Hi there!
You can find some hiking with amazing views in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
The best hike in Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit: Caprock Coulee Trail
If you are only going to do ONE hike in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit, you will very likely not be disappointed by hiking the Caprock Coulee Trail!
The Caprock Coulee Loop Trail might be the best hike in all of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
It’s a top contender anyway!
This will give you lots of views of the North Dakota badlands from different angles.
You might want to give yourself 2-3 hours for hiking the Caprock Coulee Loop Trail.
In the North Unit, there is the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail and the Caprock Coulee Trail.
To get the best views, you’ll want to be sure to do the full Caprock Coulee Trail, which is also the Caprock Coulee loop trail.
You can start the Caprock Coulee Trail from the Caprock Coulee trailhead or the River Bend Overlook trailhead.
If you start at the Caprock Coulee trailhead, you’ll start off on the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail, and then continue onwards to complete the loop.
👆 River Bend Overlook: You can start the Caprock Coulee Trail from the River Bend Overlook.
What to do if you see buffalo while hiking
It’s possible that you’ll encounter buffalo on the trail while hiking in Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit.
I saw buffalo on the trail 2 times in the North Unit.
And I mean, they were basically directly on the footpath!
Buffalo also use trails to get around!
And, they have the right of way!
The first time I saw buffalo up ahead directly on the trail, and I decided to turn around.
That was an out-and-back hike and I was still on the “out” part of it.
That was the Buckhorn Trail to the prairie dog town.
I later went back to the prairie dog town on a different day.
The second time I saw buffalo, on a different hike, once again it was pretty much directly along the trail.
This was on the way back of a hike, and I tried to find an alternate route to go around the buffalo at a safe distance.
That one actually required jumping into a small ditch and climbing out.
The experience of hiking in the North Dakota badlands with buffalo!!
You may also hear buffalo being referred to as bison.
They are the same thing.
Cost of hiking in Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit
All of the hikes in the North Unit are within the paid entry area of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
So the cost of hiking in the North Unit is the entry fee for Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
This cost is $30 per car. This will get you a 7-day pass for Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and it will be good for all units of the national park. There is no one-day pass. See current fees.
👆 Theodore Roosevelt National Park entry fees for 2021.
If you plan to visit at least 3 national parks within a year, you may consider getting the annual national park pass.
More below about hiking in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
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Now…
3+ great hikes in Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit
There is only one main road in the North Unit, and that’s the North Unit Scenic Drive.
You will come across the hikes below as you are driving along the North Unit Scenic Drive. This is listed in the order you will see them as you are driving.
1. Buckhorn Trail from Cannonball Concretions to prairie dog town
The Buckhorn Trail is around an 11.5 mile loop trail in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
It is also possible to hike sections of the Buckhorn Trail.
You can hike to a prairie dog town!
One way to get to the prairie dog town is by hiking the Buckhorn Trail from the Cannonball Concretions trailhead. This is listed as a 4.2 mile round trip hike.
It’s also possible to make it a slightly shorter hike to the prairie dog town by hiking the Buckhorn Trail from the Caprock Coulee trailhead.
2. Little Mo Nature Trail
Little Mo Nature Trail is one of the nature trails in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and it will take you to the Little Mo River. (aka Little Missouri River.)
As a nature trail, there are numbered “stops” along the way that corresponds with a self-guided tour book so you can learn things as you walk.
There seems to usually be a tour book at the trailhead, but if you don’t want to chance it, then you may want to stop by the visitor center once you get to the North Unit.
There is a shorter version (0.7 mile loop) and a longer version (1.1 mile loop) of the Little Mo Nature Trail. The longer trail is not that much longer and it will get you up close and personal to some unique rock formations!
You will turn down onto the campground road to get to the Little Mo Nature Trail.
If it’s time for food when you pass through this area, there is also a picnic area on the campground road, available to all. You can plan for a post-hike picnic!
3. Caprock Coulee Nature Trail
The other nature trail in the North Unit is the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail. This also gives you some views of unique geological features.
4. Caprock Coulee Trail
By hiking the Caprock Coulee loop trail, you will also end up hiking part of the nature trail. Again, you’ll want to hike for full Caprock Coulee loop trail to see the best of the North Unit!
5. South Achenbach Trail from Oxbow Bend to Sperati Point
The South Achenbach Trail is listed as 10.6 miles one way. You will be hiking a section of the South Achenbach Trail to get to Sperati Point
Sperati Point is another chance to see the Little Missouri River.
You will start your hike to Sperati Point from the Oxbow Overlook trailhead which is at the very end of the North Unit Scenic Drive.
👆 Oxbow Overlook: You start the hike to Sperati Point from the Oxbow Overlook.
The hike to Sperati Point is listed at the trailhead as being a 2.4 mile round trip hike. You’ll be walking across grasslands and then your “destination” is another overlook with vast views of the badlands and river. The National Park Service recommends giving yourself 1 hour for this hike.
And that’s a bit about hiking in Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit!
Plan more of your trip to the North Dakota badlands and beyond:
- Things to do in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Elkhorn Ranch Unit
- Best hikes in Badlands National Park
- Camping in Badlands National Park
- Best hikes in Custer State Park
- Things to do in Mount Rushmore National Memorial
- Jewel Cave National Monument
- Wind Cave National Park
- Best places to visit in South Dakota
HAPPY HIKING IN THE NORTH UNIT!
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