Best trails in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Located in Western North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park includes three geographically separated badlands: North Unit, the South Unit, and the Elkhorn Ranch.
Top trails
Visitor info
Valid for 7 days for all persons traveling on a single, non-commercial motorcycle.
Valid for 7 days for a visitor traveling on foot, bicycle, horse, or other non-motorized means of travel.
Valid for 7 days for all persons traveling in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle.
The Theodore Roosevelt National Park Annual Park Pass is valid for one year from month of purchase. The pass admits the purchaser and passengers in a single, private, non-commercial vehicle, or the pass holder and his/her immediate family (spouse, children, parents) when entry is by other means (foot, bicycle).
Join millions of people who enjoy our National Parks with the "America the Beautiful" National Park & Federal Recreational Lands Pass, otherwise known as the Interagency Annual Pass. The pass is valid for a year's worth of visits from the month of purchase at more than 2,000 federal recreation sites across the country.
No entrance pass required on these days:
Monday, January 20 — Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Saturday, April 19 — First day of National Park Week
Thursday, June 19 — Juneteenth National Independence Day
Monday, August 4 — Anniversary of the Great American Outdoors Act
Saturday, September 27 — National Public Lands Day
Tuesday, November 11 — Veterans Day
The Interagency Access Pass is accepted here.
All the Visitor Centers and the Maltese Cross Cabin are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. Orientation films include closed captioning.
Additional information about accessibility at Theodore Roosevelt National Park can be found on their website: https://www.nps.gov/thro/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm.
All the Visitor Centers and the Maltese Cross Cabin are accessible to visitors using mobility equipment or strollers and have wheelchair accessible restrooms. Orientation films include closed captioning.
The Roundup Horse Camp, North Unit, and South Unit Picnic Areas are wheelchair accessible with packed, level paths and surfaces and accessible restrooms.
There are accessible restrooms at the following trailheads: South Unit Scenic Loop Drive on the road to Buck Hill and Halliday Well Trailhead.
The South Unit's Cottonwood Campground has 4 individual wheelchair accessible camping sites and accessible restrooms.
The North Unit's Juniper Campground has 2 individual wheelchair accessible camping sites and accessible restrooms.
Service animals must be on-leash throughout the park.
Trail reviews for Theodore Roosevelt National Park
There is no doubt, no hesitation—Caprock Coulee Loop is the crown jewel of moderate-length hikes in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, perhaps even the best hike in the entire park. This trail is an epic journey, beginning with a mesmerizing meander through a canyon adorned with surreal badlands rock formations, each turn revealing a new masterpiece of nature’s artistry. As you ascend, the trail transforms, lifting you to the heights of a prairie plateau. Here, the world opens to you with occasional viewpoints that will steal your breath away. But the pinnacle of this adventure is yet to come: towards the end, the trail takes you along a ridge, a narrow pathway suspended between earth and sky, offering 360-degree panoramic views that are nothing short of legendary. Turn your head in any direction, and you are met with vistas so grand, so awe-inspiring, they defy description. This is not just a hike; it is a transcendental experience, an odyssey that will etch itself into your soul. To visit the North Unit of the park and miss this hike would be a travesty. Caprock Coulee Loop is not just a must-do—it is a pilgrimage for any true adventurer.
great hike to the Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
A stunningly, beautiful short hike with some elevation change. There is an entry fee to access Theodore Roosevelt, national Park, but it is well worth it for the beauty of the drive and the hikes.
This was our only hike in Theodore Roosevelt, and I'm glad we chose it! We saw some beautiful landscapes and wildlife, including a bison and a ton of prairie dogs. Definitely wear shoes that can get dirty and wet!!! It had rained recently so the river was too high for me to cross without getting my socks wet, and a couple parts of the trail were really muddy. Other than that, it was great hike :)
Amazing scenery seeing all the different colors on the buttes. The badlands are truly a wondrous place. Great hike to get a good idea of the terrain and the park as there are many high scenic vistas but also sections down gulches and washes where the rock formations can be seen up close. A must due hike if you are in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt NP.
Great trail with multiple aspects of Theodore Roosevelt NP (badlands, prairie, petrified forest) and lovely views along the way. There is one steep decline/incline that wasn’t too difficult to navigate but could be for some. If you’re just going to the overlook, it’s just a bit past the petrified forest (which was amazing), and it was a pretty good view for both types of terrains. Would definitely recommend.