Hi there!
So you are going to Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
And yes, the North Unit Scenic Drive is THE scenic drive to do in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
Well, it is basically the only main road in the North Unit.
By navigating to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit, you will find yourself on the North Unit Scenic Drive.
It’s the North Unit Scenic Byway!
I did a drive along the North Unit Scenic Byway, and this is what you need to know!
Here is what you can see in Theodore Roosevelt National Park when you drive the North Unit Scenic Drive!
There are 2 major overlooks to note on the Scenic Drive of the North Unit.
These 2 overlooks are both a short walk (a couple of minutes, if that) from a parking lot that’s directly off of the North Unit Scenic Drive.
This is included in the list below, including more of what you can see as you drive through the North Unit!
1. North Unit Visitor Center
If you plan on doing any nature trails listed below and you are interested in learning more about the geology and plant life, then stop by to pick up the trail guidebook.
It’s likely that there will be the self-guided tour books at the trailhead, but just in case they are not, you might want to pick them up!
And then, it’s always good to stop by the national park visitor center in case there are any closures and such.
Also you can get a national parks passport stamp in the North Unit Visitor Center!
You will see the North Unit Visitor Center shortly after you go through the entry station.
The Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit Visitor Center looks like a trailer.
2. Slump blocks
This is one of the first parking areas you’ll see along the side of the road as you are driving along North Unit Scenic Drive.
There’s a little information sign you. As you are standing facing this sign, if you look to the left side and the right side, you will see tilted “slump blocks” on both sides of you.
And, when you make a stop at the slump blocks, the National Park Service has an activity for you!
Match the stripes in the cliff side and the slump block to see how high up the slump originated.
You can make the stripe comparisons between the rock formations that are straight ahead (the non-tilted, non-slumped blocks) and the tilted slump blocks!
3. Long X Trail
There is a small parking area for the Long X Trail lookout.
The stop at this Long X Trail lookout represents a piece of American history in the North Dakota badlands.
According to the National Park Service:
The Long X Trail was one of the routes that cattlemen used to move cattle from southern parts of the country to the prairies of modern-day eastern Montana and western North Dakota.
The trail was a convenient route across the difficult terrain of the northern Little Missouri Badlands, and it passed through what became the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
And, you might want to make a stop at the Long X Trail lookout to see if you can spot any buffalo off in the distance!
🌞
4. Cannonball Concretions
This is a popular stop to make in order to climb onto some rock formations.
You can see some unique rock balls (“cannonball concretions”) along with other rock formations.
Buckhorn Trail from Cannonball Concretions to prairie dog town
You can also start a hike from the cannonball concretions.
The Buckhorn Trail is a 10 mile loop trail, and there are a few different places along the North Unit Scenic Drive that you can access it. It’s also possible to hike sections of it, instead of the full 10 miles.
One section of the Buckhorn Trail that you can “section hike” is from the cannonball concretions.
You can hike the Buckhorn Trail from the cannonball concretions to a prairie dog town.
Prairie dog towns are fun as you get to see all the little prairie dogs running around… and being loud!
You will know when you are at the prairie dog town because you will see a whole bunch of mounds and holes… and you will probably hear them too!
You can make it an out-and-back hike if you don’t want to do the whole trail. This would be around a 4.2 mile round trip hike.
This is not the only way to hike to the prairie dog town. Another way (shorter way) is listed below!
Road off of the North Unit Scenic Drive
Right in front of the parking area for the Cannonball Concretions, you’ll see a road that goes off of the North Unit Scenic Drive. This is the campground road. This leads to the next few things on the list.
5. Little Mo Nature Trail
Little Mo Nature is one of the nature trails in the North Unit, and it will take you to the Little Mo River. (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, that’s when you may want to stop by the visitor center on your way in.
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.
6. North Unit picnic area
Bring your own food, and you can make it a picnic in the North Unit!
7. Juniper Campground
There is one campground in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and it’s the Juniper Campground.
This is a first-come first-serve mostly rustic campground.
There is a regular bathroom and drinking water available, but there’s no electricity and there are no showers.
I did not see any buffalo in the North Unit campground, but I did see buffalo in the South Unit campground!
/ end road off of North Unit Scenic Drive.
Now back on the North Unit Scenic Drive!
8. Caprock Coulee Trail
Now continuing driving along the North Unit Scenic Drive, you will come to the Caprock Coulee trailhead.
This is where you will start the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail and the Caprock Coulee Loop Trail.
