Camping Near Medora
Yes, you can camp for free around Medora. Much of the Little Missouri National Grassland, the U.S. Forest Service land that surrounds the town and Theodore Roosevelt National Park, is open to dispersed camping for up to 14 days. The catch is the patchwork. State school trust land and private ranches sit between the public parcels, often with no fence or sign, and camping is not allowed on either.
Tap Am I on public land? below to check the ground you are standing on, then see today’s campfire and road conditions and the rules for each kind of land. Inside the national park, camp at Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit, Juniper Campground in the North Unit, or in the backcountry with a free permit.
Camping near Medora: common questions
Yes. Dispersed camping is free on the Little Missouri National Grassland, the U.S. Forest Service land that surrounds Medora and Theodore Roosevelt National Park. You can stay up to 14 days in one spot and up to 28 days in a calendar year, at least a quarter mile from campgrounds, trailheads and other developed sites. There is no water, toilet or trash pickup, so bring what you need and pack out everything you bring in.
It depends on the land. Dispersed camping on the national grassland needs no permit. Backcountry camping in Theodore Roosevelt National Park needs a free backcountry permit. Park campgrounds are reserved on Recreation.gov: Cottonwood Campground, Juniper Campground and Roundup Group Horse Camp. North Dakota state park sites are booked at reservendparks.com. Camping on state trust land is not allowed with or without a permit.
Tap Am I on public land? in the guide on this page. With your permission, it reads your phone’s location and tells you who manages the ground you are on and whether you can camp there. On private land it also checks whether the owner has posted the parcel electronically with North Dakota Game and Fish. Many owners post that way instead of with signs, so a missing sign does not mean the land is open. Your location stays on your device. Check before you set up, and trust fences and posted signs over any map.
No. North Dakota school trust land is open to walk-in recreation only. Camping, campfires and driving are not allowed. These sections often sit inside the grassland and look just like it, so the map marks them in orange.
Yes, in a campground or in the backcountry. Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit and Juniper Campground in the North Unit are reserved through Recreation.gov. To camp in the backcountry, get a free permit at a park visitor center. Roadside and car camping are not allowed. See the park’s camping page for details.
Often not. The Forest Service and the counties restrict fires when fire danger is high, and those restrictions can last for months. The guide on this page shows today’s campfire status for the grassland and each county, along with the Forest Service orders in effect. Check it before you light anything, including on the day of a Red Flag Warning.
Not on the national grassland while the Forest Service’s off-road vehicle closure (Order 01-18-00-26-03) is in effect. It prohibits driving off National Forest System roads, even a short way to reach a campsite. The guide on this page lists the order under Forest Service orders and alerts for as long as it applies, so check there before you go. Ask the Medora Ranger District, (701) 227-7800, where you can pull over and park. On state trust land, leave your vehicle at the gate or section line. After rain, stay off clay roads entirely; they turn slick and impassable.
Yes. Open the full-screen map while you still have a signal and tap Save this area for offline. The land records and your phone’s GPS then work with no service. Add it to your home screen so it is easy to find.
The Forest Service runs campgrounds on the grassland, including Buffalo Gap, Wannagan, Sather Lake, Burning Coal Vein, Summit and CCC. Rough Rider State Park sits just minutes from Medora, and the national park has Cottonwood and Juniper. Check campground availability in the Library’s lodging finder.