13 Best Things To Do In Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The grand hills and magnificent skylines of Theodore Roosevelt National Park are exactly the sort of vistas you might imagine would please legendary president, soldier, statesman, and conservationist Teddy Roosevelt.

Located in North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park affords its visitors a wealth of outdoor activities, programs, and unforgettable views. The park was established in 1978 in North Dakota because it was a favorite place of Roosevelt and where he spent much of his time when not engaged in politics in Washington D.C. or fighting the Spanish in Cuba.

The park boasts an interesting mix of prairie lands and rocky hills and is the meeting point between the Great Plains of the central United States and the Badlands of the Dakotas.

With a car and some walking shoes, you can enjoy everything this Western North Dakota park has to offer in just a few days or spend more time exploring, adventuring, or getting cozy by the campfire at one of the park’s campsites.

Want to know where to start and where to end up during your tour of this magnificent wilderness? Let’s explore some of the best things to do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

TL;DR

• Most significant landmark – The Theodore Roosevelt Maltese Cross Cabin
• Best free activity – Painted Canyon Nature Trail
• Best activity for kids – North Unit Scenic Drive
• Best activity for adults – Mountain Biking the South Unit Scenic Drive
• Best food – Theodore’s Dining Room
• Best nightlife – Dakota Nights Astronomy Festival
• Best all-around accommodation – AmericInn by Wyndham Medora

Best Things to Do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park

1. Visit the Theodore Roosevelt Maltese Cross Ranch Cabin

Address: Medora, ND 58645

Teddy Roosevelt once said, “I would not have been president had it not been for my experience in North Dakota.” He began his love affair with the state in the 1880s when he traveled there to hunt bison. After falling in love with the region, he purchased a property in the area and eventually stayed in what was known as the Maltese Cross Cabin.

Incredibly, the cabin was once disassembled and brought to the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri. The cabin was also brought to Portland, Oregon, at one point when that city hosted the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. Eventually, the cabin would make its way back to the park after it was established in 1978.

The Maltese Cross Cabin is…