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Established Camping

Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Juniper Campground, near Watford City, North Dakota, is a fantastic base for exploring Theodore Roosevelt National Park. This campground offers a peaceful atmosphere with spacious, paved sites that are perfect for both tents and RVs, though be mindful that larger rigs may need to navigate a bit to find a suitable spot.

Visitors rave about the clean facilities, including restrooms with running water and flush toilets. The campground is known for its stunning night skies, where you can catch a glimpse of the Milky Way and even spot shooting stars. One camper shared, “Be sure to look up at night…the stars are amazing!”

Wildlife is a big draw here, with bison often roaming through the area, adding to the unique experience of camping in the park. The campground is conveniently located near scenic drives and hiking trails, making it easy to immerse yourself in the breathtaking landscapes of the North Unit. Just remember, it’s first come, first served, so arriving early can help you snag a prime spot.

Description

National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Overview

For groups visiting the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Juniper Campground Group Site is a great place to stay. Located four miles (6.4 km) from the entrance to the North Unit of the park, the Group Site is open from May through October.

Recreation

Hikers can access the Achenbach Trail and Little Mo Trail directly from the facility. The Achenbach Trail (17.7 miles/28.5 km), climbs from river bottomland up through the Achenbach Hills, drops to the river again, climbs to Oxbow Overlook along the way of a spur trail, and returns north of the river to the campground. Ask about the conditions of the river crossing before hiking. The Little Mo Trail (1.1 miles/1.8 km) is a self-guiding nature trail that begins at Juniper Campground and goes through river woodlands and badlands. Visit the Hiking and Trail Information page on the park website.

Facilities

Toilets, drinking water and picnic tables are provided at this facility. The site can accommodate tents, trailers and RVs. The group site can accommodate between seven and 60 people with a maximum of 20 passenger vehicles. There are no hookups; a dump station is available for campers. All wheeled vehicles and trailers must remain on roadways or pads.

Natural Features

The Little Missouri River is the central, unifying feature of this wild and broken land where, as a young man, Theodore Roosevelt ranched and hunted in the 1880s. The park is part of both the Northern Great Plains and the West, blending a rich natural beauty with diverse human history. The rugged topography, with its flora and fauna, also provides an opportunity to discover the badlands environment as Roosevelt once did. It is a place to experience a land and way of life that helped shape Theodore Roosevelt's attitudes and philosophy regarding conservation. Cottonwood trees surrounding the campsite turn golden in the fall. Although the campground is moderately forested, most of the campsites are in partial to full sun but visitors can cool off in the cold river when temperatures peak during summer.

Nearby Attractions

The town of Watford City has shopping, restaurants, amenities and a theater is located approximately 15 miles (24 km) to the north. The Little Missouri National Grassland is the largest National Grassland in the nation at 1.03 million acres (416,826 ha). It is located in western North Dakota and is managed by the Medora Ranger District in Dickinson, ND and the McKenzie Ranger District in Watford City, ND. The National Grassland provides additional recreation opportunities in the area.

Reservation Info

Only the Juniper Campground Group Site may be reserved, May through September. Reservations begin each year on the first business day in March at 8:00 am MST. Reservations must be made at least 5 days in advance.

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Location

Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park is located in North Dakota

Detail location of campground

Directions

The North Unit entrance is along U.S. Highway 85, approximately 14 miles (22.5 km) south of Watford City, ND and 50 miles (80 km) north of Belfield, ND. The distance by road from Medora to the North Unit is approximately 70 miles (113 km). Interstate 94 travelers can access U.S. Highway 85 at Exit 42 in Belfield, ND.

Address

208 SCENIC DRIVE
Watford city, ND

Coordinates

47.5941667 N
103.3338889 W

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Hike-In
    Backcountry sites.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Good
  • Verizon
    Poor
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Available

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • Trash
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Pull-Through Sites
  • Big Rig Friendly

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

28 Reviews

Reviewed Aug. 2, 2024

Wonderful little campground

I arrived very late in the night, but I’m so happy I stayed here! There were plenty of first come first serve sites. 49 was where I stayed and it was tucked away enough that I had privacy. The campground was very quiet until a herd of bison came through haha. Some of the campers ventured a bit too close to them in my opinion and got very loud/excited about it. The bathroom was clean, but for some reason like a sauna at night! Be sure to look up at night…the stars are amazing! I saw three shooting stars and you could clearly see the Milky Way and everything!

