Theodore Roosevelt National Park National Park Service 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

Information and Hiking Guide 

Theodore Roosevelt National Park 

Information & Lost and Found 

(701) 623-4466 

Website 

www.nps.gov/thro 

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Welcome to Your National Park 

Are you a nature enthusiast, a 

lover of history, 

or an adventurer? Perhaps 

you’re a student, a hiker, or 

a geology buff. Do you love 

unspoiled badlands scenery 

and prairie sunsets? 

Maybe you’re looking for a 

bird to add to your life list or 

a wilderness trail to explore. 

Whoever you are, Theodore 

Roosevelt National Park has 

something for you. 

Plan Your Visit 

2 HOURS 

• Take the scenic drive. 

• Hike a short trail to an 

0verlook. 

• Do some wildlife watching. 

• Attend a short ranger 

program. 

• Tour the Maltese Cross 

Cabin in the South Unit. 

• Watch the park film. 

HALF DAY 

• Pack a lunch and have a 

picnic. 

• Visit Petrified Forest or 

Painted Canyon, both in 

the South Unit. 

• Hike one moderate or many 

short trails. 

• Attend more than one 

ranger program. 

FULL DAY 

• Bike some of the scenic 

drive. 

• Hike a strenuous trail. 

• Visit the Elkhorn Ranch. 

• Explore the backcountry. 

• Find a scenic spot to watch 

the sunset. 

• Camp in a campground or 

the backcountry. 

ACCESSIBILITY 

Park buildings are 

wheelchair accessible. 

The park film is captioned 

and audio described. A braille 

brochure is available upon 

request. Accessible trails are 

listed on the following page. 

With the exception of guided 

hikes, all ranger-led programs 

are wheelchair accessible. 

CAMPGROUNDS 

All sites in Juniper 

and half the sites in 

Cottonwood are on a first 

come, first served basis. Some 

sites are large enough to 

accommodate large RVs but 

there are no utility hookups. 

Reservations (Cottonwood 

only) at www.recreation.gov 

at least 5 days in advance. 

SERVICE ANIMALS 

Service animals 

are welcome in all 

areas of the park. Please do 

your best to maintain extra 

distance between your service 

animal and any wildlife you 

encounter. Bison and horses 

are known to act aggressively 

towards dogs. 

WILDLIFE 

SAFETY 

Getting too close to animals, Respect wildlife and other 

especially bison and horses, visitors by watching all 

can cause injury or death. If animals from a distance of 

your presence changes an 25 yards or greater. 

animal’s behavior, you are 

too close! 
Plan Your Visit (continued) 

PICNIC AREAS 

Shaded or covered 

picnic areas are 

available adjacent to the 

campgrounds in both the 

North and South Units. 

These facilities have 

restrooms, picnic tables, fire 

grates, and trash containers. 

PETS 

Pets must always be 

leashed and attended, 

and may walk on sidewalks, 

roads, and in parking lots and 

campgrounds. Please clean up 

after your pet. Pets are not 

allowed in buildings, on 

trails, or in the backcountry. 

BICYCLING 

Bicycles are permitted 

only on roads. The 

rules of the road apply to 

cyclists. Bicycles are not 

allowed on trails, including 

sections of the Maah Daah 

Hey Trail that lie within park 

boundaries. 

HORSEBACK RIDING 

Backcountry trails 

throughout the park 

are open to horseback riding. 

Stock are prohibited on nature 

trails and in all campgrounds 

except Roundup Horse Camp. 

News and Events 

Photo Contest 

Theodore Roosevelt Nature & History Association (TRNHA) 

hosts an annual contest for pictures taken in the park. All photos 

submitted have a chance of being used in publications, exhibits, 

and on social media. The winners are featured in a calendar sold in 

TRNHA bookstores. For official rules visit www.trnha.org 

Be a Junior Ranger 

Pick up a free Junior Ranger 

activity book at the nearest 

visitor center. Share your 

answers with a park ranger to 

earn a Junior Ranger badge. 

Attention 4th Graders! 

All US 4th graders can earn 

a free Every Kid in a Park 

Pass allowing them and their 

family members free entrance 

to all national parks. To obtain 

a pass, fourth graders must 

complete a simple activity at 

www.everykidinapark.gov, 

print off a voucher, and bring 

it to a national park. 

Starry Nights 

The North Unit hosts an 

annual Star Party and the 

South Unit offers ranger-led 

sky tours and full moon hikes 

as well as the annual Dakota 

Nights Astronomy Festival. See 

website for details. 

Important Regulations 

KNOW THE LAW 

National parks have special 

rules in place to help protect 

park resources. Some of the 

most important regulations 

are listed here. A complete 

listing can be found in the 

Management section of our 

website. Thank you for your 

efforts to preserve the park’s 

wildness and beauty. 

DRONES 

The National Park Service 

has determined that 

unmanned aerial vehicles 

(UAVs) can influence 

wildlife behavior and pose a 

safety risk to the landscape, 

wildlife, and park visitors. 

