Colorful Dakota badlands, wild horses, and the park that made a president.
Photo: NPS/Mark Hoffman · Public domain · via Wikimedia Commons
Theodore Roosevelt came to the Dakota badlands in 1883 to hunt bison and stayed to ranch, and the hard, beautiful country he found here changed him — the conservation ethic that later created the national forests and the Park Service itself was forged on these buttes. He's the only president with a national park named for him, and it's a fitting one: raw, wildlife-rich badlands along the Little Missouri River, far enough off the beaten path that you can still have an overlook to yourself.
It comes in three pieces. The South Unit, at the tourist town of Medora right off I-94, is where most people go — a 36-mile scenic loop through banded badlands and grasslands, past prairie dog towns and the park's famous herd of free-roaming wild horses. The North Unit, about 70 miles north off US-85, is quieter and more dramatic, with the sweeping Oxbow Overlook and a small herd of longhorn steers kept to evoke the open-range era. Between them sits the remote Elkhorn Ranch Unit, the site of Roosevelt's own 'home ranch,' reached by gravel.
The wildlife is the heart of it: bison grazing beside the road, wild horses on the ridgelines, elk and pronghorn, and chattering prairie dog towns. The badlands glow at sunset from spots like Wind Canyon over the river bend. Summer is the season — winters out here are genuinely brutal, with sub-zero temperatures and fierce wind — and the gateway town of Medora, with its long-running outdoor musical, is part of the experience.
The park's signature drive — a 36-mile loop through badlands and grasslands, past overlooks, prairie dog towns, and the best zone for spotting the park's free-roaming wild horses and bison.
Insider tipDrive it at dawn or dusk when horses and bison move to graze the ridgelines. Allow 1.5–2 hours with stops.
Plan a trip to this spot →A jaw-dropping layered-badlands panorama right off the interstate, with its own visitor center seven miles east of Medora.
Insider tipFree to view and needs no loop drive — the perfect first stop straight off I-94 before deciding how long to stay.
Plan a trip to this spot →A short half-mile walk to a bluff above a dramatic bend of the Little Missouri River — the park's premier sunset spot.
Insider tipTime it for golden hour, when the low light sets the river bend and badlands aglow.
Plan a trip to this spot →At the end of the North Unit scenic drive, a sweeping view of a U-bend in the Little Missouri — and, along the same road, the park's small herd of Texas longhorn steers.
Insider tipThe longhorns are a North-Unit-only sight, kept since 1967 to evoke the open-range era; scan the sagebrush flats from the pullouts.
Plan a trip to this spot →One of the largest concentrations of petrified wood in any national park, in the South Unit's wild western reaches.
Insider tipReached by a longer hike or gravel access — check conditions at a visitor center, and as always, leave the petrified wood where it lies.
Plan a trip to this spot →Sprawling black-tailed prairie dog colonies dot both units, easily viewed from the scenic drives — a constant chatter of comical, alert little sentries.
Insider tipDon't feed or approach them; the towns also draw predators like coyotes and hawks, so linger and watch.
Plan a trip to this spot →Northern-plains continental: warm summers (July highs near 87°F) and frigid winters, with December–February lows in the single digits, frequent sub-zero nights, and brutal wind chill. The wettest months are May through July. Winters are dry but snowy and can close roads; spring and fall are short and mild. Summer is by far the most comfortable — and most alive — time to visit.
Three units, and the two main ones are NOT close — plan them as separate outings, often separate days.
The main unit and easiest access — the 36-mile loop, wild horses, the visitor center, and the Painted Canyon overlook just east on I-94. Gateway: Medora.
About 70 miles / 1.25 hours north — quieter and more dramatic, with Oxbow Overlook and the longhorn herd. Gateway: Watford City.
The remote middle unit at the site of Roosevelt's own ranch — reached by gravel roads, the last stretch sometimes needing high-clearance. Check conditions first.
No lodging inside the park — the historic town of Medora is the base for the South Unit; campgrounds sit in both main units.
A seasonal Western tourist town at the South Unit gate, anchored by the historic Rough Riders Hotel, with motels, dining, and the nightly summer Medora Musical.
Booking tipMedora largely runs late spring through mid-September; book ahead for summer, and base in Dickinson if it's full or off-season.
Watford City is the practical base for the North Unit (~15 miles); Dickinson, about 35 miles east of Medora, has more chain hotels and dining and works year-round.
Booking tipFor the North Unit, sleep in Watford City — Medora is over an hour away.
Cottonwood Campground (South Unit) and Juniper Campground (North Unit) sit among the badlands.
Booking tipAs of 2026 both campgrounds require advance reservations on Recreation.gov (card only) — book ahead.
What does it cost?
$30 per vehicle (good for 7 days), $25 motorcycle, $15 per person; a park annual pass is $55 and the $80 America the Beautiful pass works. Fees are collected at entrance stations in summer and at visitor centers off-season. There's no timed entry.
How brutal are the winters?
Very. December through February brings single-digit and sub-zero temperatures, snow, and fierce wind chill, and some roads and town services close. Late spring through fall is the season to come.
How close can I get to the bison and wild horses?
Both are wild and dangerous. Stay in your vehicle near roadside herds, keep at least 25 yards from bison, and never approach, feed, or get between animals. Watch with binoculars or a zoom lens.
There are three units — which do I visit?
Most people do the South Unit at Medora — easiest access, the 36-mile loop, and the wild horses. The North Unit (about 70 miles north) is quieter, with Oxbow Overlook and the longhorns; plan it separately. The Elkhorn Ranch Unit is remote gravel access for dedicated visitors.
Do I need camping reservations?
Yes, as of 2026 — both Cottonwood (South) and Juniper (North) campgrounds require advance reservations on Recreation.gov, card only. Same-day booking is possible when sites are open.
How many days do I need?
One full day covers the South Unit comfortably — the loop drive, a short hike or two, and sunset at Wind Canyon. Add a second day to include the North Unit, or to pair the park with Medora's town attractions.
Pick your vehicle, line up the stops on the way in and out, and carry the whole route in your pocket.
