*In addition to the story about the buffalo showdown, this article includes general information about Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s most popular South Unit. If you are looking for specific information about the Elkhorn or North Units, you won’t find that here. Just a head’s up.
If you are already familiar with Theodore Roosevelt National Park or maybe aren’t interested in the park’s basic information, jump ahead to the story about the buffalo showdown on the Painted Canyon Trail.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park Basics
Location
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is in the badlands of southwestern North Dakota and is divided into three units- South, North, and Elkhorn Ranch with Elkhorn Ranch being the most remote.
The North and South Units have separate entrances. Elkhorn Ranch is accessed within the park from either the South or North Units. Painted Canyon, where my story takes place, has its own entrance on the east side of the park located along I-94 West.
Gateway Cities
- Medora, ND– Best for South Unit entrance
- Watford City, ND– Best for North Unit entrance
- Dickinson, ND– South or North Units access (wide variety of lodging/dining options)
- approx. 37 miles (60 km) from the South Unit entrance in Medora, ND
- approx. 73 miles (73 km) from the North Unit entrance in Watford City, ND
The distance between Medora, ND and Watford City, ND is approximately 68 miles (109 km). Keep that in mind if you are planning on seeing the entire park.
What about Bismarck, ND?
I don’t consider Bismarck a “gateway city” because of its distance from the park (approx. 133 miles (214 km) from the South Unit), but Bismarck has the widest variety of lodging/dining options. Travelers visiting the park for one day may want to consider staying in Bismarck if traveling to/from the east of the park before/after a visit.
Entry Fee
- Private vehicle: $30 and includes entry for seven consecutive days.
- Motorcycle, on foot, or by bicycle: See the park website for specific entry fees.
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park Annual Pass available if you plan to visit the park multiple times within one calendar year. See the park website for details.
- America the Beautiful Pass: $80 and includes entry fees for almost all federally managed properties for 12 months from date of purchase.
For more information about the America the Beautiful Pass, click the image below.
Note about the America the Beautiful Pass
I plan my trips far in advance, so I already have an idea of the places I plan to visit each calendar year. If the entry fees to those places calculate to more than $80, I purchase the America the Beautiful Pass. It covers entry fees for almost all public lands such as those managed by the National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management.
Best Time to Visit
We visited the first week of September and it was awesome! The fall colors were beginning their appearance, the weather was perfect, and crowds were low. I always recommend late spring or late summer-early autumn for visiting national parks, but for those who can’t travel during those times of year, you’re in luck. Theodore Roosevelt National Park is beautiful in every season.
How Long Does It Take to See the Park?
To hit the high points of the South Unit and include a couple of short hikes, you should plan to spend at least 5-6 hours. If you’re only interested in taking the 48-mile (51 km) scenic drive through the South Unit, you should plan on 2 hours. We had 6 hours to spend in the park before we had to be on our way to Yellowstone. Because of our limited time, we only saw the South Unit and still didn’t come close to seeing everything we wanted.
We might have been able cram in one or two more hikes if we hadn’t experienced a very unexpected 2,000-pound delay on the trail (more on that later) and construction delays at the South Unit entrance. Always check the park’s website for road conditions and possible closures before traveling.
To make the most of your time in the park, do your research! Make a game plan before you visit. In addition to the scenic Skyline Vista Drive, there are numerous hiking trails to explore in the South Unit. Make a prioritized list of what activities you’d like to do and stick to your list.
What Makes This Park Unique?
History
This is the only major national park named for a specific person. As the name implies, Theodore Roosevelt put this park on the map– figuratively speaking, at least. It’s not hard to see why a man infatuated with wilderness, hunting, and the frontier lifestyle would want to make a home here.
The park was designated a National Demonstration Area in 1935. Over time, it progressed from Demonstration Area to Wildlife Refuge (1946) and to Memorial Park in 1947. It wasn’t until 1978 that it was finally designated a National Park during the administration of President Jimmy Carter.
The time Roosevelt spent in North Dakota fueled his dedication to the protection of America’s natural spaces. He did more to protect public lands for future enjoyment than any other President in American history beginning with his signing of the Antiquities Act in 1906.
Theodore Roosevelt viewed the world through a lens of wonder, and thus found wonder everywhere. For that, we all owe a great debt to North Dakota.
To understand Roosevelt’s passion for protecting public lands, all you need to read is this quote taken directly from his book Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail published in 1903.
“The great free ranches, with their barbarous, picturesque, and curiously fascinating surroundings, mark a primitive stage of existence as surely as do the great tracts of primeval forests, and like the latter must pass away before the onward march of our people; and we who have felt the charm of the life, and have exulted in its abounding vigor and its bold, restless freedom, will not only regret its passing for our own sakes, but must also feel real sorrow that those who come after us are not to see, as we have seen, what is perhaps the pleasantest, healthiest, and most exciting phase of American existence.”
Ranch life and the hunting trail
You said it, Teddy!
