Bike the Parks

Parks / North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Scenic drives through North Dakota badlands, with bison and wild horses for company.

3/5
Worth bringing a bike

Every park road is open to bikes, through badlands full of bison and wild horses, but the famous Maah Daah Hey Trail is off-limits inside the park.

Riding here

Theodore Roosevelt's two units both have scenic drives through colorful badlands and prairie, with bison, wild horses and prairie dog towns along the way. Every park road is open to bikes. Mountain bikers know the area for the Maah Daah Hey Trail, but bikes aren't allowed on it where it crosses the park, so riders detour around.

Where you can ride

All park roads, paved or dirt, are open to bicycles.

Where you can't

No off-road riding. Bikes may not ride, carry or walk on the Maah Daah Hey Trail through either unit; go around (the Buffalo Gap Trail is an alternative west of the South Unit).

Rides

  • South Unit Scenic Drive

    • Road
    • Loop from Medora
    • Paved
    • Moderate

    The main road through the South Unit's badlands. Check conditions: sections have closed for road failures and rebuilding in recent years.

    Start: South Unit Visitor Center, Medora

  • North Unit Scenic Drive

    • Road
    • Out and back to Oxbow Overlook
    • Paved
    • Moderate

    A quieter out-and-back to views over the Little Missouri River.

    Start: North Unit Visitor Center

When to go

Late spring and early fall; summer brings the most traffic (June to September).

Closures and restrictions

Sections of the South Unit road have closed for slumping and reconstruction in recent years. The park's bicycling page was last updated in 2017, so check current conditions before you go.

Safety

Use caution around bison and other wildlife. Some roads lack shoulders and carry large RVs; obey all traffic laws.

E-bikes

The park's own bicycling page doesn't spell out e-bike rules. Under the NPS e-bike rule (36 CFR 4.30), an e-bike with working pedals and a motor under 750 watts is generally allowed where regular bikes are, and riding on the motor alone is barred anywhere cars can't go. Parks can restrict them, so confirm with the park before you bring one.

Fees

Arriving by bike, you pay the park's individual (per-person) entrance fee, normally valid for 7 days, or ride in on an annual or America the Beautiful pass. Amounts change, so check the park's Fees & Passes page.

Rentals, tours and shuttles

  • Your bike shop hereSample listing

    This spot is for one rental shop, guide service or shuttle near Theodore Roosevelt: your name, what you offer, and a link straight to your booking page, at the top of this section.

    Feature your shop on this page, free until spring 2027

Run a shop near Theodore Roosevelt? Add it here.

Sources

Checked November 2026 against these sources. Rules, closures and fees change; confirm with the park before you ride.

  1. Bicycling Information — Theodore Roosevelt (NPS)
  2. Bike the South Unit Scenic Drive (NPS)
  3. NPS e-bike regulations (2020)

Edited by David Bussell. Spot something out of date? Tell us.

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