Billings County: Badlands, Trails and History

Billings County’s tourist offerings include outdoor activities and events in and around Medora, as well as in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The Badlands, hiking trails and historic sites can shape travel plans in different ways. If you’re planning a hotel stay, you can first consider whether you want to spend most of your time on scenic drives, trails or cultural activities.

Medora and the South Unit

The entrance to the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the visitor center are in Medora. The Maah Daah Hey Trail also passes through Medora on its way south from the north, continuing to the Burning Coal Vein Campground. The 144-mile trail runs through the Badlands and is suitable for hiking, biking and horseback riding. Before using the trail, visitors are advised to contact the USFS for maps, regulations, trail updates and possible water sources. Since trail advisories and conditions can change, checking with the USFS is part of trip preparation.

The Scenic Loop Drive in the South Unit is a 36-mile paved loop with pullouts and interpretive signs about the park’s historical and natural features. Bison, mule deer, prairie dogs and horses are easy to spot along the scenic drive. Beef Corral on Scenic Loop Road and Lindbo Flats north of Boicourt Overlook are places to look for pronghorns. From Boicourt Overlook, the view stretches across the rugged, gently rolling landscape to the horizon and beyond the park boundaries.

Trails with different highlights

For a short trail with seating, the accessible 0.1-mile Skyline Vista Trail loop leads to an overlook. The 0.4-mile Wind Canyon Trail is a nature trail with views of the Little Missouri River. At Buck Hill, a short, steep trail leads to one of the highest points in the South Unit and a panoramic view. The Coal Vein Trail focuses on the geology and ecology of the Badlands. These trails differ in length, character and focus, so you can choose to prioritize a viewpoint, river views or natural history.

The trails in the Petrified Forest also offer different highlights. The South Petrified Forest Trail is an approximately 3-mile out-and-back hike to a valley with exposed petrified tree stumps. The Petrified Forest Loop goes beyond the exposed tree fossils, crossing rolling prairie on a high plateau. The Petrified Forest in Theodore Roosevelt National Park has the third-highest concentration of petrified wood in the United States. These offer two distinct options: a trail to a particular valley and a route through the prairie.

Ranch history and cultural experiences

Chateau de Mores is just outside Medora, southwest of town and within the Billings County tourism area. The historic house museum has 26 rooms and was built in 1883 as the summer residence of the family of the Marquis de Mores. It commemorates Antoine de Vallombrosa, the Marquis de Mores, and his life and work in North Dakota. The Maltese Cross Cabin was Theodore Roosevelt’s first ranch home. It is open for self-guided tours during the South Unit visitor center’s operating hours; check the visitor center’s current schedule before visiting.

The Elkhorn Ranch Unit also brings a specific part of Roosevelt’s story to life: after the deaths of his wife and mother, he chose this place as his home ranch. A 0.7-mile mowed trail leads from the park area to the cabin site. Peaceful Valley Ranch offers a different perspective on ranch history: it was built in the 1880s and served as a dude ranch from 1918 into the 1930s.

At Chateau de Mores, the seasonal History Alive! programs combine live theater with local history and original letters, diaries and other documents. Dates may change. In Medora, the Medora Musical offers a professional, Western-themed variety show for family entertainment. The show includes variety acts, live horses on stage and a fireworks finale; details may vary from season to season. The Burning Hills Amphitheater offers views of the Badlands landscape.

In Medora, you can explore additional cultural topics at the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame’s Center of Western Heritage & Cultures, including Native American, Ranching and Rodeo. The Hall of Fame presents permanent and changing exhibits on Western culture. The Harold Schafer Heritage Center & Museum tells Harold Schafer’s story—from Mr. Bubble to Medora. Together with ranch houses, trails and landscape views, these offer different ways to experience the region’s history and culture.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Medora, Mchenry County, Grand Forks, Lamoure County, Walsh, Williams County, Cavalier County, Barnes County

For the main travel overview: North Dakota.