Rough Rider

Rough Rider State Park provides access to the North Dakota Badlands from a location two miles south of Medora, serving as a gateway to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the 144-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail system. Renamed from Sully Creek State Park in 2024 to honor Theodore Roosevelt and his legendary Rough Riders regiment, the park sits along the Little Missouri River—North Dakota's only State Scenic River. The park offers equestrian camping with 66 corrals, making it popular with horseback riders exploring the Maah Daah Hey Trail's eight distinct segments. Recent expansion nearly doubled the park's capacity, reflecting its growing importance as a base for badlands exploration.

Rough Rider State Park and the surrounding badlands support wildlife typical of the Little Missouri River corridor. Mule deer and white-tailed deer are commonly observed, while bison from Theodore Roosevelt National Park occasionally wander through the area. Coyotes, foxes, and various small mammals inhabit the broken terrain. Bird diversity includes golden eagles, prairie falcons, wild turkeys, and numerous songbirds. The Little Missouri River provides aquatic habitat, though flows vary seasonally. Wildlife viewing opportunities increase along the Maah Daah Hey Trail, where hikers and riders encounter animals in more remote settings.

The vegetation around Rough Rider reflects the badlands ecosystem, with juniper, sagebrush, and native grasses dominating the exposed slopes. Cottonwood and willow trees line the Little Missouri River corridor, providing shade and riparian habitat. The mixed-grass prairie on upland areas supports species including western wheatgrass, blue grama, and various wildflowers. The eight segments of the Maah Daah Hey Trail crossing different terrain types showcase the diversity of badlands plant communities, from dry ridgetops to sheltered coulees.

The park sits within the Little Missouri Badlands, where millions of years of erosion have sculpted sedimentary rocks into dramatic buttes, pinnacles, and canyons. The Little Missouri River continues to carve through these formations, creating the scenic gorge that earned its designation as North Dakota's only State Scenic River. Exposed rock layers reveal the area's geological history, with colorful bands representing different sediments and the red clinker (scoria) formed when underground coal seams burned. The ongoing erosion processes that shape the badlands are visible throughout the landscape.

Rough Rider State Park experiences a semi-arid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Average temperatures range from approximately 15°F in January to 85°F in July, with significant daily variations typical of the badlands. Annual precipitation averages about 15 inches, with most falling during spring and summer. The Little Missouri River can flood during spring snowmelt or after heavy rains, affecting trail conditions and river access. Visitors should be prepared for variable weather, as conditions can change rapidly in the exposed badlands terrain.

The Little Missouri Badlands hold deep significance in American history, most notably as the landscape that transformed Theodore Roosevelt from an eastern aristocrat into a conservationist president. Roosevelt arrived in 1883 and established ranches that exposed him to both the beauty and harsh realities of the frontier. The park's 2024 renaming from Sully Creek to Rough Rider honors Roosevelt and the volunteer cavalry regiment he led during the Spanish-American War. The previous name had honored General Alfred Sully, whose military campaigns against the Sioux prompted the name change to recognize a more universally celebrated historical figure.

Originally established as Sully Creek State Park, the facility was renamed Rough Rider State Park in 2024 following a significant expansion that nearly doubled its capacity to 70 campsites. The name change honored Theodore Roosevelt and removed the name of General Alfred Sully, whose 1863-1864 campaigns against the Sioux made the previous name controversial. The park has developed as an important trailhead for the 144-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail, whose name comes from a Mandan-Hidatsa phrase meaning "grandfather" or "area that has been or will be around for a long time." Equestrian facilities make it a popular base for multi-day horseback adventures.

The park serves as a primary access point for the 144-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail, which offers eight distinct segments suitable for hiking, mountain biking, and horseback riding through varied badlands terrain. The Little Missouri River provides opportunities for canoeing and kayaking on North Dakota's only State Scenic River, though conditions vary seasonally. The park's proximity to Medora allows visitors to explore the historic western town and Theodore Roosevelt National Park's South Unit. The scenic river corridor and surrounding badlands provide excellent photography and wildlife viewing opportunities.

Following its 2024 expansion, Rough Rider State Park offers approximately 70 campsites including standard sites with utilities, horse campsites, group sites for equestrian groups, and primitive camping areas. Equestrian facilities include 66 corrals, a round pen, and hay available for purchase. The park provides canoe and kayak access to the Little Missouri River, a dump station, shower house, vault toilets, and water hydrants. Located two miles south of Medora via Highway 85, the park provides convenient access to the tourist town's amenities and nearby Theodore Roosevelt National Park. A park host is available May through September.

Rough Rider State Park provides managed recreational access to the Little Missouri River corridor while protecting the sensitive badlands ecosystem. The park's role as a Maah Daah Hey Trail hub supports sustainable, non-motorized recreation across thousands of acres of public land. The Little Missouri River's designation as North Dakota's only State Scenic River reflects its ecological and recreational significance. Trail maintenance balances access with erosion control on the fragile badlands soils. The park's name change represents an evolving understanding of how public lands commemorate history while serving diverse communities.