Little known, secluded on the northern Great Plains, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of the least known and least visited national parks in the American West. While that is a shame and many really are missing out, it’s actually kind of great for you because when you visit there will be far fewer people!
Named for the first Roosevelt president, this area is the land that the 26th president explored in his youth, and what he largely credits for the man he turned into. As a young man, Roosevelt was sickly and generally unfit, and he suffered from a severe case of asthma.
Roosevelt first visited the Dakota Territory in 1883 to hunt bison. Hooked on the western cowboy culture, and reeling from the death of his wife and mother on the same day (brutal), Roosevelt bought some land, and set out to make his fortune as a cattle rancher. While he wasn’t a spectacular cowboy or rancher, Teddy’s experiences in the American West shaped his future in service to the land.
After Roosevelt became president in 1901, he became arguably the single most important figure in American conservation. Roosevelt was integral in the expansion of the National Park System as well as the nations National Forests, and his policies and actions single handedly preserved huge swathes of the American landscape for generations to come.
Roosevelt created 18 National Monuments, 51 bird reserves, 4 game preserves, and 150 national forests. 230 million acres of public land were placed under public protection by president Roosevelt.
Teddy’s legacy can be seen anytime you are in the wilderness of the American landscape. His legacy in conservation is essentially unmatched, and this national park honors his contributions, and protects the landscape that inspired his actions. Not everything he did was applause worthy (he was a pretty massive imperialist), but the contributions of Theodore Roosevelt to the conservation of our natural spaces is celebrated at his namesake national park!
What Theodore Roosevelt National Park Is Known For:
Consider purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass if you’re visiting any national parks!
In the rugged grasslands of North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park preserves multiple areas of natural grasslands, badlands, grazing areas of bison, deer, elk, horses, pronghorn, and more, and on top of that preserves the remains of Roosevelt’s homestead itself.
While Badlands National Park may be the most well known area of badlands in the US, there are also substantial badland formations in Theodore Roosevelt. This rugged spires and canyons form one of the most unique landscapes in the country, and are only found in a select few places on the Great Plains.
A huge draw for visitors to the park is the wildlife viewing. This is one of the best places to see some of the large animals of the American West. Yellowstone is the most famous place to see bison in the flesh, but you can also see them here, with much fewer people clogging up the roads!
Beyond the natural landscape, this park also preserves some history absolutely integral to the conservation history of the United States. Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch is where Roosevelt developed his love of nature and his desire to preserve it, and you can visit the remains of that ranch at the park!
Why You Should Go:
Planning a road trip? We’ve got all the planning tips you need!
If you want to see awesome natural formations with amazing wildlife roaming around them with a one of a kind dose of history mixed in, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is for you! If you are looking for a national park experience that is not overcrowded and clogged with tourists, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is for you!
For those of you driving from the midwest to the west, arguably the best way to do it is to drive across North Dakota. If you’re taking that route, you will literally drive right by the entrance to the park. Why not stop?!
Whatever you’re looking for, you’re sure to find it at this park. A diversity of hiking trails, campgrounds, wide open grassland, rugged badlands, and awe-inspiring wildlife all await you at Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
The Good:
- It’s quiet. If you’ve ever been to one of the super popular national parks, you probably know that during peak times, it can get crazy. If you haven’t, imagine Times Square on New Years Eve and that’s roughly what we’re talking about (maybe a slight exaggeration). Theodore Roosevelt does not have that problem, and more often than not you’ll probably be surprised at how empty the place is!
- The wildlife. All of those awesome animals people go to Yellowstone to see, yea you can see those here too (except bears and wolves, but no one ever really sees wolves and bears are scary). As a bonus, there won’t be a hundred of your closest friends clogging the road as they oggle the wildlife, and for the midwesterners, it’s a much shorter trip!
- The outdoor opportunities. Hiking, camping, water-sports, it’s all here. Compared to its most similar counterpart Badlands National Park, I actually think Theodore Roosevelt has significantly more to do. Badlands essentially has one main drive, and really only one hike of more than a couple miles. Theodore Roosevelt has multiple different units, each with roads and hiking trails. If you actually want to explore the plains, this is the place to do it.
