National Park · NPS · ND · Roosevelt connection
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Photo: NPS Photo / Mark Meyers, River Bend Overlook, North Unit
Alerts and conditions
Information Theodore Roosevelt National Park moves to cashless fee collection
Starting May 1, Theodore Roosevelt National Park will accept only credit cards, debit cards, or digital payments for entrance fees, campground fees, and Interagency Passes. Cash and check payments will no longer be accepted.
Information South Unit Address for Mobile Maps – Theodore Roosevelt NP
On all maps used on mobile devices, use the following address to reach the South Unit Visitor Center and Entrance Station 201 East River Road N. Medora, ND 58645
Information Petrified Forest Trailhead Access Update: Use Approved Route
Directions to the Petrified Forest trailhead have changed. Please use the approved legal route from I-94, Exit 10 toward Camels Hump Lake and follow the clearly marked posts. This update helps maintain good cooperation with neighbors and respect park boundaries. For precise directions, use the link provided.
Overview
When Theodore Roosevelt came to Dakota Territory to hunt bison in 1883, he was a skinny, young, spectacled dude from New York. He could not have imagined how his adventure in this remote and unfamiliar place would forever alter the course of the nation. The rugged landscape and strenuous life that TR experienced here would help shape a conservation policy that we still benefit from today.
From the National Park Service
History
The designation history for this site (every law, proclamation and order, and the administration behind each) is being researched and checked by the Library’s historians.
The Roosevelt connection
T.R. was here
- Elkhorn Ranch: 86 days in Roosevelt’s record, August 8, 1884 to August 11, 1892.
Elkhorn Ranch in Theodore Roosevelt Day by Day · First recorded day
What to see and do
Activities
- Auto and ATV
- Scenic Driving
- Astronomy
- Stargazing
- Biking
- Road Biking
- Camping
- Backcountry Camping
- Car or Front Country Camping
- Horse Camping (see also Horse/Stock Use)
- Group Camping
- Food
- Picnicking
- Guided Tours
- Self-Guided Tours - Walking
- Hiking
- Backcountry Hiking
- Front-Country Hiking
- Off-Trail Permitted Hiking
- Horse Trekking
- Horse Camping (see also camping)
- Junior Ranger Program
- Wildlife Watching
- Birdwatching
- Park Film
- Museum Exhibits
- Shopping
- Bookstore and Park Store
Plan your visit
Hours
Theodore Roosevelt National Park: Theodore Roosevelt National Park is open 24 hours a day, every day of the year. This applies to all units of the park; North Unit, South Unit, and Elkhorn Ranch Unit. Even when entrance stations and visitor centers are closed, the park itself remains open. Remember to check current conditions for any weather related closures.
Fees and passes
- Entrance - Private Vehicle — $30.00
- Entrance - Motorcycle — $25.00
- Entrance - Per Person — $15.00
- Commercial Entrance - Van — $50.00
- Commercial Entrance - Mini-bus — $60.00
- Commercial Entrance - Motor Coach — $150.00
- Annual Entrance - Park — $55.00
The America the Beautiful pass covers entrance fees at federal recreation lands across all four agencies.
Getting there
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is located in the Badlands of western North Dakota. There are three units to the park. The South Unit entrance is in the town of Medora, ND off of Interstate 94 exits 24 and 27. The North Unit entrance is on Highway 85 approximately 14 miles south of Watford City, ND. The remote Elkhorn Ranch Unit sits roughly in the middle of the North and South Units and is accessed via gravel roads. Consult park staff for directions to the Elkhorn Ranch Unit.
Visitor centers
Campgrounds
- Cottonwood Campground (76 sites) — reserve
- Juniper Campground (50 sites) — reserve
- Roundup Group Horse Camp (1 sites) — reserve
Weather
In winter, some or all park roads may be closed due to snow.
Phone: 7016234466
Whose lands these are
These lands are the ancestral and present-day homelands of Native nations. A section on whose lands these are is being prepared with tribal review. In the meantime, Native Land Digital offers a starting point.
Photos
Pair it with
- Lake Ilo National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 37 miles
- Little Missouri National Grassland USFS · 37 miles
- Lamesteer National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 43 miles
- White Lake National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 50 miles
- Stewart Lake National Wildlife Refuge FWS · 57 miles
- Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site NPS · 63 miles