UAVs, including drones and 

other flying toys, cannot be 

operated by the public within 

a national park. 

COLLECTING OR DEFACING 

Help keep the park beautiful 

so everyone can enjoy it. 

Natural features of the park 

are protected including 

wildlife, plants, artifacts, 

rocks, soil, bones, and 

shed antlers. Collecting 

or possessing these items 

is illegal, as is graffiti and 

carving on rocks or wood. 

FIREARMS 

You must comply with all 

applicable firearms laws. If 

you can legally possess 

firearms under local, North 

Dakota, and federal laws, 

you may do so in this park. 

Federal law prohibits 

firearms in park buildings 

and facilities and prohibits 

discharging a firearm inside a 

national park. 
Short Hiking Trails - South Unit 

The trails listed below are well marked—you do not need a map to hike them. All other trails require 

navigating by map and compass. For trailhead locations, consult the maps in the park brochure. 

Distances shown are round-trip. Carry and drink plenty of water. 

Painted Canyon Overlook 0.2 mile 

A sidewalk traces the rim of the badlands behind 

the Painted Canyon Visitor Center. 

Buck Hill 0.2 mile 

A steep path with stairs leads to the second highest 

point in the park with stunning views in all directions. 

Wind Canyon Trail 0.4 mile 

A short hike along a clif edge above the Little Missouri 

River, popular for sunset viewing. 

Coal Vein Trail 0.8 mile 

A brochure (available at trailhead) provides information 

about the geologic processes at work in the badlands. 

Occasional stairs. 

Painted Canyon Nature Trail 1 mile 

A trek from the top of the badlands to the bottom and 

back up again with a variety of geologic features. 

Boicourt Trail 0.3 mile 

A gentle gravel path atop the prairie renowned for 

its views of the South Unit’s rolling terrain. 

Skyline Vista 0.3 mile 

An easy paved walk along a high plateau to a vista 

with benches to enjoy the view. 

Ridgeline Nature Trail 0.6 mile 

A brochure (available at trailhead) provides information 

about badlands fora and fauna along this moderate 

nature trail. Steep stairs. 

Old East Entrance 0.8 mile 

The trail to the park’s original entrance station goes 

through a prairie dog town. The building is closed and 

locked at all times. 

Petrifed Forest 3 miles 

A wilderness trail leads to a large concentration of 

petrifed tree stumps. Directions to the trailhead are 

below. 

Directions to the Petrifed Forest Trailhead 

The Petrified Forest is located in the 

Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness in the park’s 

South Unit. The fossilized trees lie in two 

separate areas, both about 1.5 miles from the 

parking area. (Round trip is about 3 miles.) 

This popular hike involves several short 

but steep climbs which are very slick and 

sometimes impassible when wet. Hiking 

during dry weather is best but be advised— 

there is no shade along this trail. Carry water 

and wear sun protection. 

PLEASE NOTE: If you continue beyond the 

Petrified Forest, the loop trail is 10.5 miles 

long and requires a map, compass, and extra 

water and supplies. 

DRIVING DIRECTIONS: From Medora, the 

drive to the Petrified Forest is 30 minutes on 

gravel roads. Ask about road conditions at the 

visitor center. 

• Take I-94 westbound to exit 23. At the end of the 

exit ramp, turn right on Forest Service Road 730. 

Travel 2.7 miles. 

• Turn left to stay on 730. Travel 2.5 miles. You will 

pass a “Private Road” sign; you can continue. 

• Turn right on Road 730-2. In 150 yards, take the 

frst left. 

• At the next “Y”, veer left, continue 0.6 miles to 

the parking area. 

• The trail starts at the lift gate behind the trailhead 

sign. 
Short Hiking Trails - North Unit 

The trails listed below are well marked—you do not need a map to hike them. All other trails require 

navigating by map and compass. For trailhead locations, consult the maps in the park brochure. 

Distances shown are round-trip. Carry and drink plenty of water. 

River Bend Overlook 0.1 mile 

A gravel path to a viewing deck of one of the 

park’s most iconic views. A gentle trail with stairs leads 

from the viewing deck down to the CCC-built overlook 

shelter (0.2 mile). 

Little Mo Nature Trail 0.7 mile (short loop) 

A trail brochure (available at trailhead) 

accompanies this easy, paved nature trail along the Little 

Missouri River. 

Prairie Dog Town 2 miles 

An easy walk on the Buckhorn Trail leads to a bustling 

prairie dog town. Start at the Caprock Coulee trailhead. 

Caprock Coulee Nature Trail 1.4 miles 

A trail brochure (available at trailhead) serves as a guide 

to the plants and geology found along the trail in a shady 

coulee. 

Oxbow Overlook 0.1 mile 

A short, paved path along the rim of the badlands 

with sweeping views of the Little Missouri River and 

distant Achenbach Hills. 

Little Mo Nature Trail 1.4 miles (long loop) 

An extension of the paved short loop (see above) climbs 

the river terrace and later rejoins the paved nature trail. 

