Theodore Roosevelt National Park far exceeded my expectations in the best way possible! This National Park is off the beaten path and well worth the visit. We only saw the North Unit on our visit so we will definitely have to visit more at a later date. While visiting I felt so at peace and love that it's not overcrowded like other National Parks and that you really feel surrounded by nature and wildlife. We enjoyed driving along the scenic path and soaking in the stunning views! We saw cannonball concretions, stunning views from the overlooks along the way, and saw lots of bison. There are lots of hiking trails to explore and we saw deer. We look forward to coming back and hopefully seeing wild horses and prairie dogs. The park is large with so much to see and do. An absolutely gorgeous place to visit that is so underrated! Highly recommend visiting this place! read more

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I really wanted to go to the north point of this park, but unfortunately, we were short on time, so I decided not to do that during this trip. Even though we went through the bottom portion, we were able to see some horses and look out at the beautiful views. We were able to get junior ranger books and badges. I even got to get a magnet from the little shop at the painted canyon visitor center. It was much hotter than we thought it would be, so we were not able to do any hikes during our visit in July. But even just driving through the land was beautiful. read more

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Parks Near Me - Medora, North Dakota

This visit was a quick ride out at the end of our time off. We went to the North Unit first (has a separate page) then on to South Unit (this one) Theodore Roosevelt National Park remains a lesser visited park. No over-crowding, decent rustic camping, lots of wildlife & plenty of space to roam. South Unit loop has a lot of construction going right now, which makes it an out & back va a loop. We spotted plenty of bison, horses, prairie dogs, deer & such. There was a pretty thick layer of smoke lingering, no fault of the park but it did make for a rough outdoor time & lousy landscape photos. I've been a lot of places and have to see a better sunset than I've seen here. It's a great place to unplug & reconnect with nature. read more

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I wasn't sure what to expect, but this park completely exceeded anything I had in mind. The landscape is a perfect mix of rugged badlands, open prairie, and wide, peaceful views that feel untouched. It's the kind of place where you can pull over at almost any turnout and find something worth photographing. Wildlife was everywhere, bison wandering right along the road, prairie dogs popping in and out of their little towns, and even a few wild horses in the distance. What I appreciated most was how quiet and calm everything felt. Even with other visitors around, there's a sense of space that makes you feel like you have whole sections of the park to yourself. If you're anywhere near North Dakota, this place is absolutely worth the stop. I'd go back in a heartbeat. read more

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On our way to Glacier National Park we stopped in Medora, ND for a few days. We wanted to visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and glad we did. Started off at the south side visitor center to view a short movie and bought some souvenirs. Behind the visitor center is Theodore Roosevelt's log cabin with many of his possessions. The rest of the day was spent driving through the park and stopping to do several hikes. I was so impressed with with the amount of animals roaming around. We saw several areas of Buffalo and wild horses. We also saw the adorable little black tail Prairie dogs running around and popping their heads up in the sky. It's a must see national Park. read more

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park is off the beaten path without crowds & lines. Park trails & drives open to scenic vistas with stunning views of the Painted Canyon, the Little Missouri River, a petrified forest & open ranges filled with @ 700 bison, 390 long horned sheep, wild horses, elk, millions of prairie dogs, and other wildlife. In 3 days we visited all three units covering over 70,000 acres across 2 time zones. The South Unit is the largest of the three & is anchored by the Old West town of Medora & the Painted Canyon Visitor Center east of Interstate 94. The south unit is in the mountain Part of the 36 mile loop was destroyed so we went as far as we could before turning around. The North Unit near Watford City has a must-drive scenic byway with a breathtaking panorama at Oxbow Overlook, we saw bighorn & longhorn sheep. The cannonball concretions, giant cannonball-shaped rocks formed by wind and water. The scenic loop is 28 miles round-trip in the central time zone.. and the other is in the The Elkhorn Ranch Unit was the site of Roosevelt's North Dakota home where he lived & ranched. read more

