Grand Forks North Dakota

[Scoot]

I lived in Grand Forks for four years during my college days. I enjoyed my time there and wouldn't have a problem moving back again. The winters can be brutal if you allow them to get to you but overall it's a good community with good people. There are decent outdoor recreational opportunities around the area and lots of opportunities for residents within the entire state.

This pretty much nails it.

 

[jorswift]

I was there a lot as a teenager for traveling basketball. I lived in the Fargo-Moorhead area. Wasn't that far. But like mentioned before, check out the aerials of the flood in '97. I was there, it was bad! I liked ND/MN. Was/is nicer than Indiana. But you have to LIKE winter, ALOT!

 

[WCB]

Went to college in Crookston MN which is 30 minutes or so east of Grand Forks. Have friends that currently live there and hunt around there a bit still and travel through out to Devils Lake area a bit to hunt with one of my buddies. Decent hunting opportunities around but you will want to get out of town a ways to reduce pressure. Fox and Coyote hunting can be pretty good around there.

Good fishing not only in the river but also once you get there are look. ND gives information on basically any body of water with fish in it...how many, what species, and what size to expect. Honestly you will probably fish more drainage ditches and cattail sloughs than you will the river.

People nock the flatness and whatever but it's not like Eastern SD, eastern Nebraska, 2/3 of Minnesota, anywhere in Kansas, Iowa etc. are exactly scenic destinations. It's just the nature of the area. You want to go look at scenery your a 4-5 hr drive to the river where the "west" starts.

 

[D S 319]

I've been there twice, so am an expert. I mainly met with UND people. Just loved the atmosphere, people, "culture" in terms of non-elitist, get-stuff-done, etc.. The aviation program is bonkers in terms of how comprehensive it is and is only going to get better with the addition of UAV tech - which is already impressive. Visitors from all over the planet are in Grand Forks long-term, learning from the best, commercial, military, ag, etc.. Won't be surprised if UND doesn't cash in on space science in addition to aviation and UAVs in the near future.

Got to go to a hockey game in the crazy/awesome stadium, nicer that most pro hockey stadiums apparently. What a blast!

Insanely cold when I was there and one of the Deans told me "What's nice is that it's so flat that if your dog runs away, you can watch him run for three days". He had just moved there and really liked the people and more relaxed culture.

The above comment about Fargo being an hour away: am always impressed at how underrated Fargo is in terms of a great place to work and visit.

Have a close friend who lived in Jamestown, ND for 15 years, now in Seattle, and wants to move back but his wife would kill him.

My visits were short, freezing and I personally really liked it, wonderful people in Grand Forks and Fargo, so much so that I'm trying to get more work there

You ain’t wrong, Look who UND President is they’re already in the space program.

 

[william schmaltz]

I only lasted a semester in Grand Forks. My reason for leaving had more to do with not being able to find people at the university I could align with than the town. The folks at the ag school in Fargo were much more aligned with my values.

Others have already laid it out pretty well. World class hockey arena and North Dakota has some of the best hunting and fishing opportunities in the world, which diminish rapidly as you move further east in the state IMO. Bismarck is the sweet spot for having in all as far as hunting and fishing. Most habitat within 50 miles or so west of the Red River has been ripped out and planted. If I had to live in Grand Forks, assuming the move has to do with the base, I'd live as far west as reasonable and be within an hour from Devils Lake. That is a true top 5 national fishery for walleye, pike, perch, and white bass.

 

[f16jack]

Echo the cold and the floods. I lived in Fargo for 10 years and still have a place east of Crookston. Many folks who didn't grow up in the Northland only last a winter or two before they bail for warmer climes.
I lived on the Red and was there during the flood of '97, when the river went to 21 miles wide. A small rise in the water goes far in the old Lake Agassiz. An interesting fact about the Red River is that it drains north into the Hudson Bay. So that when the thaw occurs way down south at Fargo or Whapeton/Breckenridge that water flows north and hits ice dams in places like Grand Forks, causing the flooding.

In the winters you need activities so you don't get depressed and just start drinking. A cold sunny day (-30°) is a great time for cross country skiing, a snowmobile outing, or a good fox hunt. The red foxes sit on the south sides of the windbrakes soaking in the sun on those cold days. Dress in white and get on the predator call. They'll come right to you.
GF itself has UND and the Air Base, both which add extensively to the economy. From these two there is an aviation focus that flavors the town.

 

[nodakian]

Yes, it's cold and dark, but there's always beer.

ND is #1

 

[f16jack]

Yes, it's cold and dark, but there's always beer.

ND is #1

Sky's, Happy Harry's, Rhombus Pizza, Charlie Brown's. And a little akavit on the side.

 

[CoHiCntry]

Yes, it's cold and dark, but there's always beer.

ND is #1

Oh yeah… you betcha!

 

[f16jack]

Oh yeah… you betcha!

don'tcha know.

 

[Lytro]

I think you should love it if you like fishing for walleyes. I definitely wouldn't mind living in that area.

 

[nick15]

I lived in GF the first 25 years of my life; until about 15 years ago. Still have quite a bit of family there. Would echo many things said here. Often described as a 'college town,' which is pretty appropriate, UND is the main deal in town. Downtown is fairly vibrant and seems a lot more fixed up than it was 20 years ago. Winters are rough, as has been detailed.

Outdoors-wise, it's mediocre for the upper midwest. The Red River Valley is basically an ecological desert with almost all land plowed and drain tiled. Next to no upland hunting within 2 hours, waterfowl hunting is decent if you travel 60 miles or so but has gotten a lot tougher as land access has gotten tougher and competition has greatly increased. Some whitetail hunting within an hour but it's pretty much all private land along riparian areas that won't be easy access. The Red & Red Lake Rivers are great for catfishing with a random walleye mixed in (albeit some very large). Devils is 90 miles away and MN lakes are at least 60 miles away (most 90+). Long story short, outdoor opportunities aren't far away but aren't real close.

 

[Mojave]

We will be working on the base.

I know about cold, used to live in Barrow, Alaska.

For me the real drama with cold is in February, March and April after the Christmas season when you are ready for it to be over.

 

[Scoot]

Kinda like today? First day of spring was yesterday and we have a winter storm warning today (Fargo area). 8" in some areas expected tonight. Good news for you-- Grand Forks looks like it'll dodge this one. Man... I hope this is the last one. This has been a loooooooonnnnngggg winter!!!

If you can deal with Barrow, you can hand GF no prob. Good luck with your decision and possible move.

 

[gabenzeke]

If you have kids, there's some good hockey in that area.

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