My favorite hike i have ever been on. I felt like I was in a story book. I have lupus and im not very active so this was the perfect little hike for me. A true gem!!! Even the ride to the location was very serenity and entertaining, building up to the grand finale of the speechless views of the this hike. On my trail app, this hike is ranked number one and I couldn't agree more. Very peaceful, quiet, and beautiful. Stillness. Serene. Tranquil. It was crazy. Amazing. Like I was in a dream. Its a must go. If you come to north dakota and don't come here, you're doing it wrong! Don't be a loser and put this hike on the top of your list.

That’s something I wish I didn’t have to see—some kids inscribing their names into the hills. Maybe it feels thrilling to them in the moment, but it takes away from the experience for everyone else. Nature is meant to be preserved, not personalized like a school desk. The saddest part was, adults were the ones cheering their kids to write on hills. Imagine if every visitor started carving their names into the landscape—there’d be nothing left untouched. Leave nature alone, so it can stay wild and beautiful for the next person.

Easy walk from the parking lot to the view point, if you want to go farther there is another view point but a little up the hill.

​Wind Canyon Trail is a perfect example of how a short hike can offer an incredible reward. Located in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, it’s an easy, brief loop that leads to one of the most stunning overlooks in the entire park. The trail itself is a treat, winding through a wind-sculpted canyon with fascinating rock formations. ​The main event, though, is the panoramic view of the Little Missouri River snaking through the dramatic badlands. We went at sunset, and the way the golden light hits the layered hills and the winding river is truly breathtaking. It’s an ideal spot for photographers, families, or anyone who wants to experience the unique beauty of the North Dakota Badlands without committing to a long, strenuous hike. A definite highlight of our trip.

A short trail with a great view. Perfect for stetching your legs just a little. Worth the stop.

Nice little hike and view! Good spot to stretch your legs and walk around!

Easy quick loop trail with great views of the valley and overlooking the prairie dogs near the road.

Cool cabin. Didn’t hang around for the ranger talk due to kids being too impatient. Cool piece of history.

The Maltese Cabin is located behind the TRNP Visitor Center in Medora. The cabin has been moved many times and is not in its original location. However, it is fun to see the small cabin where Roosevelt lived for a short time.

Theodore Roosevelt's temporary home in Medora. Small but T.R. made it work.

Did you know that Roosevelt considered himself a cowboy? You can see how he lived this lifestyle by visiting his cabin. This cabin is located behind the visitors center and gives you an accurate depiction of how things were back in the olden days as it is fully furnished. It has an interesting history and is totally worth the 5 minutes it would take you to explore it.

The Maltese Cross Cabin is one of the things you have to see at the park. I is a well done presentation and informative. Visiting can really bring the Roosevelt story to life. I stop every time I am here.

So amazing to see one of Teddy's cabin restored to look as the original.

My husband and I love visiting National Parks and historic sites and finally got to see TR’s cabin. It was very neat to see, especially after reading about Sarah Vowell’s description of it in her book “Assassination Vacation”, when she visited the TR National Park and this cabin years ago with her sister and nephew. Everything she’d mentioned about was accurate.

Lots of parking. Beautiful views all around. Great variety of wildlife. The visitors center has very clean bathrooms and a good selection of survivors. Great trails with stunning views. Dogs are not allowed on the trails but are ok in the parking lot and around the visitors center.

Stopped here before heading into Theodore Roosevelt national park. Also here are photos once inside the badlands saw wild horses buffalo deer and prairie dogs they are so cute. I would say if you have the chance go and check it out beautiful place.

