Posted 2011-01-13 2:35 PM (#128878) Subject: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Grand Meadow, MN 55936
A group of 4 horse trailers are considering traveling to Teddy Roosevelt National Park, ND in August. We would be entering the south unit. Any suggestions for horse camps that would have corrals, showers, hook-ups and allow dogs? I see Bar X and Buffalo Gap on the web, Sully Creek does not allow reservations. We do not want to stay where it is too commercialized. Any suggestions as to if you think this is an interesting place to ride? We generally stay at French Creek in Custer State Park SD and love riding there.
Any other suggestions for a horseback vacation. We are from southeastern MN.
Posted 2011-01-13 5:45 PM (#128884 - in reply to #128878) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
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Posts: 186
I was there last August, it was very hot. I stayed at Sulley Creek, If I went back I would try Bar X, Sulley creek only as like two sites with any shade and showers are extra $. I met some people out on the trail that were staying there and they said Bar X was great and the owners were very friendly, unlike the ranger who made me disconnect my truck because my trailer tire was off of the paved park spot and on the gravel my rig is small a total of 43' truck and trailer. there aren't any drive thru sites that I saw. The parts of the trail I had been on in the north had a white marker where you should cross the rivers, I almost burried my horse crossing just out side of Sulley Creek camp ground, no markers, the ranger told me it was about knee deep or higher at the crossing, my common sence told me to cross up stream ankle deep in a rocky spot but I figured better cross where he told me, when I got to the other side I hit a mud hole before the bank. on the way back I crossed on the rapids and it was good hard footing. Also the trail has about 5 or 6 gates the first few miles that drove me nutz getting up and down every ten minutes. The town of Medora is very small a typical tourist trap. Painted Canyon rest stop right off the higway has a nice 6 mile loop you should make time to see that if it is dry, I saw a buffalo and a rattle snake on my ride there. I am from upper Michigan.
Posted 2011-01-13 6:48 PM (#128885 - in reply to #128878) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
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Posts: 170 Location: Minnesota
Sully is a State Park that has issues and limited riding unless you are trailering into the Park. Doug at Bar X runs a good camp but it will take you 30 - 45 miutes to go into the Park if you are trailering from the Bar X. You have consideable riding from the Bar X. Buffalo Gap is the farest from the Park. We have been going this area for years. 5 times in 09 and only 4 last year. You never know about the weather. Last year in Sept it was beautiful. The year before in June it snowed 4" one nite.
Posted 2011-01-14 7:57 PM (#128918 - in reply to #128878) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Member
Posts: 23
Location: MN
We have been to Medora quite a few times. We have stayed at the Bar x and also at Buffalo Gap. They are both nice places to stay. We have also stayed at the Little Missouri Bed and Corral.(2 mls S of Medora) Which is a nice place too. They don 't have a website you have to contact Wally by phone. I have also read that they welcome you to stay @ the rodeo grounds. You can go to www. medorand.com for more information. Have fun-it's a great place to ride!!
Posted 2011-01-17 8:33 AM (#128974 - in reply to #128918) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Grand Meadow, MN 55936
I'm not sure if this is the place for us to vacation or not. We are used to having the trailhead within eye distance and not having to trailer anywhere once we set up camp. Did you see much for wildlife and scenery? A few people have commented on "alot" of rattlesnakes in this area.. We have ridin where they are rattlers but not where we have had to be on the "watch" for them. Any comment on the facilites for the horses at Bar X and did you have to run quit a bit of extension cord for your hook-up? Sounds like Doug & his wife are nice people:)
I appreciate you taking the time to give me your input..
Posted 2011-01-17 9:05 AM (#128975 - in reply to #128884) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Grand Meadow, MN 55936
Thanks for getting back to me.. If we head to ND we plan to stay at the Bar X. Not so sure after receiving feedback from people that have ridden there that we want to head that direction. Doesn't sound as though you saw much for wildlife nor does the rest sound real inviting.. We are not fancy and don't require much although we do want to have an adventerous vacation. Is it somewhere that you would go back too? Any other suggestions on places to ride?
