Theodore Roosevelt National Park • North Dakota

A colorfully striped butte in the foreground overlooks a dark green badlands landscape

the Little Missouri River under blue skies

A muddy river bank lined with cottonwood trees and steep buttes

two bull bison collide heads in a dusty battle for dominance

the swirling, dusty looking milky way runs vertically though a starry night sky

a string of bison are silhouetted against the backdrop of hazy blue and yellow badlands

a green prairie hilltop overlooks the badlands, shrouded in shadows

A bugling bull elk and his harem of cows stand on the edge of a butte as the sunlight fades

a strange looking sand and rock formation stands in a prairie of brown grass

The rising sun casts light on Roosevelt's snow-covered cabin.

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.

The River Bend Overlook offers one of the most popular views in the park's North Unit.
NPS Photo / Mark Meyers

The Maah Daah Hey Trail follows the Little Missouri River for several miles before it enters the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness.
NPS Photo / Laura Thomas

The Ekblom Trail is the gateway to the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness. All you have to do is make it across the river!
NPS Photo / Laura Thomas

In the summer, bull bison wage furious battles over the right to breed.
NPS Photo / Teresina Wheaten

Though light pollution in the area is increasing, the night sky over Theodore Roosevelt National Park remains beautiful and inspiring.
NPS Photo / Jeff Zylland

Bison roam the badlands from top to bottom, surprising visitors with their agility and ability to cross even the most rugged terrain.
NPS Photo / Roland and Lisa Honeyman

A short climb to the top of Buck Hill in the park's South Unit rewards hikers with a sweeping panorama and a fantastic place to watch the sun rise or set.
NPS Photo / Laura Thomas

The ghostly bugles of bull elk can be heard wafting through the badlands in the fall.
NPS Photo / Rolan and Lisa Honeyman

Theodore Roosevelt described the badlands as "so fantastically broken in form and so bizarre in color as to seem hardly properly to belong to this earth."
NPS Photo / Laura Thomas

Imagine waking up on a crisp winter morning in Roosevelt's Maltese Cross Cabin. It is no wonder that his heart was captured by the romance of life in the West.
NPS Photo

Graphic; top banner red with white stars, text in middle, & blue silhouette of trees/mountain.

Celebrate F250 with Us!

Join us for added special programming at Theodore Roosevelt National Park in celebration of the nation's 250 years.

Shadowed, striped buttes that engulf the entire image.

View animals and scenery iconic of the American West.

A field of grass and sagebrush framed by striped buttes, background.

Elkhorn Ranch Unit

Walk to the secluded spot where Roosevelt found adventure, healing, and inspiration.

Little Missouri River with green prairies and tall buttes.

Experience wilderness and the park's most dramatic scenery.

Lightning crackles amid dark skies.

Current Conditions

Read park alerts, check the weather, and find information on road or trail closures.

A tent with inflatable canoe on the edge of the Little Missouri River.

The park's primitive campgrounds are located in shady cottonwood groves at the edge of the Little Missouri River.

A mother and baby bison lit up by a sunset glow.

Experience the Wild Side

Wildlife abounds at TRNP! The park's prairie ecosystem is teeming with a variety of mammal, bird, reptile, and insect species.

A black dog looks directly at the camera.

Visiting with Pets

Learn where pets can and can't go and how to keep your four-legged friends safe while visiting the park.

A ranger-led hike follows a trail into the badlands.

Hiking trails range from short, paved paths to strenuous wilderness routes. Find a trail that's right for you.

Hikers stand at the end of a trail overlooking barren grasslands.

Follow these seven principles to keep national parks special places to visit and for future generations to enjoy.

Ranger hat, binoculars, and Junior Ranger books.

Become a Junior Ranger!

Whether visiting in person or visiting virtually, we have a Junior Ranger book and badge waiting for a curious adventurer.

Father and son at a table peering through a telescope.

Activities for Youth

Are you looking for some fun and educational activities for your children? Check out our curriculum materials!

various objects in a store

Official Park Stores

The three park stores are located at the South Unit visitor center, the North Unit visitor center, and the Painted Canyon Visitor Center.

Last updated: June 26, 2026

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Contact Info

Mailing Address:

P.O. Box 7
Medora, ND 58645

Phone:

701 623-4466

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