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Excellent stop! After a quick stop at the Painted Canyon NP site just east of this location, we drove in to the South unit of the TRNP. The ranger in the entry shack was very friendly giving us the park brochure and news paper (Love these!) while telling us info and checking our NPpass and ID. He was quick and friendly. A line of cars forms pretty quickly so he has to be efficient. We chose first to take the scenic drive. Road maintenance is underway in the park so some roads are blocked and at this time it's a 'there and back again' drive instead of a loop. We stopped for a hike and checked out their camping area on our way back. The park is in the ND badlands. The geologic formations are similar to those in Badlands NP, but the environment around them is totally different. Thousands of prairie dog mounds. You can't miss spotting the cute little critters. We came when flowers were in bloom in the fields and they smell heavenly. Bison and wild horses were also wandering around and easy to spot on our drive through the park. There are several hikes throughout the park and camping here to hike for a few days would be an amazing trip. There are several bathrooms in the camping area but no bath houses. Sites have water. The visitor center is right by the entrance and plays a 30 minute movie with park history. Get your NP passport stamp here as well as post cards, magnets, clothes, toys, coffee mugs, so much NPS merch to choose from. Restrooms are there as well. The Maltese Cabin is located behind the visitor center with ranger guided tours at specific times throughout the day. Stop at the gate on your way out and hold up you park pass for the ranger to see before departing. A public park with picnic tables is right outside the park gate and the town is super cute. Definitely another thing to explore while in the area. read more

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Visiting our National Parks during this shut down has been disappointing and the construction approaching this park was so terrible it had me considering skipping the park altogether. I was stuck for over 30 minutes and the workers were no help. When I finally pulled into the entrance. I thought that would be the end of it. Unfortunately there was construction inside the park as well, even though The visitor center was closed which doesn't make a lot of sense to me. The scenic loop drive had road closures, so it was just a drive in part way and then drive back out situation. Also, this park is much less visually pleasing than many of the other parks I have visited. I realize that it sounds like I am leaving a bad review and I had a horrible time, and the truth is I almost did. However, we were lucky enough to see multiple bison up close and personal. We happened upon a large herd crossing the road and it was one of the neatest things I have seen. I also got to see prairie dogs which I love and some absolutely stunning wild horses. Despite the frustration of the closure and all of the construction, I still left the park smiling. read more

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The Painted Canyon Visitor Center was closed. People parked their vehicles on the road outside the gate and walked in. I planned to do the Painted Canyon Nature Trail, but it was a cold and windy day in mid-April. We drove to the South Unit Visitor Center afterwards and did the Scenic Loop Drive- 36 miles. Part of it was closed though, so we drove out and back. Along the way, we spotted bison, prairie dogs, and deer. We also stopped at Skyline Vista, Wind Canyon Trail, Boicourt Overlook Trail, and Buck Hill, which are all short walks. The views are quite similar, but my favorite was the Wind Canyon Trail. read more

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Honoring a U.S. President [Medora ND] TD National Park was our main visit to the Great State of North Dakota which makes North Dakota our 38th state visited. The park is made up of three sections. We came from I-94 near Medora entering from the South Unit which is the largest of the three. VISITOR CENTER (South Unit): First thing's first. We headed to the Visitor Center and got my NP Passport stamped. We watched a short film inside their small theater. This gave us a little background on Roosevelt and his ranching days. We then proceeded on our self-guided scenic drive. The park is huge covering a total of 70,446 acres of land. The scenic loop in the South Unit is about 36 miles roundtrip. HIKING TRAILS: We stopped and viewed the scenery at the Peaceful Valley Ranch and also followed a short 0.4 loop trail at Wind Canyon Trail. This trail is along the edge of a high bluff overlooking the Little Missouri River. WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS: The best experience was seeing wildlife. We were able to see prairie dogs (lots of them), feral horses and a bison. Respect all wildlife. The park is their home. "I have always said I never would have been President if it had not been for my experiences in North Dakota." ~Theodore Roosevelt, 1918 Review #3500 read more

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I always wondered, 'how the heck am I going to get to visit this park if it is in middle-of-nowhere North Dakota?' While planning a trip to Rapid City, SD to visit the national parks there, I bit the bullet and added an 8 hour roundtrip day up to Medora, ND so I could visit both this park and North Dakota for the first time. Was that a little crazy to do?Maybe. Was it worth it?? 1000% yes. My East coast ways did not prepare me for the absolute nothingness that we had to drive through to get to this park. It was scary, in fact.... What if we needed gas, or our car broke down? We may or may not have been royally screwed. But once we got there, we grabbed lunch in the neighboring town, which was absolutely adorable. This was the perfect park to drive through and make stops along the way. There are some trails, but you have to be careful of the 'fluffy cows,' as they are everywhere! They seem harmless, but don't be that dumba** running up to it with your camera, or it probably won't end well. Nevertheless, seeing herds of Bison walking around together is an experience like no other. One of my favorite things to get to do here was to stop on the top of the hills and bask in the beautiful views. The colors of the landscape are so pretty, and gives you a whole new appreciation of this state. The bottom line is that this park is going to require some work to get to, but it is definitely worth it in my opinion. read more