The Caprock Coulee Nature Trail is a 1.5 mile round trip trail where you can make “stops” as you follow along in the self-guide tour book.
Again, there may be these tour books at the trailhead, or you may want to stop by the visitor center before you go.
Or, here is the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail guidebook online, and you can screenshot all the info so you can follow along when you do the hike. Or you can copy and paste the text into a word document and then print it before you go.
For the Caprock Coulee Loop Trail, you’ll start on the nature trail, and then instead of turning around at the end of the nature trail, you will continue hiking.
You can also start the Caprock Coulee Trail from the River Bend Overlook. (Coming up next on the list.)
Buckhorn Trail from Caprock Coulee trailhead to prairie dog town
Another section-hike of the Buckhorn Trail that you can do is from the Caprock Coulee trailhead.
You can hike to the prairie dog town.
Hiking from the Caprock Coulee trailhead to the prairie dog town is around 1.6 miles round trip.
9. River Bend Overlook
The River Bend Overlook is one of the 2 major scenic overlooks you’ll find along the Scenic Drive.
This is around halfway on the North Unit Scenic Drive.
You’ll want to stop here to take a short walk out to the overlook where you will see vast views of the North Dakota badlands along with yes the river.
10. Bentonitic Clay overlook
And as you continuing driving along the North Unit Scenic Drive, you will get vast views of the grasslands.
There is also a small pullover to make for the Bentonitic Clay overlook.
According to the National Park Service:
The blue-black popcorn-like soil that caps the plateau 50 feet below is bentonitic clay.
Bentonitic clays flow when wet.
This bluish-colored layer can be traced for miles up and down the river.
11. Oxbow Overlook
Then you can continue to the end of the Scenic Drive and you will arrive at the end of the North Unit Scenic Drive, which is where you will find Oxbow Overlook, the other major overlook along the Scenic Drive.
This is the turnaround point. You could call this your destination!
Once again you will get vast views of the North Dakota badlands, along with a view of the river.
12. Sperati Point hike
From the Oxbow Overlook you can then hike to Sperati Point.
You can follow signs to Sperati Point once you are at the Oxbow Overlook which means you will be hiking the Achenbach Trail.
The South Achenbach Trail is listed as 10.6 miles one way, so you will just be hiking a portion of this trail.
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.
North Unit Scenic Drive buffalo!
It seems like you have a very good chance of seeing buffalo when you are driving the North Unit Scenic Drive too!
I saw buffalo off in the distance in the fields, and I also saw the buffalo walking along the Scenic Drive.
Bison and buffalo are the same thing.
What the National Park Service wants you to know about buffalo:
Bison may seem slow, but they can turn in an instant and surprise you with speed.
With a flick of a horn they can toss you in the air
Bison are unpredictable.
They are powerful, wild, and dangerous!
Further is safer.
And then aside from the 2 major North Unit overlooks, there are a bunch of smaller informal stops that you can make along the side of the road as you are driving through Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the North Unit.
How long is the North Unit Scenic Drive?
The North Unit Scenic Drive is an out-and-back drive that is listed as 28 miles round trip.
The National Park Service officially recommends giving yourself around 1 hour and 15 minutes to do this drive.
But of course, that does depend on how many stops you make and what you want to do along the way!
You might want to give yourself an extra 1-2 hours.
Cost to drive the North Unit Scenic Drive
The North Unit Scenic Drive is within the paid entry area of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
So the cost to drive the North Unit Scenic Drive is the national park entry fee.
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. See current fees.
If you plan to visit at least 3 national parks within a year, you may consider getting the annual national park pass.
👆 Theodore Roosevelt National Park entry fees for 2021.
You can just drive through the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
Even just driving through Theodore Roosevelt National Park on the North Unit Scenic Drive will allow you to see scenic views of the North Dakota badlands… and you have a good chance of seeing wildlife too!
There are also quick stops to make as you are driving the North Unit Scenic Drive.
And you can also find some hikes to start off of the North Unit Scenic Drive too.
And those are some ideas for how to spend your time along the North Unit scenic drive!
If you are interested in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, you may also be interested in these activities:
- Elkhorn Ranch Unit (the most remote unit!)
- South Unit
- South Unit campground with BUFFALO!
- Things to do in Badlands National Park for VIEWS (South Dakota badlands)
- Camping in Badlands National Park
- Things to do in Wind Cave National Park
- Places to visit in South Dakota for VIEWS
- Things to do in Toadstool Geologic Park (Nebraska badlands)
HAPPY DRIVING THE NORTH UNIT SCENIC DRIVE!
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