North Dakota

September North & South Dakota 4 Day Road Trip Itinerary

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A 4 day itinerary from North Dakota to South Dakota filled with National Parks and outdoor adventure.

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In September of 2022, we hit the road on a birthday trip for our kids. We had a goal of hitting at least two National Parks on our road trip to North and South Dakota. It was going to be tight, but Sandy (11), Killian(2), Scott and I were on a mission to get it done.

Why September?

We chose late September for a few reasons. First, it’s right between our kids’ birthdays, so it’s a dual birthday trip. Second, the summer crowds are winding down, parks are more enjoyable with fewer people. Third, the elk rut would be starting, increasing our chance of elk activity. Finally, the temperatures would be reasonable. I do love all of the summer activities that the Midwest offers, but I am a cold weather person. Camping and travel is most enjoyable without the salty sweat brought on by intense temperatures.

Day 1

The Pathfinder fully loaded with camping gear, we hit the road from our small Minnesota town on a Thursday morning in late September. We were in Fargo by noon. It’s amazing to see how the landscape changes from central Minnesota to Fargo, North Dakota. The hills flatten, trees become more sparse, and the distance that can be seen grows.

Worlds largest bison

It’s about an eight hour drive from our home to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. A great pitstop along the way is at the “World’s Largest Buffalo Monument” in Jamestown, ND. The perfect place to stretch legs and learn a bit more about bison. This attraction is conveniently located just off of interstate 94. There are several restaurants and gas stations to choose from, refuel the vehicle and the kids.

First Destination: Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Our arrival at Theodore Roosevelt National Park was just before dark. As we entered the park, a lone bison roamed the hillside. It was quite a welcome and great first impression of the park. The Cottonwood Campground was a short drive into the park on the left hand side of the road.

The campground has a simple loop drive and finding our site was a snap. After setting up our tent and making sure our site was set for the evening, we headed back to Medora in search of firewood. We found some at a local gas station/convenience store.

Night one was a s’mores night. Camping isn’t complete without the sweet smell of burning sugar. After a game of cards and a story from Sandy out of her new National Parks book, it was lights out for rest before a busy day.

Day 2

Sunrise

Be warned; that sunrise will make your heart skip a beat. It’s just stunning the way it sneaks up the ridge and shines down on the valley in which the campground is situated. An amazing start to the day and the perfect setting to get a scrumptious breakfast of hot cocoa and country omelet sausages going.

Morning Wildlife on the Scenic Drive

If you’re goal is to see wildlife at TRNP, morning is your best bet. We witnessed the most activity during the early hours. Wild horses and bison littered the scenic drive. It’s amazing how undisturbed these creature are by the presence of visitor vehicles. The road was under construction while we were visiting, so we weren’t able to see the entire park, but we did see a great deal of it. I guess that means, we get to go back.

Hiking & Overlooks

There are numerous hiking trails, both long and short, that begin at different locations on the scenic drive. We stuck to shorter trails and overlooks. With our little hikers along, it was best to have frequent stops with shorter distance and more free exploring. These Short Hikes and Overlooks in Theodore Roosevelt National Park were the best.

North Unit Exploration

After we cruised the portions of the South Unit scenic drive that we could, we headed to the North Unit. It’s an hour drive along 85. Most visitors to TRNP stick to the South Unit. We wanted to see more than just the South, I would absolutely say that it was worth the drive to the North Unit. There we were able to see a more rugged landscape and more geological features that are missing in the South Unit. One of the kids’ favorite spots in the park was at the North Unit, the Cannonball Concretions. More details on it here.

Dinner & Tenting

After we explored the day away in both the South and North units, we found a great place for dinner. The Little Missouri Saloon and Dining Room has amazing food. We devoured our elk burger and bison steaks with a ravenous appetite. I highly recommend this restaurant for anyone visiting Medora. The ground floor has a saloon/bar and grill feel to it while the dining area on the upper floor hosts a more family friendly atmosphere. For fine weather dining, the balcony is also an option.

On night 2 of our stay in TRNP, the elk graced our ears with their calls. It was so majestic and peaceful. The best part, we were listening to them sound after the kids fell asleep. It was accompanied by an owl’s hoot. One of the best outdoor evening experiences so far. Our experience Tenting in TRNP was one for the books, a great first step into camping at National Parks.

