Our August 2017 visit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park continued with a short hike to the top of Buck Hill in the South Unit. At 2860 feet, Buck Hill is the second highest point in the park. Flat-topped Peck Hill at 2865 feet is the highest point.
To reach the trailhead from the visitor center in Medora, drive 6.4 miles on East River Road and continue straight onto Scenic Loop Drive for another 10.3 miles. Turn right onto Buck Hill Road and drive 0.8 miles to a circular parking area. Parallel parking is available for about twenty vehicles on the right side of the turnaround.
While the park service states the trail is only 0.1 mile long, it is rated as moderate due to the steep grade to the summit about 50 feet higher than the parking area. Beyond the summit, the trail continues along the ridge for another 0.1 miles before the trail splits into multiple paths into the badlands. We turned this into a nice ½ mile walk with numerous stops to photograph the badlands and the bison.
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| Paved path at the trailhead |
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| Nearing the summit and a set of stairs |
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| Path continues at the summit |
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| Looking back at the parking area |
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| Cloud shadows |
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| Scenic Loop Drive crosses the badlands |
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| Grasslands and badlands |
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| Lots of trees on the hillside |
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| Badlands seem to stretch to the horizon |
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| Medora water tower (5.8 miles) |
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| Five bison on the move |
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| Nine bison grazing |
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| Badlands |
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| Buck Hill Road |
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| Rolling grasslands with Square Butte (3322' 15 miles) and Sentinel Butte (3430' 21.4 miles) |
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| Path back to the summit |
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| Peck Hill (2865' 1.7 miles) |
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| More bison |
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| Camels Hump Butte (3273' 19.40 miles) |
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| Rugged country |
An entrance fee of $25 admits all the passengers of a single vehicle for seven days to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Other entrance fee options include a Theodore Roosevelt National Park Annual Park Pass for $50, an Every Kid in a Park 4th Grade Pass for free and a variety of America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes providing access to most national park, national forest, and BLM fee areas
- Annual Pass for $80
- Military Pass for free
- Lifetime Senior Pass for $80 or $20 annually for those age 62 and older
- Access Pass for free for visitors with a permanent disability
The park website is https://www.nps.gov/thro.
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