Posted 2011-01-17 10:07 AM (#128976 - in reply to #128878) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Member
Posts: 23
Location: MN
We would go back there- but we really like the riding @ Little Missouri North of Killdeer ND. You can camp in the park and ride right out of camp. they have corrals for your horses. They have electrical hookups if needed but no sewer hookups. Although they do have a dump station there. The terrain is mountainous but they have 3 color coded systems. Green-easiest Blue-more challanging and Black -quite challenging. We have ridden all and they are all great.. You need a park pass and certified hay there. They have hay on hand and the quality has been good when we were there. They also have rattlers but we haven't had any problem with them when we were there. We didn't have a problem with them at TR park either tho. Hope this info helps you
Posted 2011-01-17 7:39 PM (#128991 - in reply to #128975) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Veteran
Posts: 170 Location: Minnesota
If you go into TRNP you amy see elk, horses, bison and deer. There are rattle snakes but most never see them as they do not look. In a week's time, you can see many many snakes if you look. We go several tiems every year but we trailer around the PArk using a friens stock trailer. Without the trailer, you do have restrictions.
Posted 2011-01-19 9:49 AM (#129038 - in reply to #128878) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 455 Location: Texas
The most similar thing to French Creek near Teddy Roosevelt is Roundup Horse Camp. But, dogs aren't allowed in National Parks, and it's hard to get into, like French Creek. Otherwise, there is no horse camping WITHIN Teddy Roosevelt. There is a thread on here about it already. As far as wildlife and scenery, you will not be disappointed by the North Dakota badlands, whether inside the National Park or outside the park in the Little Missouri National Grasslands. There are limitless places to camp in the area, but none that meet your criteria or corrals, showers, hookups, dogs, and NOT trailering to the park. If you are willing to give up one or two of those criteria, you've got yourself a vacation.
Posted 2011-02-20 1:43 PM (#130526 - in reply to #128878) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
New User
Posts: 1
Location: Iron, MN
I’ve spent a lot of time in that country.Usually 2 to 3 times a summer over the last 15 years.
Sully Creek Campground south of Medora: It is best to trailer to the South Unit for day rides otherwise you spend a good part of your day riding from Sully to the Park and back.
Little Missouri State Park north of Killdeer:Enough country for several different rides and you do ride out from the campground for all of them.Probably the some of the most rugged riding depending on what trails you take.
CCC Campground across the River from the North Unit:nice primitive campground, usually less busy than others.There are a couple rides out from the campground on the south side of the river otherwise it is easiest to trailer over to the North Unit to ride where there are a few day rides.
Bennett Creek Horse camp: In the grasslands between the North and South Unit:The most remote and quiet campground but there is only one day loop out from it part of it on the Maah Daah Hey Trail.
For seeing wildlife:South Unit-buffalo, elk, deer, wild horsesLittle Missouri-deerCCC/North Unit-deer, buffalo, big horn sheep,Bennett Creek-deerPrairie dogs, coyote, and snakes- all of them
I’ve not stayed at any of the private campgrounds.Some of the most interesting riding in any of these areas is off the marked trails and on your own.It takes some good topo maps to avoid getting boxed in and needing to back track.Rain will shut riding down unless it is a light and short rain.The ground is too slippery to be safe if it’s wet. The soil dries out quickly once the sun comes out in the summer---less so in the early spring and fall months.
I've also done the Maah Daah Hey with a pack horse from the North Unit to the South in 2002. It took 3 1/2 days full days of riding and 3 nights camped along the trail.
Posted 2011-03-29 9:19 AM (#132306 - in reply to #128878) Subject: RE: Theodore Roosevelt National Park
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Posts: 186
My friends wanted to go camping in May because up here in the UP the black flys and mesquitoes are so bad it isn't fun to be out at night. So I sent in for weeks in May at Round Up Camp Ground in the TRNP and actually got May 8 thru 15 dates (not my first choice) BUT now, after the fact, I get the information that the Little Mo river is 5 to 7 feet high that time of year and you can not get to any of the trails to the west of the campground. Also some of the trails to the east could be wet -(the Ranger actually told me they had alot of snow this winter) I know there are other trails out there to ride but now none of the people who were going to go with me want to spend 6 to 700 in gas and not have access to everything, and I don't blame them. I am going to call the park and give up my week if any of you want it it will be open soon. I wish they would put that information on the web site. Lesson learned - I won't be so green next time.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