Don't think if you stop here that you will see the Theodore Roosevelt national Park. Unless you mean from about 8 miles away you can see 1 butte. Yes it's a rest area with parking for about 12 semis, trailers or motorhomes and about 30 cars. There are sheltered picnic area but most are still in the wind. It is almost always very windy here. They have restrooms but mainly while the park store is open. The visitor center is a normal national Park visitor center where you can talk to a ranger pick up maps of the park, but souvenirs, get your passport cancellation stamps and more. But the actual park is about 8+miles west of here so be prepared to drive there. Note there is a lot of road construction in the area and traffic backs up quickly from about 9 am until 6pm. Luckily you do not need to pay to stop at this visitor center, the other 2 are behind the park entrance which require payment to enter. Give this review a like 👍 or mark as helpful♥️. We have a separate review of the North and South parks and visitor centers to help you decide if you want to see or stop at those. If you do buy your park pass online before entering and don't ask any questions at the entrance, that is what the visitor center is for.

Well... don't let the "one mile" trail fool you, you go down and have to come back up, which is, 250ish feet!!! So I don't get out much so it really kicked my butt. But I saw school age kids doing it and retired aged people. I don't didn't see the older people come back up, just go down haha. Aside from all of that, absolutely beautiful, quiet, and peaceful. You think you went to a place on a different planet. It was definitely worth it. If you plan on doing multiple hikes, you might want to make this one a "my only hike today" hike if you know what I'm trying to say.

Loop trail here offers great views and doable for families! National park staff has been friendly and helpful at each of our stops. Lots of shaded picnic areas available.

Stopped here before entering the badlands It has gorgeous views of the painted canyon. There are trails you can go on and it's just a nice place to stop and check out stretch your legs.

If you're driving along I-94, make sure to stop at Painted Canyon. The views are absolutely stunning, and you'll get to see bison roaming free in their natural habitat. It's definitely worth the stop for an unforgettable experience and some amazing photo opportunities!

Theodore Roosevelt NP, one of three areas. Prairie Dog villages were great. The visitor center personnel were very knowledgeable.

Nice little visitor center, not too busy for a July 4. Had a tour of their interpretive center, like 15-20 mins about Teddy Roosevelt and his time as a rancher. The young intern who gave us the tour was great. Also listened to Ranger Sidney who gave a talk about the Maltese Cross Cabin and she was quite good and very knowledgeable. Watch the 17 min movie about the park and pretty recent and informative (some parks have their interpretative movies a little old some time…) Kids got their junior ranger badge!

Lots of badlands, saw a few Bison, preferred the north unit more. Part of the scenic loop road is closed, so you can drove 22 miles in and then have to turn around and come back the same way.

Great time in the park after a big rain storm. No Bison or horses just prairie dogs cleaning out their holes

The South Unit Visitor Center at Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the natural first stop for those entering the park from Medora. The visitor center does get busy, so be prepared for a lot of people in a smaller space. Start with the park film shown in the theater, and then make your way through the interpretive exhibits to learn more about the park and Teddy Roosevelt. The Maltese Cross Cabin, one of Teddy's homes from North Dakota, has been relocated behind the visitor center. There is a gift shop and clean restrooms. Make sure you fill your water bottles here before venturing into the park. The Rangers on duty were helpful in recommending longer hikes for us, giving directions to remote trailheads, and answering our questions. The parking lot is a decent size but doesn't have a lot of space for RVs or trailers. Since the visitor center is immediately adjacent to Medora, you could park your rig on one of the side streets in Medora and just walk over.

Great visitor center, although it was pretty crowded, but there was plenty of parking. Extremely helpful staff and great exhibits and gifts.

Very nice place with small museum and theatre Also the cabin that Theodore Roosevelt used

We stopped here early on a Sunday for breakfast on the way out of town. It was already pretty busy but we were seated pretty quickly and our food was very fast at coming out. I could see this place filling up fast so my recommendation would be to go early or be prepared for a wait. The food was very good as well. I would say a “wait here to be seated” sign would help clear up any confusion as to whether you wait at the hostess stand or enter the restaurant when there’s no one tending the hostess stand.

Much smaller inside than I expected, but the wait wasn't very long (even for a Sunday morning). The wait staff was fantastic and the food was not only good, but a lot. In addition to regular syrup for my pancakes, they had a chocolate sauce that was excellent (so I didn't actually use the regular syrup). Definitely recommend!

