Maah Daah Hey Trail Map

Day 1 of 6

Arrival in Medora & Shuttle Setup · 0 miles

Your trek begins in Medora, North Dakota, the small historic town that is the gateway to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the surrounding Badlands. Settle into your lodging, top off water, and confirm tomorrow's shuttle drop-off at the Sully Creek trailhead and your Day 6 pick-up at Peaceful Valley.

4 stopsDay one

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Drive from where are you driving from?~130 mi / 2 hr from Bismarck (BIS) · car required · Drive

   Base your trek out of Medora, the historic gateway town to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It is about 130 miles (2 hours) west of Bismarck, the nearest major airport. Medora has a small grocery store and restaurants for a last resupply; cell service is limited once you leave town.

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   TRNP backcountry permitFree · required for park camping · South Unit Visitor Center · Viewpoint

   If you will camp inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park boundaries, secure your free backcountry permit at the South Unit Visitor Center. Reservations are recommended for peak season (May–June, Sept–Oct). Confirm your itinerary, water plan, and any fire restrictions with rangers.

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   Confirm trailhead shuttlePre-booked · Sully Creek drop-off + Peaceful Valley pick-up · activity

   This is a point-to-point route, so a shuttle is essential. Dakota Cyclery in Medora runs one-way shuttles for hikers (roughly $250 one-way for up to four). Confirm tomorrow's Sully Creek drop-off and your Day 6 Peaceful Valley pick-up times and locations.

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   Overnight in MedoraBase town · lodging before the trek · lodge

   Spend the night in Medora before an early shuttle. Rooms fill fast in summer and foliage season, so reserve early. Enjoy a last cooked meal, top off water, and do a final gear check before heading into the Badlands.

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Day 2 of 6

Sully Creek Trailhead to CCC Campground · 11.5 miles

Your shuttle drops you at the Sully Creek trailhead (GPS 46.88974, -103.5378), about 1.5 miles south of Medora in Rough Rider State Park. The first miles ease you into the Badlands, following Sully Creek before a ford of the Little Missouri River, which can be knee-deep after rain.

4 stopsDay two

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1w_lemay / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Shuttle to Sully Creek trailhead~1.5 mi south of Medora · start of the section · Drive

   Your shuttle drops you at the Sully Creek trailhead (GPS 46.88974, -103.5378) in Rough Rider State Park, about 1.5 miles south of Medora. Check the trailhead kiosk for alerts, top off water, and start north on the Maah Daah Hey singletrack.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Ford the Little Missouri River~3.5 mi · knee-deep after rain · Hike

   The trail follows Sully Creek before fording the Little Missouri River, which can run knee-deep after rain and gets muddy on the approach. Trekking poles help with balance. This is a good warm-up section before the bigger Badlands climbs.

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   Climb through the Badlands to CCC~8 mi · moderate climbs · exposed · Hike

   From the river, the trail climbs and drops through classic Badlands formations with widening views toward the designated CCC Campground. Sections are fully exposed, so carry sun protection and ample water.

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   Camp at CCC Campground~11.5 mi day · vault toilet · hand-pump water · lodge

   Set up camp at the CCC Campground, a primitive but established Forest Service site with a vault toilet and a seasonal hand pump. Confirm the pump is running before relying on it, and pack out all trash for your first night in the wilderness.

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Day 3 of 6

CCC Campground to Wannagan Campground · 12 miles

Leaving CCC, the trail crosses open grasslands broken by Badlands features, a mix of easy walking and moderate climbs. Watch for wild horses and bison grazing the Little Missouri National Grassland, a highlight of this stretch.

3 stopsDay three

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1J / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Grasslands & wild horses~5 mi · open grasslands · moderate climbs · Hike

   Leaving CCC, the trail crosses open grasslands broken by Badlands features, with easy walking and moderate climbs. Keep an eye out for wild horses and bison grazing the Little Missouri National Grassland, and give all animals a wide berth.

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2. ⠿↑↓2w_lemay / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Steeper climbs to Wannagan~7 mi · steeper climbs · panoramic views · Hike

   The trail steepens toward the end of the day, rewarding the effort with panoramic views over the grassland and Badlands. Some sections can be overgrown, so keep a GPS track handy to stay on the singletrack.

