Visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park
A Landscape That Shaped a President
The story of Theodore Roosevelt and the Badlands is inseparable from the story of the park itself. Roosevelt first traveled to the Dakota Territory in 1883 to hunt bison. Captivated by the stark beauty and independence of the frontier, he soon invested in cattle ranching and established the nearby Elkhorn Ranch.
During these years, Roosevelt worked alongside cowboys, endured brutal winters, and experienced both triumph and hardship. The Badlands toughened him physically and spiritually—experiences he later credited with shaping his character and leadership.
Decades later, as President of the United States, Roosevelt protected more than 230 million acres of public land, helping establish America’s modern conservation movement. The national park that bears his name stands as a tribute to the place where those ideas took root.
Theodore Roosevelt on the round-up, 1885.
Minutes from the Library
The South Unit entrance and visitor center sit at the edge of downtown Medora, about 1.5 miles from the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, roughly a five-minute drive. Seeing the Library and driving the park's Scenic Loop in the same day is easy.
- South Unit entrance and visitor center: about 1.5 miles, 5 minutes
- Painted Canyon Overlook: about 9 miles, 15 to 20 minutes east on I-94
- North Unit: about 70 miles, roughly 1.5 hours north
- Elkhorn Ranch Unit: about 46 miles, 1.5 hours or more, mostly on gravel roads
The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Park entrance fees are set by the National Park Service and are separate from Library admission. See current fees and passes on NPS.gov.
1.5 miles
From the Library to the South Unit entrance in Medora.
36 miles
Around the paved South Unit Scenic Loop Drive. Plan at least two hours.
70,000+ acres
Of badlands, spread across three park units.
Open 24/7
The park is open around the clock, every day of the year.
The Park and the Library on the Map
The park protects more than 70,000 acres of Badlands terrain, divided into three units along the Little Missouri River. Most visitors to Medora explore the South Unit, which offers easy access and some of the park’s most iconic views.
Highlights include:
The Scenic Loop Drive
A 36-mile route through colorful Badlands formations, sweeping prairie grasslands, and wildlife habitat.
Wildlife Viewing
Visitors regularly see American bison, wild horses, mule deer and white-tailed deer, prairie dogs, coyotes, and a wide variety of bird species.
Badlands Overlooks
Dozens of scenic pullouts reveal layered cliffs, eroded buttes, and wide-open prairie stretching toward the horizon.
Prairie Dog Towns
These lively colonies offer a close look at one of the prairie’s most charismatic animals.
Three Units, Three Experiences
Most visitors stay in the South Unit, next door to Medora. With an extra day, the North Unit and the Elkhorn Ranch show two very different sides of Roosevelt country.
South Unit
The park's busiest and most accessible unit, right at Medora. The 36-mile paved Scenic Loop Drive passes prairie dog towns, bison, wild horses, and overlook after overlook. Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin stands just outside the South Unit Visitor Center.
Drive it with the Library's free Scenic Loop audio tour, now in beta. Stories, photos and wildlife tips play as you reach each stop.
Painted Canyon, 7 miles east of Medora on I-94, offers rim-edge views of the badlands. Its visitor center is seasonal, and it is not a park entrance.
North Unit
About 70 miles north of Medora, near Watford City. A 14-mile scenic drive (28 miles round trip; plan at least 1 hour 15 minutes) climbs to overlooks high above the Little Missouri River. Expect deeper canyons and fewer people.
Note the clock: the North Unit runs on Central time, while Medora and the South Unit run on Mountain time.
Elkhorn Ranch Unit
The place Roosevelt chose for his "home ranch" after the deaths of his wife and mother in 1884. Only the cabin's foundation stones remain, at the end of a 0.7-mile mowed path along the Little Missouri.
Getting there takes planning: gravel roads, no facilities, and no cell service. The last three miles can require four-wheel drive or a high-clearance vehicle, so check road conditions at a park visitor center first.
Plan your Elkhorn Ranch visit: directions and road conditions
Trails, Exploration, and Outdoor Adventure
For visitors looking to experience the Badlands up close, the park offers miles of trails and backcountry routes.