Sperati Point 2 miles 

From Oxbow Overlook, follow the South Achenbach 

Trail across rolling prairie to a slight hilltop with 

expansive views. 

Caprock Coulee Trail (loop) 2 miles 

A moderately strenuous trail (includes the Caprock 

Coulee Nature Trail) explores coulees, prairie, and 

juniper forests. 

Backcountry Trails 

Trails not listed as short hiking trails are considered 

backcountry trails. They can be difcult to follow. 

For short, out-and-back trips, turn around if feel 

you have lost the trail. Longer routes require a 

topographic map for navigation. Maps in the park 

brochure are not detailed enough for backcountry 

trail navigation. Dispersed camping is allowed with 

a free permit, available in park visitor centers. 

Heat and Dehydration 

Dehydration and heat exhaustion are common 

hazards, even on short trails. Carry and drink plenty 

of water—at least one gallon per person, per day. 

In the summer, avoid hiking during the hottest part 

of the day. Shade is hard to fnd, so wear a hat and 

sunscreen. 

Visiting the Elkhorn Ranch Unit 

Though it is the smallest unit of the park, the 

Elkhorn Ranch Unit is perhaps the park’s 

most historically significant area. 

Roosevelt chose the location because he 

wanted a remote setting for his “home ranch.” 

Even today, the Elkhorn is still very remote, 

accessed only by gravel roads. Maps and 

driving directions are available in all park 

visitor centers. 

The cabin’s foundation stones are all that 

remain of Roosevelt’s ranching operation. 

The cabin site is 0.75 mile from the parking 

lot on an easy, mostly flat trail. 
 

Ranger Programs 

Ranger-led programs are wheelchair accessible geology talks, tours of Theodore Roosevelt’s 

with the exception of some guided hikes. Maltese Cross Cabin, campground evening 

Program schedules are posted throughout the programs, and special programs on occasion. 

park and online. In the North Unit campground evening 

programs are presented on weekends, June In the South Unit, a variety of ranger-led through August. programs are offered daily, June through midSeptember. Programs include guided hikes, 

Your Fee Money 

Federal law requires parks to use recreation fees in ways that directly benefit you, the visitor. 

The following are some of the many projects funded by entrance and camping fees: 

• New restrooms along the • Routine campground • Restoration of the River 

South Unit scenic drive maintenance Bend Overlook Shelter 

• Outdoor trail information • A study of bison DNA • Repaving the Little Mo 

signs and interpretive to guide management of Nature Trail 

exhibits Department of the Interior • Publications like this one! bison herds 

• Ranger-led evening programs 

Supporting Our Parks 

Theodore Roosevelt Nature and History Association 

Theodore Roosevelt Nature and History Association is a nonprofit 

cooperating association working in partnership with the National 

Park Service (NPS) and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) 

in North Dakota. TRNHA operates five bookstores located in 

Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Knife River Indian Villages 

NHS, and Upper Souris National Wildlife Refuge. Proceeds from 

store and online sales, memberships, and donations support NPS 

and USFWS programs. www.trnha.org 

Friends of Theodore Roosevelt National Park 

The mission of the Friends of Theodore Roosevelt National 

Park is to support the park at every level and deepen the human 

connection to the park. The Friends support the park by 

volunteering and fund-raising. Through their fund-raising efforts, 

the Friends seek to provide financing for research, educational 

activities, and park outreach. www.FriendsofTR.com 
National Parks of North Dakota 

Knife River Indian 

Villages NHS 

564 County Road 37 

Stanton, North Dakota 58571 

Phone: 701-745-3300 

Website: www.nps.gov/knri 

Find us on Facebook 

Fort Union Trading 

Post NHS 

15550 Highway 1804 

Williston, North Dakota 58801 

Phone: 701-572-9083 

Website: www.nps.gov/fous 

Find us on Facebook and Twitter 

Bookstore & Cooperating 

Association: 

www.FortUnionTP.org 

Parks open daily except 

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and 

New Year’s Days. 

Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site 

At Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site, 

history comes alive. Visitors learn about Northern Great Plains 

Indian Culture as well as native plants and animals by touring 

the visitor center, museum, and reconstructed earthlodge. 

A 15-minute film describes life in an Indian village from the 

perspective of Buffalo Bird Woman, who lived at the Knife River 

Indian Villages. Several miles of hiking trails traverse the village 

sites and offer views of the Knife and Missouri Rivers. 

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site 

A trip to Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site 

takes you back to the mid-19th century, the heyday of Fort 

Union and the fur trade on the Upper Missouri River. From 

1828 to 1867, Fort Union Trading Post was the most important 

fur trade fort on the Upper Missouri. Here, the Assiniboine, 

Crow, Cree, Ojibway, Blackfeet, Hidatsa, and other tribes 

traded bison robes and other furs for goods such as cloth, guns, 

blankets, knives, cookware, and beads. Today, visitors can tour 

the reconstructed fort and museum as well as observe livinghistory demonstrations.