Day 3

TRNP Visitor’s Center & Teddy’s Cabin

This is a stop that can’t be missed. We started our morning out by eating a quick breakfast, packing up camp and heading to the Visitor’s Center at the Park Entrance. Inside, there is a film that plays with great information on our incredible conservationist president, Theodore Roosevelt (my favorite president). There are a number of Native American artifacts, Teddy relics, and animal remains to learn about in the center. The greatest part of this area is Teddy’s cabin, the Maltese Cross Cabin, which has been relocated to the backyard of the Visitor’s Center.

It was inspiring to stand where he stood, see what he saw and know that this land is what drove him to protect much of America’s wild lands. He will always be my favorite president for the work he did for our natural world.

Medora

Medora is a petite town sitting at the entrance to TRNP South Unit with gift shops, steakhouses and cafes. For breakfast, we stopped in at the Cowboy Café. This was not a fancy joint by any means, but a very homey, welcoming homestyle café with classic American style breakfast.

So many little shops sit in Medora, some had closed for the season already. We were prepared for that being that our stay was late in the season. Even so, we had plenty to see and do for a morning. Sandy and Killian were most intrigued by the multiple candy stores, a fun stop! The kids were able to find a couple of souvenirs at the shops. The Visitor’s Center at the NP had a few items, but the Medora shops had a plethora of knickknacks to choose from.

Dakota Steakhouse

With our Teddy Roosevelt and Medora adventure wrapped up, it was time to hit the road again for our next stop; Rapid City, South Dakota. The four hour drive to Rapid City seemed like a piece of cake after the 9 hours from home to Medora. To pass the time, Killian napped and Sandy wrote a post card to a friend back home.

During our drive, Killian suddenly needed to potty, NOW. We were near a little town and were trying to find a place to have him potty. Ultimately, we pulled over and he peed in the grass by a baseball field. A parent has to do what a parent has to do.

When we finally reached Rapid City, it was time for a refuel. Refueling people that is. We had a restaurant in mind that was due for a revisit, we enjoyed it so much the last time were in Rapid City. Dakota Steakhouse. The bison steak is one of the best steaks that I have had, ever. Even the kids menu items are fantastic. Sandy ordered grilled cheese and it came out looking like a gourmet meal. The Dakota Steakhouse has landed itself a permanent spot on our list places to dine when we’re in the area.

Rapid City Water Park

Of course, a birthday trip for Sandy must include a water feature. She is basically a fish. We had a one night stay at the Watiki Waterpark. The kids had a blast running around this aquatic playground. After hours of soaking fun, we cleaned up and got into jammies. That didn’t mean bedtime just yet. We went to the arcade on the second level overlooking the water park and played games late at night, jammies and all. Killian loved playing the pirate ship game and driving a little car.

After two nights of camping, it was refreshing to be clean and in an actual bed. The kids slept hard after all of their adventures. It was a night of much needed rest. They were going to need it for their next day of exploration.

Day 4

We packed a lot into our final day in the Dakotas. It was our last push to get as much adventure in as we could!

Dino Park

Early in the morning, we set out to find the Dino Park. It was in an unexpected area and when we arrived the gift shop wasn’t quite open yet. We walked up the steep path and steps to the dinosaurs. Killian had an obsession with the prehistoric beasts at the time and was amazed by their size. He and Sandy crawled around on their tails and feet. They had a great time. The statues are a bit dated and need some love, but this was a fun attraction for the little guy. We headed to the gift shop for some South Dakota souvenirs and Killian rode the miniature ride at the front door. It was still somewhat functional.

Wind Cave National Park

With the Dino Park excursion out of the way, it was time to head south to Wind Cave National Park. Cruising down Hwy 79, we passed exits for Mount Rushmore and Custer. Both amazing stops if you haven’t been. Though Custer is absolutely a must if you haven’t been. Custer is more than just a stop, you’ll need a good chunk of time or a night for camping.

The drive into Wind Cave is so neat. Right off the bat, we drove up to a prairie dog village, they were chatty and entertaining as they scurried about. After taking time to enjoy them, it was off to the visitor’s center. We checked in for our cave tour and still have time to kill, so we went off for a hike on Rankin Ridge. I highly recommend this hike that takes visitors to the highest point in the park. There are numerous other stops along the way.

One cannot visit Wind Cave without a cave tour. We went on the Garden of Eden tour, this was the perfect duration and distance for a 2 and 11 year old. There are stairs, guard rails and lights throughout. Sandy thought this was a pretty neat experience. More on things to do at Wind Cave here.