Popular short hikes in the South Unit include:
- Wind Canyon Trail – A 0.4-mile walk to an overlook above the Little Missouri River.
- Coal Vein Trail – A 0.8-mile self-guided walk through a landscape shaped by historic underground coal fires.
- Buck Hill – A 0.1-mile walk to a hilltop with wide views across the South Unit.
Curious about the colored layers in every butte? Badlands Geology shows the rock under each trail and overlook, with a map that follows your location in the park.
The Ridgeline Nature Trail is currently inaccessible because of a road collapse. Check current conditions on NPS.gov before you go.
For more adventurous travelers, the park also connects with the legendary Maah Daah Hey Trail, widely considered one of the premier mountain biking trails in the United States.
Maltese Cross Cabin at the South Unit Visitor Center
Visitor Facilities
The South Unit Visitor Center sits in Medora at the start of the Scenic Loop Drive. There you'll find:
- Rangers to help plan hikes and issue backcountry permits
- A 17-minute park film and a museum
- Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin, open during visitor center hours, with ranger-led cabin tours in summer
- Books and souvenirs from the Theodore Roosevelt Nature and History Association
Visitor center hours change with the seasons. Check current hours on NPS.gov. The park takes cards and digital payments only; cash is not accepted.
A Day at the Library and the Park
Library tickets are timed, and morning entry times often sell out first. That makes for an easy rhythm:
- Early morning: Drive the Scenic Loop while wildlife is out. Stop at Wind Canyon and Buck Hill.
- Late morning to afternoon: Explore the Library. Plan about three and a half hours in the exhibits and another hour on the Boardwalk.
- Evening: Dinner in Medora, or head back into the park for golden hour at the overlooks.
Staying longer? Browse trip itineraries, from a single day in Medora to a week-long national parks road trip.
Park and Library FAQs
About 1.5 miles. The South Unit entrance and visitor center sit at the edge of downtown Medora, roughly a five-minute drive from the Library.
Yes. Many visitors drive the 36-mile South Unit Scenic Loop early in the morning, then spend late morning and afternoon at the Library: about three and a half hours in the exhibits, plus time on the Boardwalk. Reserve a timed Library ticket ahead, since morning entry times often sell out.
Yes. Library admission is a timed-entry ticket, available on the tickets page. The park charges its own entrance fee, set by the National Park Service; see current fees and passes on NPS.gov. The park takes cards and digital payments only.
Yes. The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round. Parts of the scenic drives can close for snow and ice, visitor center hours are shorter, and the Painted Canyon Visitor Center closes for the season. Check current conditions on NPS.gov. The Library is also open year-round, with seasonal hours.
The South Unit, right at Medora. The North Unit is about 70 miles north, roughly 1.5 hours by car, and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit is about 46 miles away, 30 of them on gravel. See directions to the Elkhorn Ranch.
Yes, in two places. His Maltese Cross Cabin stands outside the South Unit Visitor Center in Medora. At the Elkhorn Ranch, the site of his "home ranch," the cabin's foundation stones remain at the end of a 0.7-mile path.
Experiencing the Landscape That Inspired Conservation
Standing on a Badlands overlook, it is easy to understand why this landscape left such a deep impression on Theodore Roosevelt. The vast sky, rugged terrain, and quiet solitude offer the same sense of wonder he experienced more than 140 years ago.
When you visit Medora and the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park allows you to step directly into that story—experiencing the land that helped shape one of America’s most influential presidents and its enduring conservation legacy.
For the history behind the park, read about Roosevelt and the national park that bears his name.
Plan the rest of your trip
Things to Do in Medora
Museums, the Medora Musical, trail rides, golf and more, most within a few blocks of the Library.
Hiking
Trails for every pace in Theodore Roosevelt National Park and on the Maah Daah Hey.
Where to Eat
From Salt+Scoria at the Library to steaks, pizza and ice cream in downtown Medora.
Where to Stay
Hotels, cabins and campgrounds in Medora, the national park and nearby Dickinson.