- Ease of access (for some). If you live in the upper midwest, especially Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, or the Dakotas, Theodore Roosevelt is actually surprisingly easy to get to. Located right on I-94, it’s a straight shot from Minneapolis, Chicago, Milwaukee, Madison, and any other city that lies along the route. While there isn’t really a convenient nearby airport, for those living in the upper Midwest, it’s actually pretty easy to get here.
Make sure you don’t spend more than you need with 18 road trip cost saving tips!
The Bad:
- Getting there. Even if you live in the Midwest, it’s not like getting to Theodore Roosevelt is a fun thing to do. Best case scenario is you are driving for hours over the plains, not the most fun drive. If you have to fly in, you’re probably looking at a flight plus a long drive. It’s not as far west as most of the more famous national parks, but it still isn’t especially quick to access!
- The remoteness. Some national parks have the benefit of a large or at least busy town right outside park boundaries. Jackson Wyoming outside of Grand Teton, Rapid City outside Badlands, Estes Park outside Rocky Mountain, all excellent examples of this. Theodore Roosevelt really doesn’t have an equivalent. If you’re looking for a park with a bustling nearby city with all the amenities you could ask for, you probably won’t find what you’re hoping for here.
- The heat and the cold. Summers get really hot, winters get really cold. It’s the midwest, weather can be extreme! Plan ahead and make sure you visit at the right time of year and you should be able to find enjoyable weather!
How Much Time To Spend In Theodore Roosevelt National Park:
How long you plan to spend in the park depends on what your specific trip entails. If you’re on a long road trip and this is just one of your stops, you could see some of the park highlights in an afternoon. Both the north unit and the south unit have scenic drives going through them, so if you’re in a hurry, you can do some quick wildlife viewing from one of those roads.
If you have time to slow down and explore the park in more depth, there is enough to do to keep you occupied for a few days. Unless you’re a huge fan of the plains and really want to explore every inch of the park, I would recommend two or three days. Make no mistake, there is enough hiking here to keep you busy for weeks, but I think most will feel that they have seen enough of the highlights after a couple of days!
What Time Of Year To Visit:
If you’re taking a road trip make sure you have our road trip playlist to accompany you!
Being in the upper Midwest and located on the northern Great Plains, the weather here swings wildly between seasons. Summers can easily see 100 degree temperatures with violent storms, and winter can easily see below zero temperatures, also with violent storms! So be aware, if you visit in winter, it is going to be very very cold, and if you visit at the peak of summer, it is going to be very hot.
I think the best time of year to visit the park would be late spring or fall. Specifically, I would recommend either May in the spring, or September or October in the fall. Not only will you avoid the extreme temperatures of summer and winter, but you will also avoid the albeit limited crowds of summer!
Top Things To Do:
See some wildlife. Theodore Roosevelt is one of the best places to go in the country for wildlife viewing. It’s one of the few places where you can see the classic big animals of bison and elk, but beyond that you can see wild (feral) horses, pronghorn, deer, and tons of smaller birds and animals. For a full list of the parks wildlife, check out the park’s official website.
Go for a hike. Theodore Roosevelt has miles of hiking trails, and something of every length and difficulty! Contrary to Badlands National Park where the hiking is mostly limited to short trails to viewpoints off the main park road, there are a number of longer hikes and even backpacking routes through Theodore Roosevelt. If you’re looking for somewhere to hike on the Great Plains, I think this is the best place to do it!
Drive the park roads. If you’re planning on going hiking or looking to see some wildlife, you’ll probably do this anyway, but even for the short term, single afternoon visitors, driving the park road is a worthwhile experience. If you only have an hour or two, I recommend driving the Scenic Loop Drive in the south unit. It’s just off I-94, and in the process you’ll see some beautiful nature, and hopefully some of the parks wildlife!
Think about heading out to Glacier after your visit to Theodore Roosevelt!
Best Hikes:
Top Easy Hikes:
Wind Canyon Trail: .5 miles, 60 ft
Take this short loop trail in the southern unit of the park to the bluffs overlooking the Little Missouri River for great panoramic views.
Painted Canyon Nature Trail: 1 mile, 260 ft
This short trail just off I-94 takes you into the badlands for some up close looks at the otherworldly formations.
Boicourt Overlook Trail: .8 miles, 60 ft
Another trail in the southern unit of the park, this short out and back takes you to an overlook with huge views of the badlands and plains characteristic of the park.
