Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit Scenic Byway
This byway provides the colorful North Dakota Badlands as a scenic backdrop with its sweeping vistas of one of the last remnants of wilderness in the Northern Great Plains. Theodore Roosevelt National Park memorializes the 26th president for his enduring contributions to the conservation of our natural resources. Visitors are provided a unique opportunity for wildlife viewing. In the park you will find open prairie, hardwood draws, bison, other wildlife, and the Little Missouri River.
Location
Begins 15 miles south of Watford City from US Highway 85 and proceeds west on the scenic drive through the North Unit of the park.
Points of Interest
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park-The North Unit Visitor Center offers visitor exhibits and a movie about the park, as well as information about road and trail conditions.
- Cannonball Concretions Pullout-This pullout highlights the amazing geology found within Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Called cannonball concretions because of their shape, these unusual geological formations were formed by wind, water, and time.
- Caprock Coulee Nature Trail-About 1.5 miles west of Juniper Campground is the start of a 1.6-mile roundtrip self-guided trail through coulees and dry water gulches.
- River Bend Overlook and CCC Shelter-This scenic overlook offers breathtaking views of the Badlands from a historic shelter built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s.
- Achenbach Trail-Beginning at the North Unit Campground, this 16-mile trail climbs from the river bottom, up through the Achenbach Hills, drops to the river again, climbs to Oxbow Overlook via a spur trail, and returns along the river bottom to the campground. Inquire about the condition of the river crossings before departing.
- Oxbow Overlook-This final overlook along the byway offers a sweeping panoramic view of the Badlands and of an oxbow in the Little Missouri River.
