Maah Daah Hey Trail Map
The Maah Daah Hey and the Badlands, from one base, no shuttle.
Six days of Badlands hiking from one base in Medora, North Dakota: the Maah Daah Hey from its southern trailhead at Sully Creek, the Petrified Forest loop, Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch, and the trail's northern end at CCC Campground in the North Unit. A real bed every night, no shuttle, no water caches.
“I’ve requested to book a Chain Lakes Loop guide on ExplorOFF, and it was the best idea ever! I highly recommend going with their guided option since you get a real human connection on the trail and don’t have to worry about a thing. Yulia was great to talk to!”
13 stops on a real mapEvery stop pinned in order→Maah Daah Hey: every stop pinned in order.
Medora · Sully Creek · Petrified Forest · Elkhorn Ranch · North Unit
Maah Daah Hey in photos: 4 of the stops.
Plan and book your 6 days in Maah Daah Hey, one step at a time
- The South Unit Scenic Drive in Theodore Roosevelt National Park is closed from mile 6.5 to mile 15.5 for repairs; East River Road stays open. This plan does not rely on the loop. Source
- Directions to the Petrified Forest trailhead have changed: use the approved route from I-94 Exit 10 toward Camels Hump Lake and follow the marked posts, not your phone. Source
How 6 days in Maah Daah Hey split up
Plan 6 days for Maah Daah Hey. Base: Medora. Difficulty: Moderate. Permits: None. The Maah Daah Hey Trail runs 144 miles of singletrack through the North Dakota Badlands, and walking it end to end means camping at campgrounds a long day apart with water you cache yourself. This plan walks the trail the other way: in day sections from Medora, with a bed in town every night.
Day 1: Bismarck to Medora by Painted Canyon
3 stops · Day one
Day 2: The Maah Daah Hey from Sully Creek
2 stops · Day two
Day 3: The Petrified Forest Loop
2 stops · Day three
Day 4: Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch
2 stops · Day four
Day 5: The North Unit & the Trail's Northern End
3 stops · Day five
Day 6: Back to Bismarck
1 stops · Day six
Bismarck to Medora by Painted Canyon
Fly into Bismarck and drive about two hours west on I-94. Stop at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center for the first big view over the Badlands, then it is ten more minutes to Medora, the small historic town at the South Unit gate of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive from
~1 hr 50 to Painted Canyon · car required · DriveBismarck (BIS) is the nearest major airport, about two hours east of Medora on I-94. Pick up a rental car; every day of this trip starts with a drive.
- Painted Canyon Visitor Center
First Badlands overlook · right off I-94 · ViewpointThe first big view over the Badlands, right beside I-94 about ten minutes east of Medora.
- Stay in Medora
Your base for all five nights · lodgeMedora is the small historic town at the South Unit gate of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, with a grocery store and restaurants. You stay here all week.
The Maah Daah Hey from Sully Creek
Start the trail where it starts: the southern trailhead at Sully Creek, about two miles south of Medora. Head north on the Maah Daah Hey past the creek and toward the Little Missouri River ford, which can run knee-deep after rain.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Maah Daah Hey from the Sully Creek trailhead
Southern trailhead, 2 mi south of Medora · out-and-back · HikeStart the Maah Daah Hey at its southern trailhead by Sully Creek and walk north toward the Little Missouri River ford, which can be knee-deep after rain. Turn around when you have used half your time and water.
- Second night in Medora
Five minutes from the trailhead · lodgeBack in Medora for dinner.
The Petrified Forest Loop
Drive about an hour to the Petrified Forest trailhead in the wilderness of the South Unit. Use the park's approved route from I-94 Exit 10 toward Camels Hump Lake and follow the marked posts; the old directions cross private land.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Petrified Forest Loop
~1 hr drive via I-94 Exit 10 · 3 mi to the stumps · 10.4 mi full loop · HikeTake the approved route from I-94 Exit 10 toward Camels Hump Lake and follow the marked posts to the trailhead. Both sections of petrified wood are about 1.5 miles out; the whole loop is 10.4 miles with little or no shade.
Official info → - Third night in Medora
Back in town · lodgeA third night in Medora.
Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch
Drive north on gravel roads to the Elkhorn Ranch, where Theodore Roosevelt ranched in the 1880s, the place he credited with his conservation thinking. It is a long, slow drive, about an hour and forty minutes each way, so start with a full tank and plenty of water.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Elkhorn Ranch Site
~1 hr 40 each way on gravel · no facilities · ViewpointTheodore Roosevelt ranched here in the 1880s. Foundation stones and interpretive signs mark the site in quiet river-bottom country. The gravel roads turn to clay after rain, so check conditions before you go.
Official info → - Fourth night in Medora
Back in town · lodgeA fourth night in Medora.
The North Unit & the Trail's Northern End
Drive about an hour and ten minutes north to the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The Maah Daah Hey ends at CCC Campground, just inside the unit, so walk its last miles from the northern end as an out-and-back.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Maah Daah Hey from CCC Campground
~1 hr 10 from Medora · northern end of the trail · out-and-back · HikeThe Maah Daah Hey ends at CCC Campground in the North Unit. Walk its last miles from the northern end and turn back when you like.
