Painted Woods Golf Course

Painted Woods Golf Course in Washburn, North Dakota is the architectural highlight of the Lewis and Clark Trail golf circuit, a Charles Swallow design that opened in 1979 as a picturesque 9-hole layout along Painted Woods Creek, then expanded to the current 18 holes in 2014. The 6,976-yard par-71 course plays to a legitimate championship length given the region, and five sets of tees range from 3,800 to nearly 7,000 yards to accommodate every skill level. The defining feature is Painted Woods Creek itself, which comes into play on 11 of the 18 holes, a startling number for a North Dakota public course where you might expect flatter, more pastoral routing. Combined with dramatic elevation changes and the majestic scenery typical of the Missouri River plateau country, the course delivers a far more interesting round than its remote location suggests. Green fees at $65 represent exceptional value for the architectural ambition. For the Lewis and Clark Trail trip visitor retracing Corps of Discovery territory, Painted Woods is the full-day golf commitment that makes the drive worthwhile.