Last Updated on: 10th August 2025, 10:02 am
There’s no shortage of things to do at Theodore Roosevelt National Park – easily one of America’s most underrated parks. And it’s in the South Unit that you’ll find the Scenic Loop Drive, the area’s prominent loop road. This is one of the best ways to experience the park’s colorful badlands via both overlooks and hiking trails.
In 2019, a large portion of the Scenic Loop Road collapsed due to erosion, and repairs have been ongoing for the past several years. While the full loop road is 36 miles long, at the time of writing, visitors must turn back at around mile 22, making this a 44-mile drive in total.
Hopefully, repairs will already be complete by the time you read this (check for updates here). But for now, the following guide covers the stops between Medora and the Coal Vein Nature Trail.
Those who start early enough should be able to explore both the Scenic Loop Drive and the Painted Canyon area (also in the South Unit) over the course of a single day.
You should also be sure to set aside a full additional day to explore the park’s North Unit. To learn more about how many days you need in the park, local accommodation, and park entrance fees, be sure to check the end of the article.
Medora
Medora is a small town in Billings County with a population of only 155. It was founded in 1883 just before Theodore Roosevelt’s visit to the area. And it now serves as the gateway to the park with his namesake.
As you can learn more about below, some visitors use Medora as their base for exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park. And while I didn’t end up seeing it, the town is also known for the Medora Musical in summer months.
It’s also in Medora that you’ll find the South Unit Visitor Center. Inside, you’ll find a detailed museum dedicated to the region’s geology and also the life of Theodore Roosevelt.
Just out back, meanwhile, is the Maltese Cross Cabin, where Roosevelt stayed during his frequent visits to North Dakota during his twenties. He also had another ranch in what’s now the park’s Elkhorn Ranch Unit.
Visitors can step inside the small cabin, which has been refurbished to appear as it would’ve in Roosevelt’s time. From here on, we’ll solely be focusing on the geology and viewpoints of Theodore Roosevelt National Park rather than the man himself.
But those with a special interest in history might want to consider visiting the remote Elkhorn Ranch Unit at some point during their visit. It’s not easy to reach, however.
The Scenic Loop Drive
Just past the South Unit Visitor Center is the start of the Scenic Loop Drive. As mentioned, it functioned as an out-and-back drive during my visit, but it may already be a proper loop road by the time you read this.
The following guide covers the first twenty miles or so of the scenic road.
Shortly into the drive, you’ll get to enjoy a scenic overlook of modern Medora. And then you’ll be taken deeper into the badlands.
One of the first stops is a Prairie Dog Town, one of many locations throughout the Dakotas to spot these cute mammals known for their burrows.
Unfortunately, I arrived to encounter a man feeding the animals which is strictly against park rules and could potentially harm them.
It was also early into the drive that I encountered some wild horses. Theodore Roosevelt National Park, in fact, is home to nearly 200 wild horses, and I’d later encounter more during a hike.
Skyline Vista
One of the first major overlooks you’ll encounter along the Scenic Loop Drive is the Skyline Vista. Fascinatingly, the plateau in the distance was once connected to the overlook as part of a continuous plain.
But erosion by the Little Missouri River gradually carried much of it away, revealing the badlands we see today. As you’ll quickly notice, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is both a lot more colorful and green than Badlands National Park to the south.
Next, once the Scenic Loop Drive splits into two, stay to the left. After that, you’ll want to take a brief detour by turning left at the next possible turn. You’ll want to head to the Peaceful Valley Ranch, which is home to the trailhead for the Big Plateau Loop, one of the park’s main hikes.
The Big Plateau Loop
The Big Plateau Loop is about 5.4 miles (8.7 km) long. It’s a moderate hike that takes about two hours to complete. And aside from the Painted Canyon treks, this could be considered the South Unit’s flagship hike.
Beginning your hike at the Peaceful Valley trailhead, it won’t be long before you encounter your first major challenge. To proceed with the hike, you’ll need to make it across the Little Missouri River, but there are no bridges here.
