Theodore Roosevelt National Park Map

Day 1 of 3

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.

5 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?~35 mi W on I-94 to Medora · car required · Drive

   Fly into Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK), about 35 miles east, or Bismarck (BIS), about 135 miles east with more flights, then drive west on I-94 to Medora at the South Unit entrance. There is no transit to the park, so a rental car is essential for the Scenic Loop and the trailheads.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Acroterion / CC BY-SA 4.0
   South Unit Visitor CenterMedora entrance · fee + free camping permit · Viewpoint

   Start at the South Unit Visitor Center right at the Medora entrance to pay the $30 per-vehicle entrance fee (7 days) and see Theodore Roosevelt's restored Maltese Cross Cabin. If you plan to camp in the backcountry, pick up your free permit here in person, there is no online reservation for it.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Acroterion / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Painted Canyon Overlook7 mi E of Medora · I-94 exit 32 · Viewpoint

   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. The seasonal Painted Canyon Visitor Center here has restrooms, a bookstore, and a short rim trail with the best roadside view in the South Unit.

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4. ⠿↑↓4Don Graham from Redlan / CC BY-SA 2.0
   Wind Canyon Trail0.4 mi loop · easy · Little Missouri sunset · Hike

   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. Time it for the last hour of daylight.

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5. ⠿↑↓5Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Overnight in Medora$120–220/night · gateway town · lodge

   Check into Medora for the night, the well-preserved frontier town at the South Unit entrance. Options include the historic Rough Riders Hotel, the Badlands Motel, and the AmericInn, plus restaurants and the Medora Musical in summer. For an in-park stay, Cottonwood Campground sits about 5 miles inside the South Unit.

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Day 2 of 3

Scenic Loop Drive & Wildlife · 36-mile loop

Spend 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.

5 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. ⠿↑↓1Xnatedawgx / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Scenic Loop Drive36-mi loop · overlooks + trailheads · Drive

   Spend the day on the 36-mile Scenic Loop Drive, the road that winds through the South Unit past its best overlooks and trailheads. Drive it early morning or late afternoon for the park's bison herd, pronghorn, prairie-dog towns, and its band of about 100 wild horses. Watch for animals on the road at all times.

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   Boicourt OverlookSweeping Little Missouri Badlands view · Viewpoint

   Stop at Boicourt Overlook for the vast, rolling Little Missouri Badlands, where Theodore Roosevelt found his "land of vast, silent spaces." A short paved path leads to the main view, and a rougher spur continues along the ridge for those who want to walk out farther. It is a superb sunrise or sunset spot.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Eddy23 / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Buck Hill0.4 mi RT · short steep climb · 360° view · Hike

   Climb the short trail up Buck Hill, one of the highest accessible points in the South Unit, for a 360-degree panorama across the Badlands. It is only about 0.4 miles round trip but steep and exposed, so bring water and go early before the heat. Add the Ridgeline Nature Trail or Coal Vein Trail nearby to stretch your legs.

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4. ⠿↑↓4Amaury Laporte / CC BY 2.0
   Wild horses & bisonFeral herd of ~100 · give 100+ yards · Viewpoint

   Keep an eye on the grasslands and ridgelines for the South Unit's band of roughly 100 feral wild horses, descended from domestic stock, plus the park's bison herd. They can appear anywhere along the loop. Enjoy them from a distance, give bison and horses at least 100 yards, and never feed or approach them.

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   Second night in Medora$120–220/night · or Cottonwood Campground · lodge

   Head back to Medora for a second night, or camp at Cottonwood Campground inside the South Unit, about 5 miles from the entrance along the Little Missouri, with first-come and reservable summer sites on Recreation.gov. In town, catch the Medora Musical (June–September) or dinner on the Rough Riders patio.

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Day 3 of 3

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.

4 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. ⠿↑↓1Neha Mago / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Petrified Forest trailhead access roadUnpaved west-end road · high-clearance smart · Drive

   Drive the unpaved road to the park's west-end Petrified Forest trailhead, roughly 45–50 minutes from Medora on dirt and gravel. High-clearance is smart, and the clay turns to concrete and can become impassable when wet, so check the forecast and skip it after rain. Fuel up and fill your water in Medora first.

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2. ⠿↑↓2Acroterion / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Petrified Forest Loop10.4 mi loop · remote · petrified wood · Hike

   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. The trail is marked with wooden posts, not a maintained tread, so download the route to Gaia GPS first. Carry 4+ liters of water, and do not collect any petrified wood, it is a federal offense.

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3. ⠿↑↓3Farragutful / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Medora town & Medora MusicalFrontier gateway · outdoor show Jun–Sep · Viewpoint

   Back in Medora, 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. Grab a pitchfork-fondue dinner before the show if you have time.

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4. ⠿↑↓4Jonathan Schilling / CC BY-SA 4.0
   Depart via Dickinson (DIK)~35 mi E on I-94 · return rental car · Drive

   Wrap up the trip with the roughly 35-mile drive east on I-94 from Medora to Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport (DIK), or continue to Bismarck (BIS) for more flight options. Allow buffer for returning your rental car and for a final meal in Dickinson if time permits.

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