Backroad Adventure to Nowhere

After our adventure in Wind Cave, the plan was to make our way home with a pitstop at Badlands National Park. It was my turn to drive and I punched in Badlands into the trusty GPS to get me there. DON’T DO THAT! Check your route before you take off. I thought that the GPS was taking me onto the main roads and we’d pull off of Interstate 90 at the main entrance of the park. Nope!

We followed the GPS onto a turn that seemed a bit too early but we were in an unfamiliar area so we went with it. At first I was thinking that maybe it had found a shorter route, no. No, it did not. When the roads turned to gravel is when we knew we should have turned back. It was too late, we had already gone too far. So the dirt road is what we followed. We saw a total of 2 trucks in about 2 hours.

The fuel tank was running low, very low. The concern was starting to run high, and there was no cell service. After a time, about when we were on E, we happened upon a ghost town with a functional fuel pump. It took a few tries to get the card reader to work, we were able to get it to work and added a few gallons. The shack next to the pump was closed. There was a handful of other buildings scattered about, they looked like they were all about 100 years old and on their last legs.

While I was filling the tank we noticed some scurrying nearby. It was cats. There were NO people in sight, just cats. They didn’t come close, but watched us. Scott and Sandy decided to toss some left over chicken strips to them. The cats snatched up the scraps and took off. This was the most bizarre “town” I have ever encountered. An experience for sure.

Oh my goodness. We made it! We ended up at the White River Ranger Station, this is NOT the entrance you want. We had to drive a long way yet before we got to the other side of the park, which was our original goal. And the White River Ranger Station was closed upon our arrival.

If using a GPS, make sure the route goes along the I-90, otherwise you’ll be in for a wild, dirt road ride. We should have entered in the Pinnacles Entrance Station or the Northwest Entrance Station, not the White River Ranger Station.

Badlands Pitstop

Killian had fallen asleep, so Sandy and I explored a bit while Scott waited with the napper. After he woke up, we explored all together. We didn’t have much time before dark, but we did have some time to explore some of the park. It was beautiful! The pastel skies and vast landscapes are immaculate! Photos don’t do it justice, it must be seen with your own eyes.

Going Home

As the sun set and it was time to load up, we said goodbye to the Badlands. On the road once more, we drove until we were tired and found a hotel when we wanted to stop. We call this method “Motel 6ing It.” We don’t usually stay at a Motel 6 but that’s how the original method started.

Every place we visited (except the backroads of South Dakota) is worth another visit. Every place we saw was beautiful and grand. I would do this trip all over again if given the chance. On small change… don’t trust the GPS on South Dakota backroads.

Visit the Worlds Largest Bison, North Dakota

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Add the World’s Largest Bison to your road side attractions list. There is more to discover here than just on large bison.

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A regular bison is huge. So, just how big is the World’s Largest Bison? Did you know it’s right in North Dakota? Or how easy it is to find it?

Dakota Thunder

Name: Dakota Thunder received his name in 2010 after a naming contest.

Height: 26 feet

Weight: 60 tons

Year Built: 1959

Viewer Discretion Advised: He is… detailed. Hahaha!

Location

Address: 404 Louis L’Amour Lane, Jamestown, ND 58401

The monument can be seen from the Interstate 94 heading west. Take exit 258 toward Jamestown. Turn right onto US 52 and another right onto Louis L’Amour Lane. The monument will be at the end of Louis L’Amour Lane.

Village

Travel back in time to the old village surrounding the massive monument. The historic village provides visitors with a sense of how life was in the pioneer days about the west. There are interactive exhibits, a play area, historic buildings, an old General Store and so much to learn. Cruise down the old “Main Street” to discover the history of Jamestown.

Our little guy’s favorite activity was the water pump. He was so excited to discover that he could do it all by himself. It’s the little things.

Bison Museum

The National Buffalo Museum sits just beside the monument and is home to a small herd of bison. Visitors can tour the museum for a small entrance fee and learn much about the American Bison. The gift shop is a great place to stop for souvenirs.

Hours:

Summer: 10am-6pm Daily

March-Memorial Day & Labor Day-October: Tues-Sat 10am-5pm

Winter: (Nov-Feb) Tues-Sat. 10am-5pm

Fees: $8 per adult, $6 children, 5 and under are free

On the backside of the museum, visitors can observe the herd from the viewing deck. Be aware: Do Not Pet the fluffy cows. There are signs indicating a warning about climbing the fence and disturbing the bison.

Tip: They have a penny machine. That is one of our go-to souvenirs on trips. It costs $0.51, the kids can have fun making them, and they’re fun to collect in special books.