Geology
Until I went to Grand Canyon National Park, I couldn’t tell you squat about geology. I cared less about rocks than I do football. If you’d asked me the meaning of strata, I would have said it was the fancy name for a layered casserole. (I at least understood the word referred to “layers”.)
After many years of exploring national parks and public lands, I’ve come a long way, baby! I’m always excited to see new geologic features, and there were a lot to get excited about in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Here are a few features you can easily find and get excited about yourself.
Badlands and Hoodoos
The extraordinary shapes of the badlands and hoodoos in Theodore Roosevelt National Park result from the artistic partnership of wind and water- otherwise known as erosion. Colorful layers of stone formed over millions of years tell the story of deep time.
Find a badlands vista just before sunset to get what are guaranteed to be some of your best photos in the park. If you can’t be there at sunset, no worries- you’ll find the badlands breathtaking any time of day.
Coal Veins
Coal veins are another unique feature of this park. The black bands in the badland formations are actually coal and are still capable of burning after millions of years. Crazy, huh? In fact, as of March 2025, the Upper Jones Creek area in the South Unit is closed due to a burning coal vein. Theodore Roosevelt National Park released a video showing the staff’s efforts in putting out the fire. Looks like the last (and only) time I tried to cook burgers on my charcoal grill.
Video courtesy of National Park Service
Can you believe in 1951 a coal vein caught fire and burned for 26 years? 26 years! You can learn more about the park’s coal veins and the 1951 fire in the Coal Vein Nature Trail Guide.
Now, For the Story
While planning our road trip to Theodore Roosevelt, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks, I worried a lot about bears. I knew we’d run across a few in Yellowstone and Grand Teton and there was no way I was going to be one of those fools you see on YouTube getting punished for their ignorance. To ease my fears, I took a bear safety class with the Smoky Mountain Field School in North Carolina and bought a can of bear spray. I was ready- for bears.
I wasn’t ready for buffalo. So, when I had my first face-off with a buffalo on the Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, I did not exactly pass muster. I acted a fool. But I wasn’t the only one.
I’m sorry this is so ridiculous.
Painted Canyon Trail in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Our day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park was planned to the hilt. We had one day to spend doing things every Joe-blow tourist puts on their itinerary- a stop at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center, cruising the 48-mile Skyline Vista Drive, and doing a few short hikes. Because we were arriving from the east, we started with the South Unit’s Painted Canyon Trail.
Painted Canyon Trail Stats
- Trailhead Location: South Unit at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center
- Distance: 1.1 mile loop
- Difficulty: Easy to Moderate
- Estimated Time to Complete: 45 minutes or less; longer if taking lots of photos
- Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Beginning at the Theodore Roosevelt Painted Canyon Visitor Center
This is the view from the Theodore Roosevelt Painted Canyon Visitor Center. How can you not want to get up close and personal with these badlands? Stunning! I couldn’t wait to get on the Painted Canyon trail.
Getting to the Trailhead
We started by crossing the flat open prairie leading to the true trailhead and a rather steep descent into the canyon. Once at the bottom, the trail got really interesting!
Exploring the Canyon
I was like a kid in a candy store on this trail. With so many formations scattered about and up the sides of the badlands, I couldn’t decide where to look! My favorites were these mushroom-shaped hoodoos.
The Painted Canyon Trail also features seasonal streams, dry washes, and native plants.
Hiking Back
After spending too little time in the canyon, we began our hike back to the Visitor Center. Ah… just look at that view!
We had no idea we were about to experience the most memorable part of our visit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Cue Act One.
The Buffalo
By the time we reached the canyon rim, we were ready to make haste to the Skyline Vista Drive and see all we could see of Theodore Roosevelt’s South Unit. But when we reached the prairie, I spied something in the distance that gave me pause.
I asked my husband, “What is that? A cow?” This used to be a cattle ranch back in the day, so it must be a cow, right? As we got closer, we knew it wasn’t a cow. And it wasn’t a bear. It was definitely a buffalo– in the middle of the freaking trail.
One thing I learned at the Smoky Mountain Field School was that a bear will often choose the path of least resistance and travel the same trails as humans. Why wouldn’t a buffalo do the same?
But a prairie is hardly resistant to a buffalo! I was hoping it would be scared of us and move. Nope.
Now, I’m a pretty rigid rule-follower, especially when it comes to the rules in national parks. And one of the most oft-repeated rules is, “Stay on the trail.” I wasn’t about to break that rule and not because I wanted to protect a fragile ecosystem (the prairie in Theodore Roosevelt NP is healthy), but because there could be venomous snakes out there! Even though I knew prairie rattlers don’t like humans, I wasn’t taking a chance. My tail was staying on the trail.
After a few minutes, my husband decided to forge ahead like he was some kind of buffalo whisperer. I froze and followed my gut instinct- always overreact. And so, I had a full-on anxiety attack underscored by murderous machinations.
“Is my husband really leaving me in a field to face a 2,000-pound beast by myself? He’s going to be sorry for this! If that buffalo doesn’t kill him, I will!”
These were the thoughts rushing through my head. I remember them so clearly.