Top Moderate Hikes:
Caprock Coulee Loop: 4.4 miles, 590 ft
This moderate hike in the north unit of the park takes you into the characteristic plains of Theodore Roosevelt. Expect big views and a bit of climbing to start.
Lower Paddock Creek Trail: 7.2 miles, 420 ft
This hike in the south unit of the park essentially transverses the center of the park and connects the east and west sides of the loop road. Keep a look out for skeletons!
Painted Canyon Trail: 4.3 miles, 440 miles
From just off I-94, hike down into Painted Canyon. Just be sure to save some energy for the climb back out!
Top difficult Hikes:
Petrified Forest Trail: 10.2 miles, 830 ft
This loop hike in a remote corner of the south unit takes you through open plains, into some amazing rock formations, and past ancient petrified wood.
Achenbach and North Achenbach Trail Loop: 18.2 miles, 2360 ft
The longest hike on this list, this loop takes you into some of the remote reaches of the northern unit of the park. Be prepared for solitude, and make sure you have plenty of water. It gets hot, and this is not a good place to run out.
Buckhorn Trail: 12.2 miles, 1070 ft
Watch for wildlife on this hike through the north unit of the park, especially prairie dogs!
Always follow basic trail etiquette when on trail!
Always be sure to follow the 7 Leave No Trace Principles when in the outdoors!
Accessibility at Theodore National Park:
All park visitor centers as well as limited sites in the campgrounds are wheelchair accessible. A number of locations on the park scenic drives are wheelchair accessible, though most park trails have dirt surfaces. For more information, visit the official park website.
Top Tips:
- Talk to the park rangers. One of the major draws of Theodore Roosevelt is undoubtedly the wildlife viewing. Often, you will get lucky and will see loads of wildlife right from the side of the road, but for harder to find critters or the larger herds, it’s easier to check in with the rangers. They’re usually pretty nice too!
- Prepare for the weather. Know what time of year you’re going and what kind of extreme weather you may encounter. Whether its heat and crazy thunder storms, or blizzards and white out conditions, make sure you are prepared for what mother nature might throw at you!
- Venture out beyond park boundaries. There’s a lot of cool stuff to see in the area. Here’s a list of some of our ideas
Where To Stay:
Camping:
There are three campgrounds in the park itself. The park’s camping page has information on each. Some take reservations, so be sure to book early if you want to reserve ahead of time. Otherwise, most of the sites are first come first serve, so you really don’t need a reservation ahead of time! Be aware that none of the park campgrounds have showers!
There are also a number of campgrounds outside the park, both public and private. Some of the private options have luxuries like laundry and showers, pretty nice!
- Beaver Valley Haven (laundry)
- North Park Campground (laundry and showers)
- Buffalo Gap Campground
Sleeping Indoors
There isn’t a lot around the park in terms of cities or towns, but the closest settlement that can be called a city is Dickinson North Dakota. Dickinson, home of the Dickinson State Bluehawks, has about 18,000 residents, so you can expect to find most things that you need, but probably not a sprawling REI! There are some lodging options in the town as well as some that are more out in nature!
There are also some lodging options just outside the park. The town of Medora lies just outside the boundaries of the south unit of the park.
- hotels.com search
- Spirit of the Badlands Lodge
- Rough Riders Hotel
- Buffalo Gap Guest Ranch
- EAGLE RIDGE LODGE
Must See Spots in Theodore Roosevelt National Park:
- The south unit loop drive. If you only have a couple of hours, this is what you should do. When I visited, this is the only thing I had time to do, and we saw tons of awesome views and wildlife just on the drive!
- Elkhorn Ranch. The site of the former president’s cabin, this is an awesome spot that combines history with some nice views. This is where it all started for the great conservationist!
- Find some animals. I can’t tell you where to find awesome wildlife, but that should be one of your goals when you visit. Again, talk to the park rangers, they’re pretty nice, and they know quite a bit too!
For our full guide on visiting the Badlands and the Black Hills, read our full guide here!
This gem of a national park in the northern plains of North Dakota is a relatively unknown destination. Less frequented than its similar counterpart Badlands, this park offers many of the same kinds of views, with far superior hiking trails, and equally good wildlife viewing!
If you haven’t been to this park, you definitely should go! Combine it into a road trip heading farther west, and use this park as a way to breakup the drive across the plains. Visit Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
1 Comment