Distances are straight lines. Roads to ruins are often dirt, and a 20-mile hop can take an hour.

Who owns the land

Tribal land: Fort Berthold Reservation

This spot is inside Fort Berthold Reservation. Tribal nations set their own rules for visitors, and some parcels inside a reservation are privately owned, so contact the tribe before you go. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Sakakawea Recreation Area. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

The point is the town location from Wikidata, and the land record is from PAD-US 3.0 (USGS). Ruins can spread past that point, and land changes hands faster than the database. How we read PAD-US.

Weather by month

0°20°40°60°80°100°224Jan278Feb4019Mar5630Apr6741May7650Jun8355Jul8354Aug7345Sep5632Oct3820Nov268DecJan: 0.5 inFeb: 0.5 inMar: 0.7 inApr: 1.1 inMay: 2.6 inJun: 3.3 inJul: 3.0 inAug: 1.7 inSep: 1.9 inOct: 1.4 inNov: 0.7 inDec: 0.6 inrain
Mild month (average high 55–88°F, low above 28°F) 32°F, freezing Rain and snow water, inches

Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Keene 3S. Snow is normal from October to April.

NOAA 1991–2020 normals from the Keene 3S station (USC00324571), 18 miles away. About 18.0 inches of precipitation a year.

Facts

LocationMountrail County, North Dakota
Coordinates47.97390, -102.54600
Elevation2,120 ft (646 m)
Also known asSanish, North Dakota, Sanish, ND
SourcesWikidata Q14708384 · Wikipedia article

Questions

Where is Sanish ghost town?

In Mountrail County, North Dakota, at 47.9739, -102.5460. The closest town with more than 1,000 people is New Town, ND, about 2.9 miles east in a straight line. The nearest city over 50,000 is Bismarck, ND, 115 miles away.

Can you visit Sanish?

Tribal land. This spot is inside Fort Berthold Reservation. Tribal nations set their own rules for visitors, and some parcels inside a reservation are privately owned, so contact the tribe before you go. Another parcel starts within a quarter mile: Sakakawea Recreation Area. Ruins often spread across more than one owner.

When is the best time to visit Sanish?

Mild months here run April to October, judging by NOAA normals from Keene 3S. Snow is normal from October to April.

Are there other ghost towns near Sanish?

Yes. Van Hook (8.8 mi), Belden (15 mi), Wabek (27 mi), Schafer (32 mi).

More ghost towns in North Dakota

All 37 ghost towns in North Dakota