Fortunately, some stones and logs have been laid out for you to carefully walk across. In any case, it would be wise to come in waterproof hiking boots, while a trekking pole will help you maintain your balance.
If the water level is higher during your visit, you might just need to remove your shoes and walk across. Note that you’ll have to repeat this crossing during the return trip as well.
Just past the river crossing, you’ll have a choice to make. The trail will fork into two and you can either start with the Ekblom Trail to the left or the Big Plateau Trail to the right.
Most people seem to start with the Big Plateau Trail, but I decided to go with the Ekblom Trail. Looking back, I don’t think it matters which way you do the loop – either in terms of difficulty or lighting.
The Ekblom Trail is a mostly flat walk through the prairie, with views of colorful badlands formations on either side. But I did encounter yet another ‘river crossing,’ albeit on a much tinier scale, This time, I had to find a way to hop across the creek without getting covered in mud.
Moving on, I passed by some wild horses who were grazing in the grass. As we’ll cover shortly, these wouldn’t be the last wildlife encounters I’d experience on the Big Plateau Loop.
As mentioned, this loop trail has two main segments: the Ekblom Trail and the Big Plateau Trail. But they’re connected via another trail known as the Maah Daah Hey Trail.
Whichever direction you’re coming from, be sure to turn onto Maah Daah Hey at the right time. Otherwise, you’ll end up hiking a much, much longer trail known as the Lone Tree Loop which stretches out to 9.1 miles in total.
The scenery starts to get a lot more interesting around the Maah Daah Hey Trail-Big Plateau Trail Junction, as you’ll get to overlook expansive valleys filled with striped badlands.
I also spotted some petrified wood around the area, just as I had earlier at Painted Canyon. Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s South Unit has an entire Petrified Forest section where petrified wood is abundant, though it’s only accessible via dirt road. While it’s said to be an easy drive under normal conditions, you shouldn’t attempt it after rain.
Next, the trail will take you right up close to some fascinating badlands formations, including towering hoodoos. It’s a scene that reminded me a lot of some of the more remarkable badlands in the Southwest.
Much of the Big Plateau Trail is flat prairie. But I had to take a major detour, as following the trail would take me right past a large herd of bison!
It’s really useful to have an app like AllTrails for hikes like this, as it can be difficult to reorientate yourself after getting off-track.
As I’d soon find out, this wouldn’t be the last detour I’d have to make.
Back on the main trail, I eventually left the expansive open plateau, with the trail becoming narrower as it started to descend. Eventually, there was nothing but a dirt trail sandwiched between a hill on one side and a deep ditch on the other.
But I suddenly stopped in my tracks, as going further would take me right past a sleeping bison!
I’d already accidentally woken up a sleeping bison at South Dakota’s Wind Cave National Park, and I didn’t want to test my luck like that again. I realized I had no choice but to head into the ditch and make my way through the thick overgrowth.
I looked up to see the bison staring down at me, but he’d eventually go back to sleep.
I once again reached the river crossing and made it back to the parking lot to continue with my explorations of the Scenic Loop Drive.
Back on the road, I encountered yet more wildlife – this time a lone coyote who was happily frolicking across the grass.
Wind Canyon Trail
The Wind Canyon Trail is a short 0.4-mile (0.6 km) trail that takes just about 15 minutes to complete. But you’ll want to linger on for longer, as this is one of the most gorgeous parts of the entire South Unit.
The trail is situated at the edge of a bluff overlooking the Little Missouri River. And as the name suggests, the rocks here appear to have been entirely eroded by wind, giving them a distinct look.
The badlands elsewhere throughout the park, on the other hand, were eroded mainly by water.
The trail takes visitors up the top of a small hill, and then over to its opposite side before looping around again. But the main highlight here is the excellent views of the Little Missouri River.
Boicourt Overlook
Continuing east, the next main stop is Boicourt Overlook, which is also one of the park’s very best. Despite its name, this is more than just an overlook. You’ll also find a small trail that takes roughly 15-20 minutes roundtrip to complete.