We had breakfast here. Like most of North Dakota, people here drink weak coffee, so don't expect a good buzz in the morning. The omelet was really good and FTW, it included French toast! A first for me and a pleasant surprise. The server was super friendly. She gave us some history and told us what it is like to live in rural western North Dakota. This is probably the best place to have breakfast on the southern part of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

The waitress was courteous, kind, and efficient. The food was so delicious that the cook was personally tipped. Thank you for the experience.

Loved absolutely everything about this place. The food was great and portions definitely dont leave you wanting. The plate shown is the chicken fried steak, out of frame there's also eggs that came with that. The burger we had for dinner the evening before had portions just as generous. Price is reasonable. The atmosphere is very small town and homey. Restaurant is clean and well run. But my absolute favorite part was the service. Our server for dinner the evening before was Jody and she was extra amazing. Really, really sweet lady that made the experience that much better. We saw her the next morning for breakfast and she remembered us and asked about our activities we had talked about the evening before. Our server for breakfast was also amazing. Honestly, it was just impeccable service in a charming town with portions you cant argue with. You can't really ask for more. Definitely check it out if you're in Medora.

The perfect breakfast before a full day at Teddy Roosevelt National Park. The breakfast is well priced and a great value for the amount of food you get. The owners chocolate syrup is an amazing compliment to the croissant French toast! Fast, friendly, delicious place to eat whenever you stop by Medora!

Food is good, Quantity is more than enough, staff is very polite and located in prime area of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Peak seasons mostly will be busy.

This place is wonderful. The historic building is beautiful, we were seated right away, and we had attentive service. The food was mouth watering. I had the bison at the waiter's recommendation, and he didn't steer me wrong! Tender and delicious. Sticky toffee pudding for dessert was divine. Very clean. Highly recommend.

Today we attended the Teddy Roosevelt Brunch in Medora, just outside the South Unit entrance to the NP. It comes with a breakfast buffet, which included scrambled eggs with cheese, and hash brown casserole with cheese, along with many other choices. So we were fat and happy when the former president took the stage. We live in Orlando, so we are used to "character" interactions at Disney. I saw him before the show and called him Mr. President, and he said, "My friends call me Colonel." Colonel it is! He was a great storyteller, and it was about an hour of him hitting the highlights and heartaches of his public and private life. If you can afford the cost, it's worth it. We had a great time.

We had a great experience here. Definitely a place to eat at while in Medora. The staff did an amazing job which topped of the excellent food. I had their ribeye which as cooked perfectly. My partner had their bison which as so tasty. Luckily the portion was too big for my wife so I got to finish it off. Bread and butter was a great way to start as well.

After a full day exploring Medora, this dinner was the perfect ending to our adventure. From the moment we walked in, the staff made us feel so welcome. The hostess greeted us with such warmth—it immediately set the tone for the evening. We were seated at a cozy table for two and had the pleasure of being served by an excellent waiter (I believe his name was Simon, originally from Italy). His service was outstanding—attentive, kind, and genuine. He made the whole experience memorable, especially for my daughter, who was treated like a true princess. Watching her enjoy herself so much was priceless. The food was absolutely delicious—every bite exceeded our expectations. The atmosphere, the service, and the flavors all came together perfectly. It was our first visit, and everything felt beyond special. ✨ Highly recommended for anyone visiting Medora. This place doesn’t just serve food—it creates memories.

We ate at Teddys dining room during our recent visit to medora and Theodore Roosevelt national park. This was our first visit to medora. I’d heard great things about this place, however almost didn’t pick it as I don’t eat meat and there really weren’t any options for me, outside of salad. I knew my husband would love it so we went anyway. Once there, I did ask the waiter if I could get the pasta without the elk and he was so accommodating! And it was so delicious! My husband loved his meal as well and we both had a great experience. Our waiter, Enrico was so friendly and also made our experience very enjoyable. Probably the best service I’ve received in the 4 years I’ve lived in North Dakota.

