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North Dakota
13.9 mi
Distance
2,196 ft
Gain
5h 4m
Time
We won't guess. Here is exactly what we do and don't know.
What we do know
Inside Dakota Prairie Grasslands
2 managing-area boundaries mapped — agency alerts for them feed this page automatically.
Boundary data
What's missing
No access route mapped
We don't yet know which road reaches this trailhead, so we can't tell you if it's gated.
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Why you'll love it
Cottonwood
AI-suggested draft · review before you go
No permit or access details on file for this trail — check with the local land manager before you go.
The Cottonwood Trail is a scenic 13.86-mile out-and-back route in western North Dakota that showcases the region's badlands topography and native prairie landscape. This moderately challenging hike takes you through rolling terrain with expansive views of buttes, coulees, and the distinctive geological formations characteristic of the area. The trail offers solitude and a genuine connection to North Dakota's rugged backcountry.
Caprock Coulee Trailhead
~20 min drive
The Caprock Coulee Nature Trail is a 0.8 mile section of the Caprock Coulee Trail in the park's North Unit. The nature trail trail shows the natural and geologic variety of the badlands. It also provides a rare look at a densely wooded area of the park.<br /> <br /> When you r…
Maah Daah Hey - North Dakota
~2 min drive
Point-to-point badlands trail featuring dramatic formations and prairie views.
Summit Viewpoint
~15 min drive
Quick out-and-back hike to scenic viewpoint in North Dakota.
Ice Caves
~16 min drive
3-mile out-and-back hike to natural ice cave formations in North Dakota badlands.
Elkhorn Ranch Trailhead
~33 min drive
This is the trail head that leads to the spot where Theodore Roosevelt's Elkhorn Ranch once stood. The .7 mile trail weaves through cottonwood trees to the banks of the Little Missouri River where the cabin's foundation stones remain.
Bennett
~7 min drive
6.12-mile out-and-back prairie hike near Bennett, North Dakota.
Sather Lake
~45 min drive
Easy 0.4-mile lollipop walk around Sather Lake.
Coal Vein Trail Post 1: Layers
~1h 2m drive
Each layer of rock has its own origin story, told by its color.<br /> <br /> <span style="color:#e74c3c;"><strong>Brick-Red</strong></span><br /> <strong>Clinker</strong> forms when coal veins catch fire and bake the rock above, changing it into this much harder, red rock.<br…
Long X
~12 min drive
An 11.56-mile out-and-back North Dakota trail offering extended backcountry hiking.
Coal Vein Trail Post 3: Bentonite
~1h 2m drive
Notice the sediment on either side of the trail. Fifty-Five million years ago, volcanoes in the Rockies spewed out ash that blew east. At that time, this area was a vast, tropical swamp. The ash settled in wet areas and became bentonite clay. <br /> <br /> Bentonite looks like…