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   Camp at Wannagan CampgroundGPS 47.05568, -103.587 · vault toilet · hand pump · lodge

   Drop into Wannagan Campground (GPS 47.05568, -103.587), a well-situated backcountry site known for its Badlands sunsets, with a vault toilet and a hand pump. It can be windy, so stake your tent well and enjoy the evening light.

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Day 4 of 6

Wannagan to Elkhorn Ranch Site · 10.5 miles

Today crosses some of the most remote and wild country on the section. The trail winds through intricate Badlands formations that can be faint and require careful navigation, so carry extra water and stay on your track.

3 stopsDay four

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Remote Badlands navigation~8 mi · faint trail · carry extra water · Hike

   Today crosses some of the most remote and wild country on the section. The trail winds through intricate Badlands formations that can be faint, so keep a GPS track and compass and carry extra water for this dry stretch.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Jerrye & Roy Klotz / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Elkhorn Ranch SiteGPS 47.1778, -103.4300 · Theodore Roosevelt's ranch · Viewpoint

   Pass the historic Elkhorn Ranch Site (GPS 47.1778, -103.4300), where Theodore Roosevelt ranched in the 1880s, the experience that shaped his conservation legacy. Interpretive signs mark the spot; there are no facilities and little shade, so respect the history and move on to camp.

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3. ⠿↑↓3w_lemay / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Primitive camp near Elkhorn~2.5 mi on · dispersed · no water · lodge

   Find a dispersed primitive campsite near the ranch, camping on durable surfaces at least 200 ft from water, trails, and the historic site. There is no water source here, so carry everything you need, and enjoy the dark skies and solitude.

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Day 5 of 6

Elkhorn Ranch to Icebox Canyon · 13 miles

A longer, more challenging push: the trail traverses ridges and coulees with significant elevation change and grand vistas over the Little Missouri River and the surrounding Badlands. Watch for loose rock on the steep ascents and descents.

3 stopsDay five

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1Fredlyfish4 / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Ridge & coulee traverse~6 mi · steep · grand river vistas · Hike

   Begin a challenging day traversing ridges and coulees with significant elevation change and grand vistas over the Little Missouri River and the Badlands. Watch for loose rock on the steep ascents and descents, and pace your water on the long day.

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   Approach Icebox Canyon~7 mi · dramatic formations · unique rock · Hike

   The trail winds on toward the distinctive formations of Icebox Canyon, with the scenery growing more dramatic as you near your final camp. It can be narrow in spots, so take care and enjoy the unique rock along the way.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Stan Shebs / CC BY-SA 3.0
   Camp at Icebox CanyonPrimitive · seasonal creek · wind shelter · lodge

   Set up camp in Icebox Canyon, a scenic primitive site with some shelter from wind and sun. A seasonal creek sometimes offers water but can be dry by late summer, so treat it as unreliable and purify everything. Check fire restrictions before using any existing ring.

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Day 6 of 6

Icebox Canyon to Peaceful Valley & Departure · 13 miles

The final day pushes out of Icebox Canyon over the last challenging climbs, then descends gradually toward the Peaceful Valley trailhead, completing your 60-mile Maah Daah Hey journey. Soak in the last Badlands views on the way down.

3 stopsDay six

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⠿Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.

1. ⠿↑↓1
   Final climbs out of Icebox~6 mi · last elevation · monitor water · Hike

   Start the final day with a push out of Icebox Canyon over the last challenging climbs and descents. Enjoy the last of the Badlands views and monitor your remaining water as you go.

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   Descend to Peaceful Valley trailhead~7 mi · gradual descent · trail's end · Hike

   The trail gradually descends to the Peaceful Valley trailhead, completing your 60-mile Maah Daah Hey journey. Build in buffer time so a slow morning does not make you miss the shuttle, and prepare for pick-up.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Shuttle back to MedoraPre-arranged pick-up · celebratory meal · Drive

   Your pre-arranged shuttle meets you at Peaceful Valley and runs you back to Medora. Confirm the pick-up time and exact trailhead in advance, then celebrate your 60-mile Badlands trek with a well-earned meal in town.

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