I like a good cut of meat! Was sadden a filet wasn’t an option. Settled for an extremely fat ribeye. It was smothered in this coagulated marinade that was horrible. I wouldn’t recommend it.

Crab cakes were like hush puppies. No crab, no flavor. The sauce was too spicy. The chicken dish ended up having raw chicken around the bone. $42 for a dish with raw chicken??? Not impressed at all... The manager was reasonable, he's not the chef, not his fault. Would I recommend it for the food?... No. The sparkling wine was nice...

Had the hot beef and it was voted number one in North Dakota for a reason. Got it with a side of cottage cheese. That mixed together is a match made perfect and a great reminder of my childhood. Give this place a try if you're in Medora.

Well little restaurant was quite the unexpected gem. From the hospitality to the 100% homemade food. I honestly can't say enough wonderful things about this place. If you are headed to TRNP make sure to add the Cowboy Cafe as your stopping place to eat. 10/10

Cowboy Cafe in Medora is my 100th review! The pictures tell the story about the meals (Hot Beef, Pulled Pork special, kids chicken nugget meal (in the car) and chicken tenders and hash brown. Lots of cowboy and rodeo photos on the walls, always pay homage to the “Six Pack” (ask if you don’t know). The hot beef is the #1 in North Dakota for a reason!! Unknown to us, they dropped a chicken strip on delivery to our table. They went and grilled a replacement and brought it out on its own plate to make sure we weren’t short-changed. They had old fashioned Sarsaparilla root beer! The place is cash only when we visited. Food was very prompt!

Great little cafe, great food and fast friendly service. Pulled pork sandwich special with baked beans and coleslaw was delicious.

Great owner run place. Cash only. Not very large and we had a 20-30 minute wait (mostly in line outside).

Great place for lunch! We rolled through during the middle of the week while visiting the national park! Highly recommend the turkey swiss on focaccia as well as the cowboy corn poppers.

Very local joint, cash only business operated by some young girls. If you like sweets they make really good very very sweet caramel roll, still warm served. Had the French toast with eggs for my breakfast it was mediocre but does its job. The toasts are not the thick cut toast so it was a bit bland. The price are cheap so it’s still a great place to get something to eat in the morning There are a lot of locals and the decor is very western, all the cowboy posters and pictures on the wall.

Grabbed a pizza before the Musical. Kiubber took care of us and did a great job!! I couldn’t decide what beer to order and he recommended the Badlands Gold and I really enjoyed it! Hubby even thought it was pretty tasty and he’s not a beer guy. He did enjoy his Merlot though. Pizza was good, just wish it came out piping hot! Great spot for big groups or families.

We come to the musical every year and eat at Badlands Pizza. Last year they had the buffet which I really liked because I think it moved the People through much faster. I love their taco pizza as I don’t get that anymore since Happy Joe’s in Dickinson closed. This year we went to Badlands PIzza like we do every year and not only was the buffet gone, and it was back to ordering off the menu, they no longer have taco pizza. That was the only reason I ever came to Badlands Pizza. So disappointed they took it off the menu. Probably won’t be back, as that was the only reason we came here to eat, the service was great though, as was the atmosphere.

If you have hungry little buckaroo's be sure to stop at Badlands Pizza! We ordered 3 kids pizzas during our road trip and a large Pizza for the adults thinking the kids pizzas would be maybe 6 inches. When they arrived they were 10-12 inches! We could easily have ordered less but were pleasantly surprised the size for the cost. We also ordered the garlic cheese bread and they were a cheese filled garlic breadsticks that everyone enjoyed! The only negative about our experience was that it was incredibly loud as it is one big room so conversation was hard and then when trying to leave it took an especially long time to just get the bill and a box even though it wasn't very busy. Overall we would definitely come back and maybe take advantage of their order ahead or grab and go area!