Even though the afternoon lighting wasn’t perfect at the time I arrived, I still found this to be one of the most stunning overlooks in the entire park. And the further you walk along the trail, the more you’ll be able to take it in from various angles.
Few visitors seem to go all the way down the path, but you certainly won’t regret it if you do.
Buck Hill
Buck Hill is yet another short hike that takes just about 10 minutes to complete. It is, however, a fairly tiring climb to the top of the hill.
Its elevation is 2860 feet above sea level, making this Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s second-highest point. The highest is Peck Hill which is just five feet higher. The highest point in the state, meanwhile, is White Butte, which can learn more about in our guide.
From the top of Buck Hill, you’ll be able to look out at badlands formations in all directions. While worth the stop, I didn’t find the views here to be as impressive as Boicourt Overlook mentioned above.
Coal Vein Nature Trail
The Coal Vein Nature Trail is a 0.8-mile (1.3 km) loop trail that takes about 45 minutes to complete. Personally, I didn’t find it to be as interesting as the hikes or overlooks mentioned earlier, and I wouldn’t consider it essential for those short on time.
The trail is, however, noteworthy for those with a special interest in geology.
This area was once the location of an underground coal vein fire which occurred from 1951 to 1977. But with the burning rocks now long gone, there isn’t a whole lot that sets this trail apart from the others.
The Rest of The Loop
As mentioned above, the Scenic Loop Road is not currently a loop until restorations are finished. Though I’d been expecting to finish the day with the Old East Entrance Trail near mile marker 22, I discovered the road to be closed even prior to that. And so I had no choice but to head back, leaving the Coal Vein Nature Trail as my final stop.
At the time of writing in early 2025, the Scenic Loop Road is still being prepared, but should be finished sometime later this year. If you do find the loop road complete during the time of your visit, you’ll be able to hike the Ridgeline Trail (0.7 miles) and see a few additional overlooks.
Additional Info
While not that well-known, Theodore Roosevelt National Park probably offers more to do overall than Badlands National Park to the south. Most visitors should set aside at least two full days aside to explore both the South and North Units.
Also consider setting a third day aside to visit the Petrified Forest or anything else you might’ve missed in the park.
And if your schedule allows, plan for a fourth day to visit Makoshika State Park in eastern Montana. It’s similar to Theodore Roosevelt NP but equally impressive. It’s perhaps best thought of as the park’s unofficial ‘West Unit.’
All in all, having four full days in the area would ideal for hikers, nature lovers and photographers.
The closest town to Theodore Roosevelt National Park is Medora, a charming and well-preserved Old West town. Hotels here, however, can be quite pricey. And there aren’t many options online other than AmericInn by Wyndham Medora.
The next best option is the city of Dickinson, about a 35-minute drive away. Dickinson is also about an hour and fifteen minutes from the park’s North Unit – not much further than the one-hour drive from Medora.
Dickinson is a rather unremarkable city of 25,000 people, albeit one that has plenty of shopping and dining options compared to Medora.
I stayed at the Microtel Inn & Suites by Wyndham which was fine for the price. Other popular options include the Holiday Inn and Hawthorn Extended Stay.
At the time of writing, Theodore Roosevelt National Park costs $30 to enter (learn more here).
If you’re visiting from abroad, note that in contrast to many other countries, US parks typically charge per vehicle rather than per person. However, if you’re traveling by bicycle instead, they’ll charge you for an individual pass which costs $15, while those on motorcycles will be charged $25.
Considering how many National Parks and National Monuments there are to see in the Western US alone, the best option for most will be to buy an ‘America the Beautiful’ Annual National Parks Pass.
These cost $80 for the year. In most cases, you’re already saving money by just visiting four National Parks/Monuments anywhere in the country within a full year.
What’s more, is that only one person in your vehicle needs to have the pass. Additionally, seniors can buy the pass for just $20. So if you have someone over 62 in your party, just have them get the annual pass and everyone else will be set.
As for where to get the pass, you can purchase it in person at most National Parks or Monuments. But you can also order it in advance online.