The national grassland is a massive amount of property that surrounds all three units of TRNP. While the north Unit is surrounded by this green plain that is so endless it almost looks like the sea, South Unit has a mixture of plains, plateaus and badlands. It is here in the National Grassland, that our group took a two hour trail ride with Medora Stables. The views atop the grassland plateaus are every bit as amazing as the view from the overlooks like Painted Canyon. It is also here that we saw what brought Roosevelt to the Dakotas, cattle ranching. Dozens of cows were grazing here in the protected grasslands high above. However, in addition to cattle grazing, the designated area has Ponderosa Pine forest and badland buttes. I thoroughly enjoyed my time here and was so glad we were able to connect to the Old West that brought Roosevelt here.See more..
4.5Sheyenne River Valley National Scenic Byway(15 reviews) - A nice, but somewhat sort drive... Scenic Drives Road follows the Sheyenne River from Lake Ashtabula South to Fort Totten. Though from Kathryn south it's all gravel. Some interesting sights along the way. I didn't make it to the Rosebud visitor center though... Next time. Oh and hit up Pizza Corner on your way through Valley CitySee more..
WetlandsGreat Beauty HerE For All From Sportsman, Outdoorsman, Hunter, Casual Sightseers. ThEre Are WetlandS, Trails And Plenty Of Wildlife To Take in.See more..
5.0Scenic Loop Drive(6 reviews) - About the road closure, and how to use it efficiently Scenic Drives
The final 4 miles of the "Scenic Loop Drive" going clockwise are closed and impassable. Funds have been procured, reconstruction should start this year (2022), and work is expected to last for 2 years, meaning the full looping loop *might* be open by spring/summer 2024. Do your research before planning your venture into the park. We decided to first drive all the way into the park, up to the obvious barricades well into the scenic loop, which are 23.5 miles from the park entrance. The Badlands Overlook is at this point and appears to be sufficient for a large vehicle to turn around. We then stopped at the various trailheads on the way out, which proved to be an efficient way to approach our visit. It started raining as we exited the Boicourt trail overlook (our 4th mini-hike of the day), and since we had already spent 4 hours, we just drove out knowing we had seen pretty much everything on the scenic loop.See more..
4.0Holiday Lights At The Fairgrounds(1 review) - New Drive-Through Lights Spent < 1 hour Scenic Drives This is a fun drive for the family. Plenty of stationary and moving light displays. Make sure to turn off your headlights. I think this used to be the Lindenwood Lights. Hot cocoa available for additional purchase at the beginning of the drive. The drive took about a half hour. Open Nov 25 - Dec 31, 2022.See more..
