Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a bit tricky to visit – it is remote for most of the country, split into 3 sections that are not close together, and for a solid half of the year the wind and snow keeps visitors away. For those who do come, you are blessed with views of badlands, historical buildings, prairie dogs, and wild horses. It is easy to enjoy 1 quick day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
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So, how do you visit? On our travels we’ve driven by and through the park multiple times – it happens to be right on our way to Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Olympic, North Cascades, and Mount Rainier National Parks. Yes, we are truly spoiled to live in Minnesota where we get to travel through North Dakota *all the time* on our way to adventures beyond…
Er…wait, most of North Dakota is a wasteland of wind, extreme temperatures, and unlimited flatness. Until you hit Bismarck (going west) you just hope the pain will end and it is only crossing the Missouri River that you wake up. Then the road straightens out, you push another few hundred miles, and Medora appears like a mirage with its’ hills and the Little Missouri River.
With three parts of the park to visit, we chose to first see the most popular section – the South Unit. The North Unit is an hour northeast of Medora, Elkhorn Ranch is an hour northwest, and with no easy way between them you need to be committed to see all three. So, join us as we explore the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park!
1 Quick Day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
South Unit
Painted Canyon Overlook and Visitor Center
The Painted Canyon overlook is one of the easiest ways to peek into the park without actually venturing into the park. Even when we are driving past, as we will be on our next trip, we stop at the Painted Canyon Overlook to stretch the legs, cure the boredom of North Dakota, and simply look out over the park from this vista point. Acting almost as a rest area, this overlook is also home to a 0.9 mile loop nature trail and the 2.1 mile Painted Canyon Trail that connects into much longer trails and is an out and back trail.
Maltese Cross Cabin and Visitor Center
For anyone who has read about the history of Theodore Roosevelt, which you should, the Maltese Cross cabin is a special place as it defined his early experience in North Dakota. While his ownership of the Maltese Cross Ranch (formally known as Chimney Butte Ranch) was short lived, as was the subsequent Elkhorn Ranch, they were deeply influential on his personhood and awful business investments. This little cabin became famous when Theodore became president and eventually was moved to St. Louis for the Worlds Fair, to Portland, OR for the Lewis and Clark Centennial Expo, Fargo, and eventually the North Dakota capital in Bismarck until finally moving to the national park in 1959.
This area is also home to the main South Unit visitor center, and is a must see while in the park. Head on in, enjoy the historical exhibits and artifacts about Theodore, and grab those Junior Ranger books!
Scenic Loop Drive
The best part of the South Unit, at least in 1 quick day in Theodore Roosevelt NP, is the Scenic Loop Drive. There are hikes in the park but the best overview and most of the scenery is enjoyable from your car. The loop is 36 miles in total and will be slow going as the road is hilly (for North Dakota at least!) and chances are good that you will be seeing some wild animals – horses, buffalo, and of course, prairie dogs! There are some great overlooks to stop off at and enjoy!
There you have it – our favorite ways to spend 1 quick day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park! Get out there, enjoy, and let us know in the comments your favorite parts of the park!
A note on Theodore Roosevelt
Special people deserve special places named after them and Theodore Roosevelt earned every part of that honor. To the national park system, there are few people as historically influential as Theodore Roosevelt. He doubled the number of sites in the national park system and signed legislation establishing Crater Lake, Wind Cave, and Mesa Verde while championing the Antiquities Act that led to protections during his presidency of Devil’s Tower, Jewel Cave, Lassen Peak (now Lassen Volcanic National Park), Muir Woods, Pinnacles, Grand Canyon, Mount Olympus (now Olympic National Park), Montezuma Castle, Petrified Forest, and many others.
This man, more than any other president, has inspired me with his sheer will, living out his values, and political strength that was both highly productive and supported both progressive and conservative ideals at the same time. I think there is a lot we can learn from people like Theodore Roosevelt and consider him not only my favorite president but also the one I wish I could vote for in our next election! If you want to learn more about him, I suggest the fantastic trilogy by Edmund Morris.
Grab a copy and read, especially the Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, before you head to the park and it will make your 1 quick day in Theodore Roosevelt National Park that much more special!
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