Fantastic! Wildlife in the South, amazing views in the North side Really beautiful, lots of trails and the roads were maintained and easy to traverse in an RV read more

This is actually a pretty amazing park. Where else are you gonna go to see buffalo, horses AND an insane amount of prarie dogs all in one place? Lots of normal national park stuff available. Camping, hiking, pics of really old things whether naturally formed or man made. Full service ranger stations with good selections of souvenirs. All the things you'd expect from any national park. One thing to note is that there are separate entrances for the northern and southern sections of the park and that those entrances do not connect. Make time and visit both sides for sure. If you start at the northern side, when you leave it'll take about an hour to get to the south entrance...but because of a change in time zone between the 2...you won't lose any time. Crazy. If you're into national parks this one should definitely be on your list. I visited in summer, (July) and it was temperate and amazing. Like all national parks, entrance can be gained with an America The Beautiful Pass, (get the pass), and you should always check the national park site for alerts about road conditions and closures etc. Now get down there and see some prarie dogs. read more

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Beautiful views. Took scenic loop and saw tons of Prairie dogs and even a buffalo running. Absolutely stunning! read more

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5/17/25 Update. Okay, this park is better than I initially indicated. A couple of days ago we stopped at the Visitor's Center and learned about President's Roosevelt's history, and then today made the 50+ mile drive to the "north unit" of the park, and were so glad we did. The terrain is a little more extreme (vertically), and it was much more scenic than the "south unit". We took a 4 mile hike that took us through a canyon and then across a hilltop ridge with great views, and it culminated with a face to face encouter with some some buffalos that got a little tense for a few minutes, as the herd's bull got a bit worked up. It's still not on the same level as other parks we've visited, but the "north unit" was a good experience. I'd rate the "south unit" as a 2, the "north unit" as 4, so 3 as the average. 5/12/25 Probably the least impressive National Park we have visited. So-so scenery, the buffalos all looked old and scragley looking, and there were thousands of prairies dogs that have been allowed to destroy the land. Not even remotely as good as places like Zion, Bryce's Canyon, Arches, Sequoia, Shenandoah. etc. read more

While in Fargo, ND I was hesitant making the long drive along I-94 to TRNP. It's about a four and a half hour drive. I believe it was an hour and forty minutes when I visited North Dakota over Memorial Day weekend. I'm so glad that I talked myself into going to TRNP. It was well worth the trip! If you're thinking about going, just do it! I love the cute town of Medora at the south entrance to TRNP. Park fee entrance is about $30 so plan accordingly if you're on a budget. The park entrance is FREE for military veterans. I forgot my military veteran park pass when visiting. They let me in without it as I had proof of veteran status. I'm glad that they didn't give me a hard time without my actual veteran park pass. Kudos to the park ranger for being understanding and professional with me. I saw a lot of wonderful things during my visit to TRNP. It was great to see the buffalo and wild horses. Do not forget to stop at the visitor's center before venturing too far into the park. There are interesting things to see along with a gift shop for those souvenir purchases. They also feature a 17 minute documentary about TRNP. I recommend watching it. Also, make sure that you have plenty of water with you. Stay hydrated! They do sell small quantities of cold water in their beverage cooler. However, this could get pricy. Filling up with ice and water at your hotel or at a local convenience store would be a better option. My only regret when visiting the park was lack of time. Father Time is never on our side... However, I feel so fortunate to have visited and to actually set foot in the park. There are many places to pull over after driving the main road to take pictures, stretch your legs and go for a walk. This is also a nice park to pack a picnic basket or cooler. So many places to break for lunch. Also, bring sunscreen and wear a hat. There really aren't any shaded places. My favorite highlights of the park were the buffalo, wild horses and stunning views. I can see how this park changed Theodore Roosevelt's life. It may change yours as well, if you allow it, of course. I would visit TRNP again. If I lived in ND, I would definitely make several visits here. Also, take some time to explore the town of Medora as well. Enjoy your park visit and be safe! read more

