Hiking
The same broken country that reshaped a grieving young Theodore Roosevelt is yours to walk today — buttes and coulees, cottonwood river bottoms, petrified forests, and prairie that runs to the horizon. Whether you want a ten-minute overlook stroll or a twelve-hour wilderness crossing, there is a trail here for you.
Three Units, Three Different Days
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is split into three separate units — and they are not close together. Pick one per day and plan your driving.
South Unit
The park's front door at Medora, right off Interstate 94. A scenic loop drive, short overlook trails, and a prairie-dog town make it the best first stop — and an easy day of short hikes.
North Unit
About 70 miles north near Watford City. Deeper canyons, longer horizons, and far fewer people — home to the park's most rugged day hikes and the Achenbach wilderness crossing.
Elkhorn Ranch Unit
Roosevelt's remote “home ranch,” about 90 minutes on gravel. A flat 0.7-mile walk leads to the cabin's foundation stones on the Little Missouri — history and quiet more than a hike.
A Trail Rating You Already Know
We borrowed the ski-slope system so you can size up a hike at a glance. Ratings follow the National Park Service’s own difficulty guidance for each trail.
- Green — Easy. Short and mostly flat or paved. Great for families and quick stops. Under a mile.
- Blue — Moderate. Some grades, steps, or uneven footing. A good half-day outing. Roughly half a mile to two miles.
- Black — Strenuous. Long, steep, and remote, with real elevation and route-finding. Four to twelve miles.
- Double Black — Expert. Full-day backcountry with river crossings, for experienced, prepared hikers only. Fifteen to eighteen miles.
Use the finder below to filter trails by unit, difficulty, and length.
Beyond the Park: The Maah Daah Hey
The park sits inside the Little Missouri National Grassland — the largest national grassland in the country. Threading through it is the Maah Daah Hey Trail, a roughly 96-mile singletrack that connects all three park units across open badlands. Its name comes from the Mandan people and is often translated “an area that will be around for a long time.”
You don’t have to thru-hike it. Day-hikers can sample the trail from the South Unit (a 7.1-mile one-way segment) or pick it up near Medora at Sully Creek. Unlike inside the national park, the grassland’s Maah Daah Hey is open to mountain bikes and horses as well as hikers. The Medora-area Point to Point Trail — a 1.4-mile loop with a climbing ladder, named for Roosevelt’s own “over, under, through, but never around” cross-country game — is another local favorite with big views over town.
What to Wear and Bring
Clothing
- Skip the cotton. The Park Service is blunt about this: cotton won’t insulate when wet and dries slowly. Choose wool or synthetic layers, even as a base layer.
- Real footwear. Trails are dirt, gravel, and clay — sturdy, broken-in boots or trail shoes that keep feet dry and blister-free.
- Sun cover. Shade is scarce. A brimmed hat, sunglasses, and sunscreen go a long way on exposed buttes.
- Layers for anything. Weather turns fast; pack a wind- and rain-shell even on clear mornings.
In your pack
- Plenty of water (see below), plus high-energy food — you burn calories and lose minerals as you sweat.
- Map and compass or a GPS, and know how to use them. Some trails fade into the grass, and wildlife paths can lead you astray.
- Headlamp with fresh and spare batteries, in case you’re out past dark.
- First-aid basics for blisters and scrapes, and a current weather forecast before you go.
- Tell someone your route and expected return — the single most effective safety step you can take.
Water and Heat: Don’t Underestimate the Badlands
Carry your own water
- There is no reliable water on the trail. The Park Service notes almost no backcountry sources are safe to filter — and many will clog a filter. Bring what you’ll need.
- Plan on about one gallon per person, per day for longer or hotter hikes.
- Hydrate before you start. Pre-hydrating helps your body handle dry, hot air.
- Skip alcohol, caffeine, and sugary drinks beforehand — they work against you in the heat.
Respect the weather
- Summer temperatures can climb past 100°F, with little shade and constant wind.
- Hike early, rest at midday, and give yourself daylight to finish.
- After rain, the badlands’ bentonite clay turns slick and can become nearly impossible to cross — check conditions.
- Stay back from cliff and sinkhole edges; the soil is loose and can give way.
Wildlife You Might Meet
This is wild country, and its animals are wild. Give every animal room, and never get between one and its young or its escape route.
Bison — keep your distance
Bison are the park’s signature animal and its most dangerous. The Park Service calls the bison “a very fast, very large animal,” and they often walk the same backcountry trails you do. They can outrun any person. Stay at least 25 yards (75 feet) away, never approach for a photo, and if one is on the trail, wait and give it a wide berth.
Snakes, insects, and plants
- Prairie rattlesnakes live here — the park’s one venomous snake. Watch where you step and reach, especially on warm, rocky ground, and stay on trail.
- Ticks and mosquitoes are common in season — repellent and a post-hike tick check are smart.
- Watch for poison ivy and cactus along trail edges.
Other animals
You may also share the trail with wild horses, elk, prairie dogs, coyotes, porcupines, and — rarely — mountain lions. Keep predators at twice the bison distance (50 yards). Observe, photograph from afar, and move on. Do not feed any animal. When wildlife is near the trail, the safest move is patience: stop, keep your distance, and let the animal decide where to go.
A Few Trail Rules
Inside the national park
- No pets, bikes, or motorized equipment on any trail or in the backcountry.
- Backcountry camping requires a free permit.
- Leave every plant, rock, bone, and artifact where it lies.
- Pack out all trash — including toilet paper. Bury human waste 6–8 inches deep, at least 200 feet from water.
- Hikers yield to horseback riders; keep noise low for wildlife and other visitors.
Plan ahead
- Check current conditions and alerts before you drive out — roads and trails can close.
- The Library and the park are separate destinations; the trails here are in the national park and nearby grassland, a short drive from us in Medora.
- Questions? The park’s visitor centers and rangers are the best source for day-of conditions.
Trail names, distances, difficulty, and safety guidance adapted from the National Park Service (public domain), nps.gov/thro. Trail maps, photos, and current conditions via AllTrails. Always verify conditions with the National Park Service before you hike.