It was very good Pizza, my wife and I enjoyed the thin crust. The nice sauce, the cowboy pizza was particularly tasty.

We were told upon arrival that our pizza would take 30-40 minutes. We were prepared to wait a while, but I think they forgot our order! After over an hour, we asked for more water, and our waiter explained that they were out of the appetizer we had ordered. He provided us with cheese stuffed garlic bread on the house. It wasn't terribly warm. We watched pizza come to table after table, many of whom had arrived after us. We finally got our pizza after about an hour and a half. It was very good, and we received 25% off due to the mixup, but the service wasn't great. It seems they have more tables than the employees can handle.

Just say no to this place. Ate here a year ago and it was great. Came in the for the Fourth of July and wow. What a change. First pizza was raw second pizza had so much grease it just ran off. English is clearly the second language here from the employees as well. And last but not least their 7 up tasted like dirty dish water. So save yourself the money and just go elsewhere.

First thing in the door the hostess spoke little English and was rude about seating us. She was perturbed about us asking for a booth but sat us there anyway. It was 4:30 on a Saturday and not too busy. When are pizzas came they were cold and we had to ask for plates. We weren’t done eating and a young girl came to remove our plates and clean the table. My husband said several times that we weren’t done yet. I’m not sure if she understood English because she went ahead and removed our plates. We definitely will not go back and would not recommend to a friend or relative.

The venue is in beautiful Medora ND just outside of Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the terrain is gorgeous. Our server started out "cold", not engaging and answering with short, curt comments. Thankfully she did warm up as the dinner progressed. All of our burgers were very good and they are big!! I had the elk burger which was fantastic. One of my daughter's had the turkey sandwich and she thought it was great. The bread they served it on appeared to be a sourdough w/cranberries and seasoning in it. I would definitely go back!

My girlfriend myself and our little dog came and ate hear about once a day if not more. The buffalo burgers are to die for so are the elk burgers. The staff was amazing so kind to all 3 of us. I would eat here everyday if I could. Make sure to stop in downstairs bar is very cool Dollar bill stapled to the wall door handles look like shotguns and revolvers to enter the building awesome place.

What a wonderful place right against Theodore Roosevelt National Park. It’s got my kind of food, sandwiches, burgers, steaks and an occasional salad. You won’t be disappointed if you stop and eat. We sat on the outside deck and admired the rugged terrain that makes up this little town. Full of culture and history. So glad we stopped. Thank you for a kind experience.

Old west Saloon vibes... I ordered a beer, the bartender knew nothing about the beers on tap. I then ordered the little Missouri Sirloin medium rare, came out very rare. I was brushing flies off me the entire time I was here... nice theme, maybe stop for a drink but I'd eat elsewhere.

It was late when I left Theodore Roosevelt park. This looked better and more western than the place across the street. Glad I stopped here and they were open. Ribeye steak was great. Seasoned and cooked just right. Would definitely stop here again if I ever came back. Subscribe to @weaversstonehousefarm to follow us on the YouTube channel

We had a table on the second floor deck with outstanding views of Medora. Our server was exceptionally effective and welcoming despite seemingly handling twice as many guests as would be typical. My delicious walleye dinner was more than I expected.

Out of all the places we visited in Medora, Little Missouri Saloon & Dining Room ranked at the bottom of our list. Perhaps it was just an off night, but the service was average, and the Elk Burger was just okay. I can’t fairly compare it to other Elk Burgers, as this was either my first or second time trying one. The fries were below average and didn’t leave much of an impression. One of my biggest concerns here was the pricing. They charge $1 for a slice of cheese and $2 for grilled onions, adding an extra $3 to an already $18 burger. While I understand prices can run higher in a small tourist town, it felt excessive. Additionally, we noticed a credit card processing fee automatically added to the bill, even though our group pays in cash. That seemed like an unnecessary charge and felt like another way to squeeze extra money from customers who might not notice. If you’re visiting Medora, there are definitely better dining options available.