Theodore Roosevelt National Park guides
11 in-depth guides to Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in reading order: what to see, how to get around, and what to know before you go. Back to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park overview.
Badlands Weather: Shoulder Seasons and Subzero Winters
Late spring, from April through May, and early fall, from September through October, are the best times to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
South Unit Scenic Drive and Accessible Overlooks
The South Unit Scenic Drive is a 24-mile out-and-back route, and it gives you a practical way to see much of the area from your car.
Caprock Coulee and Other Badlands Hikes
The Caprock Coulee Trail in the North Unit makes a loop of about 4.1 miles, and many visitors consider it one of the best hikes in the park.
Bison Battles, Feral Horses, and Elk
Bison herds roam the grasslands and badlands of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The North Unit Scenic Drive passes through the Little Missouri badlands, where bison and bighorn sheep feed on the prairie and along cliff edges.
Layered Clay and Volcanic Ash Badlands
The badlands of southwestern North Dakota were shaped by erosion over millions of years, and that erosion is still at work today.
Maltese Cross Cabin and Roosevelt's Badlands Years
In 1883, Theodore Roosevelt came to Dakota Territory to hunt bison. He was a young man from New York, and he found the rough country along the Little Missouri River appealing.
Sacred Sites and Vision Quests in the Badlands
Colorful bentonite hills, grasslands and open prairie make up much of the Little Missouri Badlands.
From CCC Camps to National Park, 1934–1978
After Theodore Roosevelt died in 1919, people began exploring the Little Missouri Badlands in North Dakota to find possible sites for a park.
Camping In-Park, Lodging in Medora
The park has no lodging inside its boundaries, so overnight guests either camp in the park or stay in nearby towns.
North Unit Scenic Drive: Concretions to Oxbow
The North Unit Scenic Drive covers 14 miles from the North Unit entrance to Oxbow Overlook, making a 28-mile round trip.
Elkhorn Ranch: Roosevelt's Remote Riverside Retreat
Roosevelt's wife and mother both died on one day in 1884, and afterward he went looking for a place quieter than the Maltese Cross Cabin.
