Theodore Roosevelt National Park (North Unit)

The North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park lies in the remote badlands of northwestern North Dakota, about an hour and a half north of the busy South Unit on U.S. 85. Quieter and less visited than its famous sibling, the North Unit is beloved by those who seek deeper solitude in the badlands — dramatic river-carved canyons, sweeping scenic views, abundant wildlife and long stretches of true prairie quiet.

The North Unit’s scenic drive winds fourteen miles through the badlands to the Oxbow Overlook above the winding Little Missouri River, passing viewpoints over the layered buttes and canyons. The unit is one of the best places in the park to see bighorn sheep, long-horned longhorn cattle, bison and wild turkeys. With its remote setting, dramatic badlands and uncrowded trails, the North Unit is a treasured wild gem of North Dakota.

The North Unit offers a fourteen-mile scenic drive to the Oxbow Overlook with badlands panoramas and wildlife viewing, hiking on trails through the canyons and prairie (including the Caprock Coulee and Achenbach trails), wildlife watching (bighorn sheep, bison, longhorns and wild turkeys), and camping at the Squaw Creek campground. The remote scenic drive past bighorn sheep and the overlook above the Little Missouri’s oxbow are the signature draws. The combination of dramatic badlands, abundant wildlife and genuine solitude makes the North Unit a rewarding and distinct destination.

Fall is especially rewarding in the North Unit — crisp air, golden cottonwoods along the river and the absence of summer crowds, with the bighorn sheep and bison active. Summer brings warm weather and full access (afternoon thunderstorms occur), and spring brings wildflowers and newborn wildlife. The scenic drive is stunning at sunrise and sunset when the buttes glow. Fall for color and solitude and spring for wildflowers are the highlights — drive early or late in the day for wildlife, and come prepared for the remote setting.

The North Unit protects badlands that are part of the homeland of the Mandan, Hidatsa, Arikara and other Native peoples. Like the South Unit, it lies within the landscape where Theodore Roosevelt ranched in the 1880s, and was included in the park established in 1947. The unit preserves the wild northern badlands and the Longhorn herd — descendants of the cattle of the open-range era. The North Unit holds the less-told half of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park story, a wild badlands sanctuary of North Dakota.

The North Unit shows the same geological story as the South Unit: the Little Missouri River carving down through soft sedimentary layers — clays, sands, lignite coal and volcanic ash — into the colorful banded buttes, canyons, and tablelands of the badlands. The Oxbow Overlook at the end of the scenic drive reveals the river’s tight meander (an oxbow) through the canyon below. The down-cutting river, the soft layered rock and continuous erosion shaped the dramatic North Unit badlands and canyons.

The North Unit is one of the best places in Theodore Roosevelt National Park to see bighorn sheep, often spotted from the scenic drive and on the canyon walls. Bison, longhorn cattle, mule and white-tailed deer, coyotes, wild turkeys, golden eagles, and prairie birds share the badlands and prairie. The North Unit’s wildlife, especially the bighorn sheep and the combined presence of bison and longhorns, make it distinctive. Wildlife watching from the scenic drive, especially at dawn and dusk, is a premier experience.

The North Unit protects northern mixed-grass prairie, badlands and the Little Missouri River corridor, with the eroded buttes, juniper draws, cottonwood bottomlands and open prairie supporting bison, bighorn sheep, the Longhorn herd and diverse wildlife. The intact prairie and the river corridor are ecologically significant, with fire and grazing (by bison and longhorns) shaping the grassland. Protecting the prairie, the badlands, the river and the wildlife sustains both the ecology and the wild beauty of the North Unit.

The North Unit holds a quiet but treasured place among the wild areas of North Dakota — the uncrowded, remote half of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, with dramatic badlands, bighorn sheep and the Longhorn herd as its symbols. On the homeland of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara peoples, the North Unit embodies the wild northern badlands. It is a cherished natural gem of North Dakota, offering an experience of deeper solitude than the popular South Unit.

The North Unit is in northwestern North Dakota on U.S. 85, about 15 miles south of Watford City and about 68 miles north of the South Unit. The entrance is off U.S. 85; an entrance fee applies (National Park Service annual and interagency passes are accepted). The North Unit has a visitor center (seasonal hours), the 14-mile scenic drive, hiking trails and the Squaw Creek campground. There are no services within the unit; fuel and supplies are in Watford City. Check the National Park Service for fees, road and visitor-center status, and conditions before visiting.

The National Park Service protects the North Unit’s badlands, prairie and wildlife. Visitors help by keeping a safe distance from bison, bighorn sheep and all wildlife (bison are large and dangerous), staying on roads and trails to protect the fragile badlands, not approaching or feeding the Longhorn cattle, packing out all trash, and following all rules. The prairie, the badlands soils and the wildlife are sensitive. Protecting the prairie, the badlands, the river corridor and the wildlife sustains the ecology and the wild beauty of the North Unit.

Keep a safe distance from bison and all wildlife, including the bighorn sheep and longhorn cattle — they are wild animals and dangerous when approached. Stay in your vehicle when bison are on or near the road. Watch for rattlesnakes on trails and in the badlands. Summers are hot with little shade and sudden thunderstorms; carry water and sun protection. The badlands terrain is rugged and crumbly — stay on trails and watch footing. Cell service is very limited. Come self-sufficient and respect the remote, wild setting.

An entrance fee applies (National Park Service passes accepted). Keep at least the required distance from bison and all wildlife; do not approach or feed them. Stay on roads and trails; protect the fragile badlands. Camp only in designated campgrounds or with a backcountry permit. Pets are restricted to developed areas and roads. Drones are prohibited. Collecting (fossils, rocks, antlers) is prohibited. Pack out all trash. Check the National Park Service for fees, rules and conditions before visiting.

The city of Watford City (the main gateway, with fuel, supplies and lodging), the Maah Daah Hey Trail (which passes through the North Unit), the Fort Berthold Reservation of the Three Affiliated Tribes, the Little Missouri National Grassland, and the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park to the south lie near the North Unit. The North Dakota badlands and the Missouri River country define the region. The North Unit anchors the wild northern badlands, easily combined with the Maah Daah Hey Trail, Watford City and the South Unit.

Drive the 14-mile scenic drive to the Oxbow Overlook early in the morning or at dusk for the best wildlife — scan the canyon walls and the drive for bighorn sheep (the North Unit is one of the park’s best places to see them), and watch the bison from a safe distance. Hike the Caprock Coulee Trail for a quiet badlands experience. Come prepared and self-sufficient (no services in the unit; fuel in Watford City), carry water and sun protection, and combine your visit with the Maah Daah Hey Trail or the South Unit for the full badlands experience.