The President's Park: One day in Theodore Roosevelt

1 day itinerary

Situated in North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt is the only national park to be directly named after a single person! This visit will give you a true taste of the American Midwest. Disclaimer: this itinerary includes both North & South Units of the park.

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Start the day at the South Unit Visitor Centre where the Maltese cabin of the 26th US president still stands today! He spent many years in this isolated state setting up a buffalo ranch before coming president, and the area inspired a lot of his policies regarding the National Park Service and conservation that he would later implement!

After this snippet of history, enjoy the 36 mile scenic drive which explores much of the South Unit. On the route, the Scoria Point Overlook allows for incredible view of the park, which is a great photo opportunity. Buck Hill is also another worthwhile stop, with some of the best panoramic views of the badlands of the park. Wildlife in the Theodore Roosevelt National Park is never too far away. Prairie dogs, bison and elk roam these grasslands so make sure to pause to appreciate them - from a safe distance of course! You'll also see the Little Missouri River which you'll catch up with later in the day in the North unit.

Following on from the scenic route, travel one hour to the North Unit. Rather uniquely, Theodore Roosevelt National Park has two time zones meaning it may seem that time is at a standstill on your arrival! (South Unit is in Mountain Time Zone and North Unit is in Central Time Zone.) Once you’ve arrived at the North Unit, Juniper is a great place to stop for a picnic with campsites if you were looking to lengthen your trip!

Interested in a hike? Caprock Coulee Trail is 4.1 miles and has plenty to see in terms of geology and wildlife! But if you want a shorter excursion, the Caprock Coulee Nature Trail is a 0.8 mile long snippet of the same trail! Sturdy shoes and appropriate clothing are highly recommended for this one! Ensure to take a left where the trail forks to stay on track. On this route, you will see coulees and erosions from the effects of centuries of rainwater, as well as a variety of flora for those green-fingered hikers amongst us! June & July are usually the best months to see the colourful blooms of over 400 plants which reside in the park.

On the Caprock Coulee Loop, take in one of the parks best views at River Bend Overlook. The small shelter may provide a little protection from either the sun or the rain - it's hard to predict what the weather will do in North Dakota, even in summer!

To finish of the day, make a final stop at the Oxbow Overlook. This is incredible, wide vista is situated at the end of the North Unit Scenic Drive. Here you can fully catchup with the Little Missouri River as it meanders through tall Cottonwood trees and buttes. In the distance you may just be able to see the Achenbach Hills, one of the main wilderness areas of the park. An exhausting day in North Dakota, but one where you will definitely feel you've completed the park, and can understand why President Roosevelt loved it so much!

If you want to adventure across the two units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, but not sure how to turn it into a whole trip, then get in touch with us and we can build you a dream custom itinerary!