Watford City in McKenzie County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Long X Trail: A Dusty Trail to Greener Pastures
Photographed by Susan Van Den Bosch, August 12, 2025
1. The Long X Trail: A Dusty Trail to Greener Pastures Marker
It had been a long, grueling journey from Texas. Rumors of abundant grass sent them east from Montana into the Little Missouri Badlands. They must have found what they were looking for.
The Reynolds brothers established the Long X Ranch a few miles to the north of this spot. Over the next 4 years, they drove several more herds from Texas and saw their operation grow into one of the largest in the area.
Driving On
Cattle drives along the Little Missouri River and Long X Trail continued for decades. Today, ranching remains an important part of Western North Dakota's heritage.
Top: A cattle drive along the Little Missouri River, November, 1966.
Bottom: A cattle drive near Watford City, ND (date unknown).
Erected by National Park Service - U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Agriculture. A significant historical year for this entry is 1844.
Location. 47° 36.536′ N, 103° 21.278′ W. Marker is in Watford City, North Dakota, in McKenzie County. It is on Scenic Drive, on the right when traveling
this page online
Regionally, this marker is in North Dakota’s Bakken Oil Patch. It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor, on the prairies, and on the Northern Plains. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once Ruperts Land and also the Louisiana Purchase.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: North Dakota Badlands (approx. 0.4 miles away); The View that Launched a Park (approx. 1.1 miles away); Cannonball Mystery (approx. 1.3 miles away); Bentonitic Clay (approx. 1½ miles away); Work in Progress / Better Together (approx. 2.1 miles away); Tilted (approx. 2.6 miles away); Layers in Time / Portraits in Stone (approx. 3.2 miles away); A Wild River / Growing Old / Cotton (approx. 4.1 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Watford City.
Other markers no longer nearby. Long X Cattle Trail (was approx. 0.6 miles away but has been permanently removed); Building From Hard Times (was approx. 1.1 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Cannon Ball Concretions (was approx. 1.4 miles away but has been permanently removed); Man and Grass (was approx. 2.2 miles away but has been replaced with another marker now near it); Slump Formation (was approx. 2.7 miles away but has been permanently removed); Longhorns (was approx.
Photographed by Susan Van Den Bosch, August 12, 2025
2. The Long X Trail: A Dusty Trail to Greener Pastures Marker
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Photographed by Susan Van Den Bosch, August 12, 2025
3. The Long X Trail: A Dusty Trail to Greener Pastures Marker
Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 19, 2025, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Almond, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 95 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 19, 2025, by Susan Van Den Bosch of Almond, Wisconsin. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.
