Theodore Roosevelt National Park Map +
3-Day South Unit Weekend Itinerary
3-day Theodore Roosevelt National Park weekend in the South Unit from Medora. Overlook the Painted Canyon, drive the 36-mile Scenic Loop, watch wild horses and bison, hike Wind Canyon at sunset, and loop the remote Petrified Forest, the North Dakota Badlands most people never find.
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The Badlands most people never find, from Medora.
This 3-day Theodore Roosevelt National Park weekend explores the park's most accessible and rewarding corner, the South Unit near Medora, ND. It protects 70,000 acres of layered North Dakota Badlands, open grasslands where bison herds graze, and feral horse bands that have roamed here since the 1800s, and it sees a fraction of the crowds of the more famous Badlands across the border in South Dakota.
Day one takes in the Painted Canyon Overlook and a sunset walk on the short Wind Canyon Trail above the Little Missouri River. Day two loops the 36-mile Scenic Loop Drive for Boicourt Overlook, Buck Hill, and the park's wild horses and bison. Day three is the remote 10.4-mile Petrified Forest Loop, past ancient petrified wood in some of the most solitary terrain in the West.
Entry is $30 per vehicle for 7 days; a backcountry permit is free but must be picked up in person at the South Unit Visitor Center to camp overnight. May–June and September bring the mildest weather; July and August can top 100°F with almost no shade, so plan hikes for early morning.
Medora is a small seasonal gateway town, so its hotels (the Rough Riders Hotel, Badlands Motel, AmericInn) and the popular Medora Musical fill up fast June through September, book a few months out. Cottonwood Campground inside the park is first-come plus reservable sites on Recreation.gov in summer. The backcountry permit for overnight camping is free but must be picked up in person at the South Unit Visitor Center, there is no online reservation.
Painted Canyon & Wind Canyon Sunset · ~25 miles
Start at the South Unit Visitor Center in Medora to pay the entrance fee and, if you plan to camp, pick up your free backcountry permit. Then drive 7 miles east on I-94 to the Painted Canyon Overlook, the jaw-dropping first look at the layered burgundy, gold, and gray clay canyons that define the park.
In the late afternoon, drive into the South Unit proper and walk the short Wind Canyon Trail, a 0.4-mile loop along wind-eroded cliffs that climbs to a dramatic lookout over a bend in the Little Missouri River. It is the park's premier sunset spot, the iron-rich clay glows deep red as the light drops. Overnight in Medora or at Cottonwood Campground.
- Medora entrance · pay fee · free backcountry permit for camping
- 7 mi E of Medora · I-94 exit 32 · seasonal visitor center
- 0.4 mi loop · easy · Little Missouri overlook · sunset spot
- Overnight in Medora$120–220/night · gateway town lodging & food
- Hit the Painted Canyon Overlook first, it is right off I-94 at exit 32 and sets the scale of the Badlands before you enter the South Unit proper.
- Save Wind Canyon for the last hour of light. The 0.4-mile loop faces the Little Missouri and the clay walls glow deepest red at sunset.
- If you want to camp, pick up the free backcountry permit in person at the South Unit Visitor Center, there is no online reservation for it.
Wind CanyonMedoraScenic Loop Drive & Wildlife · 36-mile loop
Boicourt OverlookWild horsesSpend the day on the Scenic Loop Drive, the 36-mile road that winds through the South Unit past its best overlooks and trailheads. Go early or late for the wildlife: the park's bison herd, pronghorn, prairie-dog towns, and its band of about 100 wild horses that can appear anywhere on the horizon.
Stop at Boicourt Overlook for the vast, rolling Little Missouri Badlands, and climb the short trail up Buck Hill, one of the highest accessible points in the South Unit, for a 360-degree panorama. Add the interpretive Ridgeline Nature Trail or Coal Vein Trail if you want to stretch your legs, then return to Medora for the night.