Site49
Month of VisitAugust
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Stephanie W., August 2, 2024
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Stephanie W., August 2, 2024
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Stephanie W., August 2, 2024
Reviewed Oct. 16, 2023

Great Experience

The National Park North Unit and Campground(CG) is easy to find off US-85. We showed our Access Passes to get into the park and then proceeded to mile marker 5, where the CG is located. We pulled up to the information and sign-in board for this first come, first serve CG at about 11:30 AM Mountain Time(interesting that when we got to the north unit area, our phones went back to central time, and after a quick Google search, we found out that the north unit runs on central time). A gentleman let us know that he had just pulled in and grabbed a campsite near the entrance/exit and that we’d probably only fit in site 8(this CG is all dry camping) as the perimeter campsites, both back-ins and pull-throughs, were too short for us. The other longer sites were already taken. We proceeded to pull through site 8, which is a long, quarter moon-shaped asphalt site. We maneuvered around to stay away from tree branches and stay on the pad. The picnic table and stand-up barbecue were on the driver’s side, but since the sites are nicely spaced out, this was not a problem. We then filled out our registration envelope, placed $14 cash(Access Pass discount) in the folder, put the tab on our post, and deposited the envelope in the registration area. We could have also written a check or used a credit card to pay. We got on and off 1 bar on Verizon. We did have a good shot north for Starlink. They have a vaulted toilet and flush toilet building along with potable water at the dump station. There are about a half dozen sites for longer rigs, such as 32, 42, and 43, 49, with 5 being the best site. We had our two dogs with us, and there was plenty of room to walk them around the CG. There was plenty of bison poop in the CG, but we didn't see any during our two-night stay. Watford City is 17 miles north and has your major amenities. We enjoyed using this CG as a base to explore the North Unit.

Site8
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by MickandKarla W., October 16, 2023
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by MickandKarla W., October 16, 2023
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by MickandKarla W., October 16, 2023
  • (14) View All
Reviewed Aug. 7, 2023

Great for TRNP North Unit

First time we ever boondocked in our 5th wheel. This place is nice & peaceful, well except for the 2 steer that went through our site lol.

Trey have one modern restroom, no showers. Excellent basecamp for the north unit. Plenty of wildlife & scenery to find.

When this place was built, they never envisioned large rigs. So if you have one over 30 feet, just be aware you might have to wiggle your way into a site. Camphost was great. Watford City about 20 minutes away for groceries & gas.

Site49
Month of VisitAugust
Reviewed Jul. 11, 2023

My favorite to date!!!

We weren't even here and parked... 15 minutes later and three bison come right past my camper. I knew we would see them but wow!!! I was in awe..it came right by me and I backed off and knew to respect it. It was on a mission and heading to the woods. Up to 2000 lbs and can travel 30mph!

North side was quiet. We were worried about a campsite and got moving early to get here, but we stayed on a Monday and had no issues. We had our pick of quite a few spots. It got busier by the end of the day, but still spots open for campers. Also cant beat $14 to stay. No electric but it does have a place for water and to dump. Bathrooms are actually really nice and clean, no showers. We did not have cell reception but so travel with Starlink.

Convenient to drive the scenic route and to hike.

Site8
Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Kristi D., July 11, 2023
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Kristi D., July 11, 2023
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Kristi D., July 11, 2023
  • (11) View All
Reviewed Jun. 27, 2023

Well kept

Beautiful, well maintained campground. Lots of different site to include pull thru, back in, walk in tent sites and a group site. New bathroom on site. Walking distance to the cannonball creations. There is also a dump station here unlike Cottonwood Camp in the South unit.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Shana D., June 27, 2023
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Shana D., June 27, 2023
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Shana D., June 27, 2023
  • (13) View All
Reviewed Nov. 30, 2022

This is a wonderful campground for shorter stays!

I really enjoyed this campground. The roads and parking pads are paved! The bathroom was recently built and it is clean and well maintained with running water and flush toilets. Also, the camp hosts were very friendly and helpful with tips on what to see and to do in and around the park.

North

SiteI did not record the site number.
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by David B., November 30, 2022
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by David B., November 30, 2022
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by David B., November 30, 2022
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Sep. 11, 2022

Great place

First come first serve camping. We had a pull thru. Some of the back ins look a little short. Generators have to be off by 8. Very quiet. Lots of stars. There is a water faucet but you have to carry water. No hook ups. Gorgeous views.

Site43
Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed Jul. 24, 2022

Scenic!

We felt so fortunate to procure a site at this first come, first serve campground. Well-situated sites with gorgeous views. Clean restrooms with flush toilets and running water!

