What Areas and Cities Are Covered by the Upper Midwest Region of Narcotics Anonymous?

Updated

The Upper Midwest Region of Narcotics Anonymous (umrna.org) is made up of two service areas: the Lake Agassiz Area and the Lewis & Clark Area. If you are looking for a meeting, the area name tells you which part of the region's meeting list applies to you. Lake Agassiz covers the eastern side of the region along the North Dakota–Minnesota border, while Lewis & Clark covers the central and western side of North Dakota.

The two areas at a glance

Area General coverage Cities listed on umrna.org
Lake Agassiz Area Eastern North Dakota and western Minnesota, along the Red River corridor Breckenridge, Cando, Crookston, Fargo, Grafton, Grand Forks, Moorhead, Roseau, Thief River Falls, Warroad
Lewis & Clark Area Central and western North Dakota Bismarck, Beulah, Dickinson, Jamestown, Mandan, Mandaree, Minot, Rolla, Rugby, Watford City, Whiteshield, Williston

Lake Agassiz Area

Lake Agassiz is the eastern area. Its meeting cities are:

  • Breckenridge
  • Cando
  • Crookston
  • Fargo
  • Grafton
  • Grand Forks
  • Moorhead
  • Roseau
  • Thief River Falls
  • Warroad

This area spans the Fargo–Moorhead metro and the smaller communities north and east of it. If you live near the Red River — in eastern North Dakota or northwestern Minnesota — Lake Agassiz is likely your area.

Lewis & Clark Area

Lewis & Clark is the western area. Its meeting cities are:

  • Bismarck
  • Beulah
  • Dickinson
  • Jamestown
  • Mandan
  • Mandaree
  • Minot
  • Rolla
  • Rugby
  • Watford City
  • Whiteshield
  • Williston

This area covers the capital region (Bismarck–Mandan) plus the oil patch communities to the west and the towns along the I-94 corridor. If you are in central or western North Dakota, Lewis & Clark is likely your area.

How to tell which area you belong to

  1. Find your city in the two lists above.
  2. If it appears under Lake Agassiz, use that area's meeting information. If it appears under Lewis & Clark, use that area's.
  3. If your town is not listed, pick the area whose listed cities are closest to you — the region only lists meetings in the cities above, so the nearest one is your practical starting point.

Checking for changes before you go

Meeting details are not static. The region's site notes that the Key to Freedom meeting in Bismarck has returned to a hybrid meeting style, with an updated monthly format, and points readers to a details page for that change. Before traveling to a meeting — especially in winter or to a smaller town — check the region's meeting/event changes section rather than relying on an old schedule.