Jamestown

Jamestown is a perfect road trip pit stop, not just for the bison. While here, take the opportunity to refuel the road trip car and grab a bite to eat. There are several gas stations and quick locations to grab lunch.

Tenting in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

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An unforgettable camping adventure awaits in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The bison roaming, the elk bugling, and the star gazing. Absolutely breathtaking.

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For an unforgettable, wild experience right in a campground, check out Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s Cottonwood Campground. Tent camping in a National Park was on the bucket list, Teddy Roosevelt was the perfect park to start in.

Campground

We stayed at the Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit of TRNP. This campground is on the left side of the entrance road, there was a lone bison on a hillside to greet us as we drove in. A wonderful welcome.

Space: The sites are quite close together and do not offer much in the way of privacy. This wasn’t too much of a deterrent for us as we were only at the site for sleeping and much too busy exploring to be in the campground anyhow.

Tent sites

The tent pad was a good size for our medium sized tent. The tent site distances range from being able to touch your vehicle to a short walk down a dirt path, but still within sight of the parking area. These are not remote campsites by any means, but there is still plenty of wildlife to be experienced.

Invest in some good quality tent stakes. We had just upgraded our tent stakes for thicker, more durable stakes. These proved to be no match for North Dakota’s tough soil. We bent just one stake, but were more careful about where and how we drove the rest into the ground.

While the sites are fairly close together, we didn’t get any feelings of being smothered or crowded. Likely due to the open, wild spaces that surround the campground. Tree cover in not in short supply at the campground. Beyond the outskirts of the sites, there is open spaces to see the bison and wild horses that frequent the area.

Wildlife & Nature

The wildlife is abundant in this National Park. Prairie dogs, bison, wild horses, elk, and so much more. Never have I experienced so much wildlife in a single park experience. Not only are these animals roaming the park in great number, but you can also experience their presence right from the campground. Check out these Short Hikes and Overlooks in Theodore Roosevelt NP for more chances to see the wildlife.

Natural Noise Machine: Leave your noise machines at home folks, you have all the nature sounds you need right here in this park. It was amazing. I’ve had many nights sleeping in the BWCA in Minnesota listening to the loons call. This park might have that experience matched. The elk bugling in the late September rut was amazing. The sense of wild that comes from sitting up late at the campfire with the majestic elk calls sounding in the distance the pinnacle of camp experiences.

Starry Nights: Turn out the lights and gaze up at the universe. The stars in this park are brilliant. After the kids went to bed, we sat by the small fire and took in the clear star speckled sky. The peace is infinite… until the kids wake up that is.

Do Not Pet The Fluffy Cows: The bison can and will roam wherever they please. This does include the campground. This is not an invitation to approach them. Don’t do this, they will toss you. Bison have been known to walk right through camp and enjoy the shade this grove has to offer. We didn’t see any bison in camp during our stay, but we did hear shuffling on the ground near our site during the night.

Breathtaking Sunrise: Looking to the east early in the morning gives campers views of the most breathtaking sunrise over North Dakota’s badlands. The crisp September mornings are perfect for enjoying the a cup of camp coffee and a link of breakfast sausage.

Bison Poo

Watch your step, droppings abound! All around the campground there is sign of bison, watch your step. Our 2 year old was all about the poop and let us know when we passed some more. It’s everywhere. So even if you don’t see bison in the campground, you’ll see just how comfortable they are when they roam in the area based on the location of their droppings. From the middle of your campsite to the doorway of the bathroom, watch your step.

firewood

We arrived after park hours, so we needed a different solution for firewood. We were able to find firewood for sale at a gas station/convenience store in Medora. It burned well, you never know with purchased firewood. Gathering dead and down wood is allowed in the campground, but nowhere else in the park. It is rather picked over, though.

There is a lack of firepits, but this makes sense as it’s prairie grassland in the surrounding area. A high risk for wildfire. However, there are raised BBQ grills that can accommodate a fire large enough to successfully roast marshmallows for s’mores.

bathrooms

The bathrooms were still open in September, so we did bathrooms available during our stay. The bathrooms are open seasonal, flush toilets close during the winter with vault toilets available year-round. It was a treat to have running water to wash hands, we are accustomed to a more rugged setting so this was a nice.

There are no showers available at this campground. We know this ahead of time but with our cooler weather camping, we weren’t too concerned with becoming too pungent.

There is so much to see in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It’s a wonderful park to spend a couple of days exploring

Restaurants

The city of Medora is settled right at the parks entrance. Take time to visit this neat town. Rumor has it that there is a great musical to attend with a pitch fork steak grill. If you’re interested in this event, make sure your visit is between June and early September. The show schedule can help you plan your time to visit.