Site11
Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Sharon , July 24, 2022
Reviewed Jul. 6, 2022

Upscale Primitive Camping

This is a delightful place surrounded by wildlife. I was able to get really close to buffalo (safely from the truck). This campground is on the north side of the Little Missouri River across from the CCC Campground which I actually preferred even though it was more primitive. The sites here are denser, and it is more populated, but there were still a lot of sites available when I was there on 7/5. . There are no hookups. There are bathrooms and running water available and a sanitary dump….an advantage over the CCC. It looks like the recently built new bathrooms which are grade A. It is convenient to auto touring and hiking trails.  I am on a walk about to visit all the national parks and TRNP is one of my favorites so far.

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Duncan G., July 6, 2022
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Duncan G., July 6, 2022
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Duncan G., July 6, 2022
  • (8) View All
Reviewed Sep. 27, 2021

Beautiful Campground

We had a nice campsite and enjoyed our visit. Boathouse was well maintained. Enjoyed the views and the visit of a Buffalo one evening (he was close, but not too close).

Site64
Month of VisitSeptember
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by cathy , September 27, 2021
Reviewed Aug. 5, 2021

Super hot but good stop to stay

Very minimal shade and very hot in June but it’s definitely a good spot to stay. The spots aren’t that close to one another I’ve definitely had worse. It’s right at the beginning of the north side of Theodore Roosevelt and a good stop to stay at while visiting the park. We even saw a couple Buffalo in the campground! Big horn cows also come and visit often.

Month of VisitJune
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Cody W., August 5, 2021
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Cody W., August 5, 2021
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Cody W., August 5, 2021
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jul. 27, 2021

Great spot

I spent three nights at the juniper campground and explored the north unit of the park. The scenic drive is amazing and saw lots of bison. The campground is quiet and well maintained. There is water available and a free rv dump. The bathrooms were super clean and the camp host was friendly.

Site24
Month of VisitJuly
  • Bison Jam!
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Karla , July 27, 2021
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Karla , July 27, 2021
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jun. 11, 2019

Large, tree-filled site within walking distance to the river.

Plenty of trees provide privacy in this nice National Park campsite that's just a short walk to the banks of the Little Missouri River. Has the standard National Park features, but our kids especially enjoyed the ranger presentation on prairie dogs.

Month of VisitSeptember
Reviewed May. 28, 2019

Memorial Day

Great little campground. Friendly hosts, clean, plenty of spots and didn’t even fill up for the holiday weekend. Bison will definitely stroll through your sites if you’re over by the field like we were. Peaceful and beautiful.

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jillian C., May 28, 2019
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jillian C., May 28, 2019
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jillian C., May 28, 2019
  • (4) View All
Reviewed Sep. 22, 2018

Juniper campground at Theodore Roosevelt National Park August 2018

This is a good solid campground that was almost full when we arrived, but we were able to choose a nice spot. There was water available but it had a funny taste, they had recently had some problems and were treating the water. The park rangers here were awesome and so helpful. No shower facilities, but flushing toilets with running water was fine. Lots of great trails and. Is on roam freely. Funny tidbit, the campground is on the border of the time zone border, so my devices would change times and I thought there was a problem, took me a while to figure it out.

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Deborah C., September 22, 2018
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Deborah C., September 22, 2018
Reviewed Jun. 22, 2018

Beautiful, clean and quiet

We spent two nights here and were pleased that we were able to have our pick of quite a few spots despite the campground being first come first serve. We arrived on a Wednesday evening. The campground is as advertised, no showers or electric. I was happy that they had quiet hours at 8 pm for generators. There were a great variety of spots, large grassy, secluded and shady, drive through and back in. 3 sites have a spectacular view of the bluff if you are able to snag those. pro: camp host was great, bathrooms were clean, a great selection of spots con: we found a few ticks crawling around

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jennifer B., June 22, 2018
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jennifer B., June 22, 2018
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jennifer B., June 22, 2018
Reviewed Sep. 3, 2017

Buffalo!

This campground sits on the riverbank of the Little Missouri River. There is a resident bison herd that is very comfortable in the area. We woke up one morning to see one grazing 20 feet from our tent. No showers but makes up for it by having space available for a drop in on the 4 th of July weekend! Warning: mature cottonwood trees can drop a branch without warning. The unit next to us had a large limb come down on a windless night. Luckily it was a pull through and dropped on the opposite side of the tree from the tent trailer. Try for a unit with small cottonwood trees!

Month of VisitJuly
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Susan H., September 3, 2017
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Susan H., September 3, 2017
Reviewed Jul. 1, 2017

Teddy Roosevelt National Park camping

Really beautiful site here with lots of easy and moderate trails to explore with lovely sunrise/sunset and wildlife! Similar feel to Badlands with some fewer crowds. You can’t choose a bad place to camp but be sure to drive through both the north and south areas. Pretty simple campground. Plan to stay at least two nights.