- 36-mi loop · 1.5–3 hr with stops · overlooks + trailheads
- Short path · sweeping Little Missouri Badlands view
- 0.4 mi RT · short steep climb · 360° panorama
- Wild horses, bison & prairie dogsBest at dawn/dusk · keep 100+ yards from bison & horses
- Drive the Scenic Loop early morning or late afternoon for the best bison, pronghorn, and wild-horse sightings, midday the animals move off the road.
- Bison are fast and unpredictable. Stay in or beside your vehicle, give them at least 100 yards, and never get between a cow and her calf.
- The wild horses are feral, not tame. Enjoy them from a distance, do not approach or feed them, and let them keep moving.
Petrified Forest Loop & Medora · 10.4-mile hike
Save the wildest day for last. Drive the unpaved road to the park's west-end Petrified Forest trailhead (high-clearance is smart, the clay turns to concrete when wet) and hike the remote 10.4-mile Petrified Forest Loop past 55-million-year-old petrified wood stumps, dry washes, and canyon systems where you may not see another person all day. Do not collect any petrified wood, it is a federal offense.
Back in Medora for the evening, wind down in the well-preserved frontier town. The Medora Musical, an outdoor amphitheater show, runs June through September and is genuinely worth catching, and the Rough Riders Hotel has a good restaurant and a patio with butte views before you head home.
- 10.4 mi loop · remote backcountry · petrified wood · post-marked trail
- Unpaved west-end road · impassable clay when wet
- Medora town & Medora MusicalFrontier gateway town · outdoor show Jun–Sep
- Depart via Dickinson (DIK)~35 mi E on I-94 · nearest regional airport · buffer for car return
- The Petrified Forest Loop is remote and marked with wooden posts, not a maintained tread. Download the route to Gaia GPS or CalTopo before you lose cell service.
- Carry at least 4 liters of water, there are no reliable sources in the backcountry, and the Badlands offer essentially zero shade.
- Skip the loop if rain is in the forecast. Wet bentonite clay becomes like wet concrete, and the access road can become impassable.
Little MissouriBack in MedoraNow build your North Dakota trip.
You've seen all three days. Open the free drag-and-drop planner and tune it for your dates, your pace, and whether you add the North Unit or a night of backcountry camping around your Medora base.
Essential park rules & planning.
Getting there needs a car
The South Unit entrance is right in Medora off I-94. Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK) is about 35 miles east; Bismarck (BIS) is about 135 miles east with more flights. There is no transit to the park, so a rental car is essential for the Scenic Loop and the trailheads.
Fees & the free camping permit
Park entry is $30 per vehicle for 7 days, and the America the Beautiful pass is accepted. There is no timed entry. A backcountry permit is required to camp overnight, it is free but must be picked up in person at the South Unit Visitor Center; there is no online reservation.
Respect the wildlife
The South Unit has bison, pronghorn, prairie dogs, and about 100 feral wild horses. Give bison and horses at least 100 yards, never feed or approach them, and never get between a cow bison and her calf. Watch for animals on the Scenic Loop, especially at dawn and dusk.
Carry all your water
There are no reliable water sources in the South Unit backcountry, and the Badlands offer almost no shade. Carry at least 4 liters per person for the Petrified Forest Loop and plan for roughly 1 liter per hour of hiking in warm weather. A filter is backup only.
Clay roads & trails when wet
The Petrified Forest access road is unpaved, and much of the backcountry is bentonite clay that turns to wet concrete after rain, clinging to boots and making the road impassable. Trail runners work on dry clay; bring gaiters or plan to bail if storms are forecast.
Go spring or fall
May, June, and September bring mild temperatures, wildflowers, bison calves, and active wildlife. July and August routinely top 100°F with intense sun and almost no shade, so hike at first light. Winters are cold and can close roads. Carry sun protection and layers year-round.
Everything you'll actually want to know.
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Theodore Roosevelt NP route.
The entrance fee and free camping permit, the Painted Canyon and Wind Canyon overlooks, the 36-mile Scenic Loop with its bison and wild horses, the remote Petrified Forest Loop, and the Medora base-town plan you need to see it all in a weekend.
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