We continued our August 2017 visit to the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park with an auto tour of the unit on the fourteen mile Scenic Drive. To reach the North Unit from Interstate 94, take exit 42 and head north on US-85 toward Belfield and Watford City. Drive 51 miles on US-85 before turning left into the park on Scenic Drive.
We stopped at most of the named pullouts along the road and walked the short distances required, if any, to reach the overlooks. This post covers two locations in the middle section of the route around the River Bend Overlook at mile 7.9.
For trip planning purposes, please be aware that while the South Unit is on Mountain Time, the North Unit is on Central Time.
River Bend Overlook (MP 7.9)
The River Bend Overlook Shelter was built by the men of the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1937. It is located above one of the more picturesque sections of the meandering Little Missouri River. A viewing platform and fairly level gravel path have been constructed in recent years to provide access for visitors with limited mobility. While it gives a sense of the majestic scene, the river in the middle of the bend is blocked by the ridge with the CCC shelter. Unfortunately, the iconic views are only available at the lower elevation.
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| Little Missouri River from the trail |
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| ADA accessible viewing platform |
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| View downstream from the ADA platform |
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| View upstream from the platform |
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| Trail from the viewing platform to the CCC shelter |
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| A closer view of the shelter |
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| View down the valley from the trail |
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| Looking west from the trail steps |
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| Shelter overlooking the Little Missouri River |
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| Entering the 80 year old shelter |
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| View upstream |
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| View downstream |
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| View upstream from inside the shelter |
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| River Bend from inside the shelter |
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| Looking back at the shelter |
Milepost 8
Milepost 8 is not a designated pullout or overlook. It isn't even a wide spot on the road. However, it does provide great views of Cedar Canyon and the road you just traversed. Leave your vehicle at the River Bend Overlook parking area and walk west about 500 feet on Scenic Drive and then cross the road. If you don't want to walk along the edge of the road, use the Caprock Coulee Trail to parallel the road before crossing and backtracking a short distance. A small open grassland provides a place to stand safely off the road while viewing the scenery.
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| Upper end of Cedar Canyon |
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| Scenic Drive in Cedar Canyon |
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| Colorful bands of clay and rock |
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| More of the badlands |
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| Thick groves of trees line every drainage |
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| Salmon-colored highlights atop the cliffs |
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| A final view |
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
An entrance fee is not collected at the Painted Canyon Visitor Center.
The park website is
https://www.nps.gov/thro.
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