Trails of the North Dakota Badlands & Prairies

by Hiram Rogers

Overview

Discover the rugged and beautiful landscape that inspired Theodore Roosevelt to become our nation's foremost conservationist. Come and explore a region rich in scenery and history, and which is still home to prairie dogs, bison, elk, pronghorn, and bighorn sheep. With tips on choosing the right trip, how to prepare, and expert guidance along the way, this book is sure to become a much-used reference for anyone interested in hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding the nearly 300 miles of trails in the Badlands of western North Dakota. This guidebook includes invaluable, detailed descriptions and updated maps of:

· All of the trails in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

· The surrounding Dakota Prairie Grasslands.

· The Maah Daah Hey Trail, a 144-mile single track trail.

· Completed sections of the North Country National Scenic Trail.

· Trails at Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site.

· Trails in the state parks of western North Dakota.

There is also expanded coverage of the

· Painted Canyon Trail.

· Roundup Trail.

· Lone Tree Loop Trail.

· Ice Caves.

· Cottonwood-Bennett-Maah Daah Hey loop.

Featuring maps, photographs, and geological and historical notes, this book is a great, multi-use guide to this incredible region.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781934553794
Publisher:	Bower House
Publication date:	04/15/2021
Edition description:	Second Edition
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 8.40(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

Hiram Rogers is the author of the bestselling Exploring the Black Hills and Badlands, as well as the books 50 Hikes in Kentucky and Backroad Bicycling in the Blue Ridge and Smoky Mountains. He has also written about the outdoor recreation and conservation issues for several magazines, including Backpacker and GORP.com. He is a geologist, avid outdoorsman, and former resident of the Dakotas.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments x

Introduction 1

Using this Guide 3

Enjoying the Outdoors 10

Recommended Trips 12

1 Theodore Roosevelt National Park 15

Entry Fees and Visitor Centers 17

Camping and Picnic Areas 17

Hiking 19

Biking 21

Horseback Riding 21

Backcountry Camping 22

Painted Canyon Trail, South Unit 25

Lone Tree Loop Trail, South Unit 29

Jones Creek - Lower Paddock Creek Trails Loop 33

Roundup Trail, South Unit 37

Upper Paddock Creek - Upper Talkington Trails Loop, South Unit 39

Old East Entrance Station Trail, South Unit 43

Petrified Forest Trails Loop, South Unit 47

Caprock Coulee Trail, North Unit 53

Buckhorn Trail, North Unit 57

Achenbach Trails Loop, North Unit 61

Other Theodore Roosevelt National Park Trails 65

Painted Canyon Nature Trail 65

Skyline Vista Trail 65

Ridgeline Nature Trail 65

Coal Vein Nature Trail 65

Buck Hill Trail 66

Boicourt Overlook Trail 66

Wind Canyon Nature Trail 66

CCC Trail 66

Mike Auney Trail 67

Jones Creek Trail 67

Maah Daah Hey Trail 67

Medora Bike Path 68

Little Mo Nature Trail 68

Other Adventures in Theodore Roosevelt National Park 69

Canoeing the Little Missouri River 69

The Park's Scenic Drives 71

Elkhorn Ranch Unit 73

2 Maah Daah Hey National Recreation Trail 75

Burning Coal Vein Campground to Toms Wash Trailhead 89

Toms Wash Trailhead to Plumely Draw Trailhead 93

Plumely Draw Trailhead to Sully Creek Campground 97

Sully Creek Campground to Wannagan Campground 101

Wannagan Campground to Elkhorn Campground 107

Elkhorn Campground to Magpie Campground 111

Magpie Campground to Bennett Trail 117

Bennett Trail to CCC Campground 123

3 Little Missouri National Grassland 129

Buffalo Gap Trail 133

Ice Caves Trail 137

Cottonwood - Bennett - Maah Daah Hey Trails Loop 141

Long X - Maah Daah Hey Trails Loop 145

Other Little Missouri National Grassland Trails 149

Juniper Spur Trail 149

Maah Daah Hey Connecting Trails 149

Buffalo Gap Campground Trails 149

Aspen Trail and Hanson Overlook Trail 150

Summit and Summit View Trails 150

Sunset Trail 151

Wolf Trail 151

4 North Country National Scenic Trail & The Sheyenne National Grassland 153

North Country National Scenic Trail, Southwest Section 157

North Country National Scenic Trail, Iron Springs Creek Section 161

Oak Leaf Trail Loop 165

Other Sheyenne National Grassland Trails & North Country Trail 169

North Country Trail, Sheyenne National Grassland 169

Hankinson Hills Trail, Sheyenne National Grassland 169

Fort Ransom State Park Section, North Country National Scenic Trail 170

Lake Sakakawea State Park Section, North Country National Scenic Trail 171

5 Other North Dakota Areas 173

White Butte Route, Highest Point in North Dakota 173

Indian-Travois Trails Loop, Little Missouri State Park 177

Village Trail, Knife River Indian Villages Historic Site 181

North Forest Trail, Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site 185

Other Trails 188

Cross Ranch State Park and Nature Preserve 188

Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site 189

References

Appendix A Selected Bibliography 190

Appendix B Information Sources 191

Additional Services: Medora and Watford City 192

Author Biography 194

Tables

Table 1 Trip Planner 4

Table 2 Waterboxes 83

Table 3 Maah Daah Hey Trail Mileage 85

Maps

Map A North Dakota Location Map ix

Map B Theodore Roosevelt Nationaf Park South-Unit 24

Map C Theodore Roosevelt National Park North-Unit 52

Map D-1 Maah Daah Hey Trail System North 74

Map D-2 Maah Daah Hey Trail System South 76

Map E Sheyenne National Grasslands 156

Map F White Butte 172

Map G Little Missouri State Park 176

Map H Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site 180