Theodore Roosevelt National Park - Roosevelt National Park! Full of geological history and cultural mystery, these badlands are a gateway to one wild past. So let’s get into it!
Our tour starts in the parking lot of the South Unit Visitor Center, located at 201 E River Rd, Medora. If you’re not there already, you should head there now. Note: This 29-mile-long tour covers the essentials of Theodore in 2-3 hours.

Prairie Dog Metropolis - What we can’t see from here is how elaborate these burrows really are. Picture it: Underneath the grasslands are a series of interconnected tunnels, all dug by the long claws of these intelligent rodents. Think of it as an underground subway system like the one in New York City - except these might be a little less roomy.

Scoria Point Overlook - This is the perfect spot for viewing scoria. What is scoria, you ask? Well, the answer is a little complicated. Usually, scoria refers to a type of volcanic rock. But the scoria here in the park is something a little different. It’s actually something otherwise known as “clinker.”

Badlands Overlook - It’s not hard to see from this vantage point how the badlands earned their name. Before we had roads like this one, traversing this landscape took grit, skill, and a whole lot of time. Besides the constant changes in elevation and uncertain footing of the badlands, these hills also conceal dangers like quicksand! That’s what happens when water gets trapped in sand and can’t escape.

Maltese Cross Cabin - The meticulous construction isn’t what makes this so special. This cabin was once home to our nation’s 26th president: Teddy Roosevelt! See, in the 1880s, when Roosevelt was in his mid-20s, he decided to invest in a cattle ranch, the Maltese Cross Ranch. As we’ll soon hear, this decision was perhaps not the wisest one Roosevelt ever made, but it made him the man we know today.

Coal Vein Trail - This moderate trail gives hikers two options: An inner rim that’s half a mile or an outer rim that’s a mile. Each hike takes about 30-45 minutes. Remember the scoria or “clinker” we heard about earlier? Well, this is the place to see it up close!

Buck Hill Trail - This moderate trail is only half a mile long, but it’s pretty steep. After all, it’s on a hill! If you’re up for a little exercise, the 15-minute hike will be worth it for the panoramic views. Once you’ve reached the peak, you’ll feel like you’re on top of the world!

Boicourt Overlook Trail - There are 2 trail options here. Take the paved trail for an easy 20-minute hike that’s just under a mile. Or, take the unpaved paths to get closer to nature and still complete the hike around the same time! Brace yourself for 360 degree views of the landscape along the way. Plus, if you’ve been trying to spot some wild horses, this is the trail for you!

Boicourt Overlook Trail - If trails aren’t your thing, the Boicourt Overlook gives us another opportunity to stop and take in the view. I hope you brought some binoculars! Bison love to graze in the area just below this overlook, so keep your eyes open while you stretch your legs.

Old East Entrance Trailhead - The trail leads to a hand-hewn stone cabin that once served as the entrance station for this park. Built in 1938, the station happens to stand in the middle of one of the park’s active prairie dog towns, so keep your cameras ready in case one of these fellas makes a cameo!

Wind Canyon Trail - This is one of the best trails for viewing the Little Missouri River up close. It’s an easy half-mile trek that takes about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on how much time you spend admiring the views. And those views get even better around sunset, so keep this trail in mind for later even if you don’t stop now!

Little Missouri River - The Little Missouri River is changing all the time. Some days, it’s a slow muddy stream meandering through the landscape at a steady pace. Other times, it rages, eroding its banks and flooding the cottonwood groves and meadows during heavy rains and thunderstorms. And depending on the weather, you might even see a river of ice, since the Little Missouri freezes over in the dead of winter and doesn’t unthaw until early Spring.

Peaceful Valley Ranch - This is where one of the oldest dude ranches in North Dakota used to be. What is that, you may ask? Well, a dude is a city-slicker - at least that’s what the cowboys called them. When rich guys from the city needed a taste of the west, they’d come to live for a while on these all-inclusive resorts, hunting, fishing, and horseback riding through the wide-open plains. This ranch started out as a single cabin in 1883, the same year Roosevelt came down to hunt bison. I guess that means Roosevelt was a dude too!