Go back two photos for a second. See the park maintenance building to the far right with the truck parked in front? I knew it was the only place to hide from the buffalo. I geared up to make a run for it.
Hey, I told you this was ridiculous.
I begged my husband to stop his macho madness and go with me. Good for him that he did, or we might not be married right now.
We made our break across the prairie, me praying that we wouldn’t trigger the buffalo to chase. Do buffalo chase? I didn’t know. I still don’t. And that’s okay.
We made it to the back side of the building. After catching our breaths, we peered around the corner to look for the buffalo. We waited a few minutes for the all-clear before starting our stealth mission to the truck.
Obviously, we got back. We officially looked like idiots, but we got back. However, the show wasn’t over yet.
Cue Act Two.
The Buffalo is Always in Charge
When we got back to the parking lot, we found our bovine foe was there, too. It was slowly investigating vehicles like it was looking for a bust. I think it was looking for us!
I booked it to the truck as fast as I could, jumped in, and locked the door. Because that’s how you protect yourself from a buffalo. You lock the door.
Thankfully, its attention got diverted by a bigger idiot than me.
As we backed out of our parking space, we watched a YouTube-worthy drama unfold. Idiot (that’s what I’ll call him) was standing in front of the buffalo, stupid grin on his face, trying to get what I’m sure would have been his next Facebook profile pic. He stood so close and looked so nonchalant- I thought he might actually put his arm around the beast! Idiot’s slightly more intelligent companion stood across the road in the median, camera clicking away.
The buffalo clearly wasn’t in any mood for a photo shoot though, because when Idiot turned his back, the buffalo pawed the asphalt and charged his ass. Right in front of us!
The buffalo stopped inches short of goring who I’ll now call “Insane Idiot”. Talk about an adrenaline rush! We were in shock and yelling, “Can you believe we just saw this? Oh my, God! Dude, get out of the way!” We said a lot more I’m not proud enough to repeat. That’s why there’s no audio on my video. (Yeah, we made a video because that’s what you do when you think you might see a man get gored by a buffalo.)
By the time we hit the record button, Insane Idiot already retreated to safety, but there were still morons in the median with a buffalo everyone had just watched charge a man headed their way. For real.
Sorry, this is not a quality video. Our windshield was filthy and my phone camera at the time sucked.
It was all too much. We couldn’t watch anymore, and we didn’t want to end up having to give our eyewitness statements on the local news. People from the South on the news in North Dakota? Well, you know the stereotype.
We drove slowly by the buffalo (we weren’t opposed to catching some last bit of action) and took off to explore the rest of the South Unit.
Before moving on, I’d like to point out that I was sort of right on my buffalo etiquette. After our trip, I learned you never approach a buffalo. Approaching buffalo often agitate them and cause them to charge. And don’t mistake them for being slow and empathetic. They are very quick and care less about your well-being. If a buffalo is ahead of you, walk away, preferably far away in another direction. Don’t run. That’s stupid. Just walk quietly away. Never try to scare a buffalo out of your way by yelling or waving your arms, either. Bad idea.
In case you’re wondering, I never saw a bear on this trip- not in Yellowstone or Grand Teton, but I would’ve performed perfectly if I had.
The Calm After the Buffalo- On the Theodore Roosevelt Scenic Drive
Wouldn’t you know when we arrived at the start of the Skyline Vista Drive, the park was doing roadwork! I was not happy. We had to wait what seemed like forever for a pilot car to lead us to the open portion of the road. Thank goodness we were there in the beginning of the off-season or else the wait would have been even longer.
After getting through the construction, we quickly relaxed and got lost in the park’s serenity. We stopped at several overlooks with epic views of the badlands and the Little Missouri River.
Cutting through the badlands and gracing the landscape, the Little Missouri River casts a powerful spell. I loved seeing the same view that captivated Theodore Roosevelt.
All along the scenic drive, we spotted wildlife that make Theodore Roosevelt National Park their home- lazing buffalo, a wild horse, and crowds of prairie-dogs.
There are several easy, less than one-mile hikes along the scenic road if you want to get out and stretch your legs a bit. We chose the Skyline Vista, Wind Canyon, and Buck Hill trails. Each trail took less than one hour to complete.
Before leaving the park…
we made a quick stop at Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin where he resided in the 1880’s. You can tour the cabin during the Visitor Center’s business hours.
Is Theodore Roosevelt National Park Worth It?
YES! Don’t let anyone tell you it isn’t. Even if you only have a few minutes to stop at the Painted Canyon overlook, don’t miss the chance to see this wild and noble place. You won’t be disappointed!
For more information about planning a Theodore Roosevelt National Park adventure, head on over to the park’s website.
From The Library
Chapter Three is dedicated to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I recommend The Hour of Land for anyone planning to visit the national parks.
Ranch Life and the Hunting Trail by Theodore Roosevelt is a detailed look at Theodore Roosevelt’s experience in North Dakota. A cross between a journal and a textbook, this book might not be for everybody, but I found parts of it very interesting. *I was able to download a free Kindle version on Amazon.