- Caprock Coulee Trail
10 min from CCC Campground · the North Unit's best short hike · HikeCoulees, caprock formations and wide views over the Little Missouri in the North Unit.
- Fifth night in Medora
~1 hr 25 back from Caprock Coulee · lodgeThe last night in Medora.
Back to Bismarck
Take a last walk in Medora or a short one at Painted Canyon on the way east, then drive about two hours back to Bismarck for your flight.
Not the order you want? Drag a stop, or use the arrows beside it. Stops move between days too.
- Drive to Bismarck (BIS)
~2 hr · 134 mi on I-94 · DriveAbout two hours east on I-94 to Bismarck. Bismarck is on Central time and Medora is on Mountain time, so check your flight in the right one.
Book the 5 nights
Beds near the trailheads are the one thing on this trip that genuinely runs out. Everything else can be decided later.
Tell us your dates and we will do the checking. We find what is still open near each trailhead and email you this plan back with a booking link for each night. Nothing is charged and you decide at the end.
Request to bookWhat to pack for Maah Daah Hey
Built from this route, not a generic list. Every line says why it is here.
On every day of this trip
On your feet
Because you are sleeping indoors
For the driving days
Essential Badlands logistics & planning.
Passes, not permits
Day hikes need no permit. Theodore Roosevelt National Park charges an entrance fee and takes only cards and digital passes, and one pass covers both the South and North Units.
Carry your water
There is no water at the trailheads on this route. The NPS advises at least a liter per person per hour on longer Badlands hikes, and there is little or no shade.
One base, no shuttle
Every hike here is an out-and-back or a loop, so you always walk back to your own car. That is the trade for sleeping in Medora every night instead of camping on the trail.
Wildlife awareness
Expect bison, wild horses, rattlesnakes and prairie dogs. Keep your distance from all animals, especially bison, and watch your step on warm days.
Go in the shoulder seasons
May–June and September–October bring milder temperatures and fewer bugs. Summer often tops 90°F with afternoon thunderstorms, and winter closes some park roads.
Never walk it wet
After rain the Badlands singletrack and the gravel access roads turn to sticky clay. Swap days around the forecast and wait for the tread to dry.
Maah Daah Hey: questions before you go
Maah Daah Hey trail: the questions people ask most.
Yes. This plan walks it in day sections from a base in Medora: the southern end from the Sully Creek trailhead two miles south of town, and the northern end from CCC Campground in the North Unit. Both are out-and-back, so you need no shuttle and sleep in a real bed every night.
The full trail is 144 miles of singletrack through the North Dakota Badlands. Hiking it end to end means camping at campgrounds a long day apart and caching your own water; this itinerary samples both ends instead.
Not for day hikes. You need a Theodore Roosevelt National Park entrance pass for the park sections, and the park takes only cards and digital passes.
May–June and September–October, with milder temperatures and fewer insects. Summer can exceed 90°F with thunderstorms, and after any rain the clay trails and roads are best left until they dry.
Bismarck (BIS) is about two hours east of Medora on I-94. The North Unit is about an hour and ten minutes north of Medora.
Expect bison, wild horses, rattlesnakes and prairie dogs, and bighorn sheep in the North Unit. Keep a safe distance from all animals, especially bison.
Yes. Tell us your dates and we check what is still open for the plan on this page, then send it back with a booking link for each night and the total. Nothing is charged and nothing is held, and you pay the normal rate.
Pick how you want to go.
Same 6-day route. Same 6 stops.
- 5 nights, a room in Medora
- from $690
- Rental car, 6 days
- $360
- Gas, about 272 miles
- $40
- A private local guide, rooms and campsites booked
- Included
- Airport pickup and every drive
- Included
- Park, permit and campsite fees paid
- Included
- All the gear and the trail meals
- Included
Written and walked by Yulia Vasilyeva · Co-founder · Lead planner and guide
Three years leading guided hikes in the Pacific Northwest, rated 5.0 by 20+ verified guests, and she builds every custom itinerary herself. Based in Seattle.
Last checked September 2026
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All reviews are from verified guests. ★★★★★ 5.0 average from 20+ bookings.
"Felt like going out with a really knowledgeable friend who just happens to know everything about the area. No awkward tour-guide energy, just a magnificent day."
"Yulia is an incredible guide. She knew every trail, every viewpoint, and exactly how to pace the day for our group. The photos she took of us were stunning. 100% booking again."
"I was visiting Seattle solo and this was the best decision I made on the trip. Yulia picked me up, had snacks, and took us to a trail I never would have found on my own. Absolute must-do."
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Fees, reservation windows, shuttle dates and trail closures are planning estimates. Confirm hours, road status and any reservations with the land manager before you go.
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You can't hike it if you can't get the permit.
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The WaveCoyote Buttes North · Arizona / UtahPermitLotterybrutal odds
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