Rough Rider State Recreation Site
Badlands Camping Near Theodore Roosevelt National Park in Western North Dakota — State Park in the Heart of the North Dakota Badlands Near Medora, Formerly Sully Creek State Park Renamed to Honor Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders, Campground With Full Hookups and Primitive Sites at the Gateway to the Badlands, Horseback Riding and Equestrian Camping With Corrals, Hiking and Mountain Biking Trails Through Dramatic Badlands Terrain, Little Missouri River Access for Canoeing and Kayaking, Adjacent to the Maah Daah Hey Trail — 144-Mile Badlands Singletrack, Near Medora Billings County Western North Dakota Badlands
Rough Rider State Park (formerly Sully Creek State Park) is a state park in the North Dakota Badlands near Medora, Billings County, western North Dakota, managed by North Dakota Parks and Recreation Department. The park features a campground with full hookups and primitive sites at the gateway to the Badlands, horseback riding and equestrian camping with corrals — one of the premier horse camping destinations in the northern Great Plains, hiking and mountain biking trails through dramatic Badlands terrain, Little Missouri River access for canoeing and kayaking, adjacency to the legendary Maah Daah Hey Trail — a 144-mile singletrack through the Badlands, and a basecamp for exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park just minutes away.
The Maah Daah Hey Trail connection makes this park a mountain biker’s paradise — the 144-mile singletrack through the Badlands is considered one of the premier long-distance mountain bike trails in the United States. Rough Rider serves as a natural basecamp for riders tackling sections or the entire route.
The park was renamed from Sully Creek to Rough Rider to honor Theodore Roosevelt’s time in the Badlands — the rugged landscape that shaped Roosevelt into a conservationist and inspired him to create the National Park system. Camping here puts you in the same terrain that transformed a president.
Things to Do
- Horseback — equestrian camping
- Maah Daah Hey — 144-mi trail
- Camping — full hookups
- Kayaking — Little Missouri River
- Hiking — Badlands terrain
- TR National Park — nearby
Park Information
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Location | Near Medora, Billings County, ND |
| Formerly | Sully Creek State Park |
| Trail | Adjacent to 144-mi Maah Daah Hey |
| Equestrian | Camping with corrals |
| Camping | Full hookups + primitive |
| Managed By | ND Parks & Recreation Dept. |
| Coordinates | 46.9333° N, 103.5333° W |
Frequently Asked Questions
Wildlife & Nature
Rough Rider SRS — in the Killdeer Mountains. The site’s badlands, buttes, and prairie support mule deer, pronghorn, and golden eagles.
Nearby Attractions
Dickinson — nearby. Theodore Roosevelt NP — 60 miles north. Stark County — surrounding.
Is there camping near Theodore Roosevelt National Park?
Yes — Rough Rider State Park (formerly Sully Creek) near Medora, North Dakota offers full-hookup and primitive camping minutes from Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s South Unit. The park features equestrian camping with corrals, access to the 144-mile Maah Daah Hey mountain bike trail, Little Missouri River paddling, and Badlands hiking. Named for Roosevelt’s Rough Riders regiment. Managed by North Dakota Parks and Recreation.
The equestrian facilities are among the best in the northern Great Plains. Horse corrals, water access, and direct trail connections to the Badlands make this a destination for riders who want to experience the landscape the way Roosevelt did in the 1880s.
Last updated: May 2026