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Visiting from Virginia we didn't really know what to expect but we were blown away by this park. The scenery is spectacular and all of the animals were a great bonus. All of the staff we encountered were helpful and friendly. The pictures don't do the park justice. Definitely something everyone should see. read more

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Parks Near Me - Medora, North Dakota

What a great way to pass the day! We're in Bismarck for a wedding, but decided to make the (just under 2hr) trip to TR National Park. The park exits are for North and South ends of the park. We missed the exit for the North side, but loved the South end, so no regrets! We arrived a little before 9am, and chose to do the scenic drive and pull off in a few spots to do some hiking. Glad we arrived early, we definitely noticed an uptick in people later in the morning. The scenery is amazing; so many shades of greens and the buttes were gorgeous! We saw bison, prairie dogs, birds, a snake, and thousands (literally thousands) of grasshoppers. Like if you hate grasshoppers, this is not your park! Loved it, and would definitely go back. read more

I always rate our National Parks as 5 stars, and TRNP is no different. It takes some real effort to get here, but once you do you are greeted with stunning views that combine the starkness of the Badlands with the greenery of The Black Hills. We had lots of fun driving the 2 units (South is most popular and largest, but North is worth the drive if you have the time) and looking for bison and feral horses - a unique and extremely western combination! You can also easily spend hours watching the prairie dog towns laughing at their antics. Would recommend staying in nearby Medora if you can; it is touristy but cute and convenient, or if you are looking for chain motels, head to Dickinson, about 30min away. read more

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We are camping at Cottonwood Campground in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We have been having a wonderful time. I recommend the Visitor Center be your first stop so you can plan your time here. The park is big and there are many trails and scenic drives to take. The loop, unfortunately, was closed for a better part of it but we drove all the places we could. The scenery is breathtaking and the wildlife is abundant. read more

One of the most underrated National Parks, IMHO. I visited on the 21st of 2020 and it was the least crowded with the most wild animal sightings. You don't need to worry about bears here (but don't quote me!) like you would in Yellowstone, Glacier or the Tetons -- but bisons are certainly plentiful. I did a 10 mile hike from the Big Plateau Trail, which featured a crossing of the Little Missouri River. It wasn't the most pleasant thing to take hiking shoes off and get into freezing muddy river water where animals probably poop daily at 7am to start the day, but it definitely welcomes you into the wilderness. From there, a left along the Petrified Forest Trail brought me into bison territory with large herds...looking at me, with one even stepping forward toward me like he meant business. It was a little frightful, but overall - no one charged at me, so I'm grateful. It was so beautiful to see these sights! Another left takes you on the Lone Spring Loop Trail which featured prairie dog country (so many of them), which love to squeak at you before they run into their little holes. A cute sight honestly. Encountered at least one more bison on the way. The Ekbolm Trail took me out back to cross the Little Missouri once again (stubbed my toes on those rocks, be careful!) back to the parking lot. The 10 mile loop was about 3 hours of walking time or about 3.5 hours with the breaks and stops. Aside from that hike, just driving around the park will leave you full of scenery. There's shorter, but beautiful hikes like the Bolcourt Overlook Trail (0.8mi), Buck Hill Trail and more. Along the road into the park, even though there were closures, I encountered plenty of bison, prairie dogs and even wild horses which was the highlight for me. Just a note that horse rides through the park are only available on weekends after labor day - call the reservations line for the town of Medora for more details. The town of Medora has the nearest entrance to the park and it's a small unassuming little village. Overall, as far as National Parks go, don't overlook the one named after the man who founded the National Park System. read more

I had a great experience at this amazing national park in the badlands. Got to experience beautiful views and capture some nice wildlife. Lots of opportunities for hiking. Caught a breathtaking sunset on top of a butte and was treated to some wild horses grazing in the foreground. It's not a park that's get spoken about much but definitely recommend giving it a visit. Staying in Medora is a great base for the south end of the park. One day should be enough to get the full experience as well. read more

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On our annual cross country road trips to and through North Dakota, we always make a point to visit this park. The rolling wildflower-covered grasslands struck against the blue skies, all scrubbed clean with brisk winds, are a sight to behold. A small visitor center shows some history of Teddy Roosevelt's time here in this little corner of North Dakota... but beyond that, the whole park is essentially undeveloped and natural. While most of the park can be enjoyed from your car, it is worth it to park and enjoy a hike through the prairie wilds.... or at least get out of your car at a few overlooks and take in the views. Wildlife here ranges from buzzing insects and prairie dogs to massive bison and wild horses. There's a quiet here that is good for your soul. At night, you can enjoy a lightning storm or one of the best views of the stars anywhere. Like most national parks, photos help, but don't do it justice. read more

