Scenic Drive – A 36 mile loop road through the south unit. Road closures are common from November through April due to snow and ice. When possible, the staff clear 11 miles of the East River Road in the South Unit.
South Unit Visitor Center – Located adjacent to the town of Medora, it is open daily except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New year’s Day. Extended hours are available from June through September. The visitor center has a museum with exhibits on Theodore Roosevelt, history, nature and geology. There is also a 17 minute park film called Refuge of the American Spirit.
Maltese Cross Cabin – The cabin used by Theodore Roosevelt when he came to Dakota from New York. It has been relocated from its original location seven miles south of Medora to its current location behind the visitor center of the park. It was located on the Chimney Butte Ranch, which he bought in the 1880s.
Wild Horses – Horses have roamed the Badlands since the mid-1800s and continue to exist inside the national park. When it became a national park, there was a round-up to remove branded horses. Efforts to remove all the horses from the park were stopped in 1970. The feral horses that remain typically form groups of 5-15 animals located in the Southern Unit
Prairie Dog Towns – There are several colonies of Black-tailed prairie dogs on the 36 mile loop drive touring the south unit that starts from the Medora entrance.
Boicourt Overlook – A short .8 mile out and back nature trail takes park visitors to a beautiful overlook that is a favorite for viewing the sunset.
Buck Hill – A short but steep trail takes park visitors to the highest accessible point in the park. It is the second highest point – Peck Hill is a few feet higher.
Wind Canyon Trail – A .5 mile loop trail offering views of the canyon and Little Missouri River.
Maah Daah Hey Trail – A 150 mile trail considered the premier non-motorized trail in the Badlands. The majority is shared by hikers, mountain bikers and horseback riders. It travels through Little Missouri National Grasslands, both the North and South Units of the national park, and the Badlands. It is considered some of the best single track rides in the world.
Lone Tree Loop – A 9.6 mile loop that begins at Peaful Valley Ranch.
Petrified Forest Loop – A 10.3 mile hike in the remote northwest corner of the South Unit that travels portions of the North and South Petrified Forest Trails and the Maah Daah Hey.
Cottonwoods Campground – It is located in the south unit five or six miles from the park entrance. There are 76 sites, and roughly half of them are reservable. Half are first-come, first-serve. The fee is $14 per night in the summer and $7 per night in the winter. There are flush toilets during the summer and pit toilets year round. Drinking water spigots are located throughout the campground. There are no showers.
Painted Canyon Visitor Center & Trails in Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Painted Canyon Overlook, visitor center and trails are located on the southeast end of the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It is one of the best views available in the area. The area is accessed by the public rest area at Exit 32 about seven miles east of Medora on I-94. It is located on the north side of the Highway and can be accessed by travelers headed both west and east.
Painted Canyon Visitor Center – This visitor center off exit 32 of I-94 doubles as a highway rest area. It is open seasonally from May through September. On the north side of the structure is the Painted Canyon Overlook. In the off season, access is closed to cars but the overlook and hiking trails can be accessed via a walk-through gate.
Painted Canyon Nature Trail – A 1.1 mile loop trail that leaves from the Visitor Center. Take the paved path to the left until you reach the trailhead. The trail descends into the canyon, and the return ascent is steep with a maximum grade of 20%. If it were a longer trail, it would be considered difficult.
Painted Canyon Trail – A 2.1 mile one way hike leaving from the east side of the Visitor Center parking lot. It is accessed by a gravel road heading east from the trailhead. The end of the trail connects with the Upper Paddock Creek Trail.