Little Missouri Saloon & Dining Room: We had dinner a great dinner at this restaurant. I highly recommend the elk burger, that was amazing. Scott ordered the Bison Steak, I snuck a piece and it was amazing. For an appetizer, we had an order of the Steak and Cheese bites. The kids had burgers, even the kids menu items were delicious. All around, this was a fantastic place to stop in after a day of adventuring around the National Park.

Short Hikes & Overlooks in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

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Whether passing through the area or camping for a while, these short hikes and overlooks give visitors a great experience and grand adventure in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota.

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park is often a single day or two day stop for those passing through to larger, more popular parks, like Glacier or Yellowstone. Yet, there is much to see in this park. See more of the highlights in this park with shorter hikes along the Scenic Drive.

This park is broken up into 3 sections of park. The South Unit, North Unit, and Elk Horn Ranch. The South and North Units feature quite a number of hikes and overlooks. Some are quite long, up to 18 miles. We stuck to some shorter hikes in the interest of keeping our younger hikers happy and seeing more of the park by car. These were great during our stay at TRNP.

South Unit

TRNP’s South Unit is the most visited section of the park. Sitting right off of Interstate 94, it’s a passing through kind of stop for those on their way to more popular destinations like Glacier. For those passing through, these quick hikes a great way to stretch your legs and get a feel for the park without spending too much of your travel time. These stops are also great for those traveling with kids and seeking shorter hikes to please shorter legs. All of these hikes are just off of the scenic drive through the park.

Wind Canyon: Wind Canyon is a measly 2/5 of a mile, however, in that 2/5 of a mile there is much to see in the distant horizon and close up to the trail. We took this hike in the early morning and were able see far down the winding river and across prairie where bison fed on the slowly toughening grasses of fall. Wind Canyon obtained it’s name from the process in which it became a canyon. Most canyons are formed from water erosion, this canyon was actually formed from the wind erosion. The smoothness of the surfaces in the canyon wall are unlike the canyons formed from rivers.

Note: Stop to smell the sage, it’s so fresh and fragrant! I was wondering what we were smelling, then I realized that we were walking through sage brush.

Skyline Vista: A very short hike indeed, just 1/10 of a mile of paved path leads to an overlook of TRNP. The wind atop this ridge can be gusty, but the view is quite neat. This overlook is a great spot to stretch the legs briefly and check out some of the parks views.

Buck Hill: Our kids seemed to have the most fun on this trail. There are so many rock ledges and overhangs for them to explore and jump on. It felt as though we had brought a pair of baby goats along with us. The views stretched far and wide.

Coal Vein Trail: At just over half a mile, this hike is relatively easy with some inclines and rough trail. The coal veins are not burning here anymore, but there is some small remanent of the burn and the nature along this trail is quite neat. There may be bison in the area, be watchful and keep your distance.

North Unit

The North Unit of TRNP is an hour north of the South Unit on Hwy 85. It is about half the size of the Southern Unit but features a more rugged terrain and even more beautiful scenery. The trails in the North Unit are longer but there are a few spots for a short jaunt.

Little Missouri Nature Trail: This short trail is about a 3/4 to 1 mile of river bottom wildlife. The length depends on which route you take. Little MO is located at the Juniper campground. The trail loops down to the riverbed and crosses the Buckhorn Trail. There is information at the trailhead so hikers can learn about the ecosystem as they hike.

Cannonball Concretions: Situated just across the road from Little Missouri Nature Trail, this is actually a wayside exhibit and a Buckhorn Trailhead. This area features cannonball like structures protruding out of the slowly eroding rock. The cannonballs are sediment being held together by minerals that adhere them. We spent so much time here exploring the formations, the kids had a blast. It wasn’t technically a hike, but I think we got more out of this stop than we did from other hikes, it was their favorite stop at the North Unit.

Riverbend Overlook: Riverbend Overlook is absolutely the best overlook in the entire park, including the South Unit. I was in awe at this overlook. It didn’t seem real, the amount of time we spent here was unreal. I would go back to this park just for this view. There is a short hike from the parking area that leads to an open cabinlike gazebo. Be mindful of the edge beyond the gazebo and keep kids in hand.

Oxbow Overlook: This is the end of the Scenic Drive in the North Unit. It’s amazing to step out at of the vehicle and walk to the overlook. The overlook expands beyond the reaches of the park and makes a person feel very small. It’s a grand climax for this beautiful scenic drive.