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This is one of my favorite National Parks. Even though there was no civilization for a while, It was definitely worth to look at the beautiful landscape and scenery. Let me tell you guys about the animals. On the way out of the National park, there was a herd of cows surrounding our car with them mooing all over the place, I mean how awesome is that, wildlife surrounding our car for about 20-30 minutes. We also saw a ton of Buffalo too with them resting on the plains just chilling. Let me tell ya'll that this is usually a one and done time because Theodore National Park is not as big as a National Park like Yellowstone but it is a cool National Park. I would recommend this Park to explore. Also this place is known for not Teddy Roosevelt but also Prairie Dogs too. read more

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Prairie Dogs - Parks Near Me - Medora, North Dakota

National Parks are always a 5* Never met one I haven't loved. I can check this one off my list. Great rangers and staff at the visitors center were top-notch as usual. Thanks. read more

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Buffalo (okay, bison) for days! Having been to the park many times, we saw more bison today than we have ever seen. Of course whether you will see bison and how many is pretty serendipitous, but there were so many calves, I'm taking that as a good sign. We also saw wild horses, deer, elk, and of course the ubiquitous prairie dogs. Of course the views and vistas in the park are always wonderful, and there are several short hiking trails (and a couple of longer ones). A short hike I strongly recommend is the one to the old East Entrance of the park. It's not only an easy hike through a prairie dog town, but a step back in history. Sadly there was some road damage that still has not been repaired, so (as of June 2020) you can't drive the loop road in the park. You have to drive about 2/3 of the way around and then backtrack. read more

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Spectacular canyon scenery. Beautiful subtle colors along the cliff faces. Temperatures can be at either extreme so plan accordingly. A National Park in any real country is 5 stars by definition. They are not supposed to have a Ritz Carlton along the trails or have ADA-compliant cliffs and waterfalls. This park is no exception. Keep that in mind when visiting. read more

Beautiful and underrated park. I loved exploring the park, even if I didn't get to stay for very long. We checked out a prairie dog town (so cute) and checked out an overlook. At the overlook, we were surprised to find a bison napping in the shade just around a bend, about ten feet away from us. Luckily the bison didn't mind us much, and we gave it lots of space. But it was really cool to see a bison so close. I wish I had more time so I could explore the park some more, but I really enjoyed the amount of time I did get to spend there. read more

My son and I did the scenic drive of the South Unit on the tail end of a road trip after visiting Badlands SD, and Yellowstone. We entered through the south entrance after 5p with no Ranger around. They had a honor box for the park entrance fee but we had already purchased the annual pass earlier in the trip. The park has several overlooks, numerous pullouts along with many inclines, switchbacks and tight roadways. There are several prairie dog towns throughout the park for up close and personal viewing. Be careful, because they run across the road and stand right next to it. Bison were plentiful and we had a few bison traffic jams. The rock formations and colors were nice but not as vibrant as Badlands, SD. The scenic loop is no longer a loop but is an up and back 48 mile trip. Please remember to use the pullouts for faster vehicle to get by. The only restrooms I saw were at the visitor center. I believe the camp grounds were closed because of the China virus. I enjoyed the wildlife and the views but had to rate it down one star because I felt Badlands SD were better. Sorry North Dakota. read more

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Be aware because of the rains the roads are being worked on and you can and will sit there for 30 minutes or so waiting to pass and see the whole park . This truly beautiful and I can see why it's preserved it's an experience everyone needs to do at least once . Lovely rangers great history with Teddies cabin ; and the wildlife is why you need to make a trip . read more

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of my favorites. It's not the biggest. It doesn't have the longest trails. It doesn't have the highest mountains. But there is something about it that I find so peaceful yet so incredible. One thing that I really like about it is that there is hardly anyone there. You're not going to run into a whole lot of people, and that is such a beautiful contrast to some of the more well known parks. The other part I love about the park is that it has a great balance of views and animals. When you go you're going to have some great views. And when you go you're going to see animals. And if you have kids, that balance is so wonderful. I recommend stopping on at least two trails. The first would be Wild Canyon and the second would be Boicourt. Neither are particularly strenuous or long (I'm not aware of any really long trails in the park), but both offer great views with a good chance of animal sightings. If you're anywhere near western North Dakota, plan to stop. It's a fantastic park named for one of our greatest Presidents. read more

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Stopped here Labor Day weekend Friday. Cost is $30 a vehicle but good for 7 days. Went to visitor center, since its a federal building, masks were required inside regardless of vaccinated status. Watched a short video of the park. Bought a cute bison sweatshirt and bison headband. Then drove around 36 miles round trip. Saw Prairie dogs, a coyote and bison. The bison were next to car so it was exciting to snap pictures quickly on my phone. Of course you get the inconsiderate drivers who stop on the road. There are places to pull over to take pictures. It was kinda rainy on Friday. Beautiful place, I returned here from my youth. read more

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Bravo. Thank you Mr President and the state of North Dakota. This National park has two separate units which are about 50ish miles apart. Got to both. We had two bison walk along side our car. Nice little walking trails to get out and stretch your legs. read more

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Theodore Roosevelt was a must stop for us on our drive through North Dakota. Our original plan was only to come to the south unit, but at the Painted Canyon visitors center they told us that the north unit had more impressive views, so we went there first. We still came to the south unit though. There's a $30 entrance fee. The entrance is right off the highway. There's a 36 mile scenic drive that we did part of. Unfortunately, the end of the loop was closed, so if you did the whole thing that was open, you would have to turn around and drive back. There are a lot of overlooks to stop at along the way. We ended up only doing a very small portion of the drive. We got to see several prairie dog towns which were awesome and you couldn't see at the north unit. The views were pretty, but just not nearly as good as they were at the north unit. I think it's still worth stopping by, but definitely make time for the north unit too. read more

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This is my second time visiting this National Park and will always be on my must-see list when I am in the area. It has one of the most scenic drives in the country. Lots of wildlife viewing in the area and excellent geological features to explore. I highly recommend taking your time while driving through the park, not only so you can enjoy yourself, but also so you don't run over the prairie dogs that are all over the place. read more

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I am originally from North Dakota, but don't live there anymore. People always ask if North Dakota is worth visiting and they have no idea how beautiful it can be. The scenery is amazing, I saw bison at least three times, and it wasn't very busy when I was there in the fall. Definitely recommend checking it out if you're in the area. read more

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Visited late in the afternoon around 4pm until late evening in early August. There weren't that many wildlife during the afternoon aside from the prairie dogs and rattlesnakes on the road, but plenty of wildlife as soon as the sunsets. Be careful when driving at night as there were plenty of feral horses, porcupines, jackrabbits, and rattlesnakes on the road. Hard to see when there's no light out (aside from your high beams) and bug residue on your windshield. For night photography, the parking at Coal Vein Trail was perfect for it as there was very little light pollution. For sunset photography, Wind Canyon Trail has great scenery for this. A section of the scenic drive was closed off when I was there, so you'll need to loop back when you get to the end of the trail. Best time to view Bison is early in the morning just before 7:30am as that's when they start to migrate across the prairie dog plains. Please drive slowly as there were a number of prairie dogs that were run over on the road (not by me). read more

Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Night photography at Coal Vein Trail - Parks Near Me - Medora, North Dakota

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What a wonderful park. It is off the beaten path, and well worth the visit. Stunning scenery. Medora was a good place for base camp to explore the park. read more

This park is beautiful, but having been to 34 other parks ... not the most stunning in my opinion. It's all about your perspective. If this was one of the first national parks I had seen? I would have been blown away. I went to both the north and south units. I thought the south was enough (and better than the north ... do not waste time going the extra hour one way up there). Here were the highlights: 1) bison! Literally one almost walked into my passenger door. There was a big herd rolling in dirt (insects?) 2) prairie dog towns everywhere ... cutest little things making noises all over the field 3) views of the little mo river 4) cannonball rocks were super cool. The painted walls were cool too, but I had just seen them at the Badlands the day before ... again my perspective is skewed. Check it out, North Dakota! read more

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Our trip here was definitely impacted by the smoke haze (July) and road closures. We visited the south unit of the park The loop road in park was no longer a loop but out and back because part of it washed out. But the silver lining was that in our back out we saw another pack of wild horses!! Those were the best mostly because I just don't have the opportunity to see them. Of course there was bison too. This park has more stark beauty than lush green beauty. If you are going to visit the park I suggest staying in Medora. DO NOT stay in Wibaux. Only 1 hotel there and it is scary. read more