Yay: some of the sites are first come/first serve so if you don’t have a reservation you might get a spot (yay spontaneous adventures). Lots of different campsite configurations so you don’t have to be next to an RV in your tent.

Nay: pretty much guaranteed to fill up on summer/holiday weekends, trails were muddy when we were there in July.

Surprise: BISON EVERYWHERE!! If you have kids don’t let them wander around, the bison are close and plentiful!!

Reviewed Oct. 30, 2016

Fall camping

I decided to go camping for the weekend. Went to TRNP.north unit. Even though the trees were bare..it was still breathtaking. The Buttes and Vistas, the buffalo, the river.i couldn't get enough. I was the only one in the park ..so I had a nice quiet weekend The park ranger ( P.Thomas) Stopped by for a chat. He explained the buffalo Roundup to me. He was so nice and very informative. The campground as usual was spotlessly clean. I will continue to to return again and again.

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., October 30, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., October 30, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., October 30, 2016
  • (11) View All
Reviewed Sep. 4, 2016

Now I know why Teddy Roosevelt loved North Dakota! Check out Juniper to camp!

I have already posted my review for the Theodore Roosevelt South campground - Cottonwood. I won't repeat myself too much. Believe it or not, but I would put the North unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park even ahead of Yosemite.

The trees and the canopy in the Juniper campground is really cool. Especially against the terrain that surrounds it. The campground is low on amenities but high on scenery, and it is very clean.

The hiking in the North unit is amazing. There is so much wildlife. Never have I been so close to so many animals in the wild. I saw a lot of wildlife in Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, but not as much as I did here.

I never thought I would ever want to visit North Dakota. Honestly, I cant wait to go back. This place will blow your expectations, especially if you take an adventure on a hike or two. In the North unit, I highly suggest stopping at the River Bend Overlook and hiking down to the CCC shelter for some amazing views. Then drive to the end of the road and take a quick hike to Sperati Point.

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Matt S., September 4, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Matt S., September 4, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Matt S., September 4, 2016
  • (10) View All
Reviewed Sep. 1, 2016

Small

The site was really small. It was slightly crowded being only me and my husband. The site could fit two tents but we would occasionally bump into each other. The site is really clean and is surrounded by grass. During the drive you can see buffalo on the side eating.

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by jasmine L., September 1, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by jasmine L., September 1, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by jasmine L., September 1, 2016
  • (7) View All
Reviewed Jul. 30, 2016

A North Dakota Gem

While this may be in the middle of nowhere, it is worth the trip off the beaten path. From what I understand, the north unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is even leas visited and less crowded. We were there in the middle of the summer and only saw a handful of others. The scenery is breathtaking and unique, not exactly like anything else I have ever seen. There are abundant buffalo wandering the fields roads. The campground was quiet and clean, kind of in a prairie with abundant trees. While we didn't go hiking, there are a few trails, both long (18 mile backpacking loop) and short. If you are making the trip to Glacier from the east, don't miss this park/campground!

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jessica L., July 30, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Jessica L., July 30, 2016
  • Driving into the campground, shady trees and prairie grass
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  • (4) View All
Reviewed Jun. 30, 2016

buffalo

Buffalo walking through the campground- how awesome :) We were just passing through on our way to Glacier NP and spend a night here, but have decided we must return. This park is not overly popular or busy, which was a bit of the appeal. The sites and bathrooms were average, but an enjoyable place to spend the night. A couple good-sounding hikes that we want to try.

Reviewed Jun. 28, 2016

Nature at its best

Amazing! We took our two boys August of 2015. The weather was amazing. we spent the day in the town of Medora which has so much to do and so filled with history .back at the campground, which we located a spot right next to the river ,the boys went fishing. Then we drove around and saw 3 herds of wild horses. we saw Buffalo also. Though not as many as in the north unit. the bathrooms have running water and are immaculately clean. the campgrounds are clean and well kept and the oark rangers were friendly.

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., June 28, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., June 28, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., June 28, 2016
  • (5) View All
Reviewed Jun. 13, 2016

A must see

The scenery is breath taking. The abundance of wildlife is amazing. The campground is well kept and the park Rangers are friendly and knowledgeable. The Buffalo come right in the campground. Amazing experience

  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., June 13, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., June 13, 2016
  • Review photo of Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park by Tonya T., June 13, 2016
  • (7) View All

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are fires allowed at Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.

  • Does Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park have wifi?

    No, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park does not have wifi.

  • Is there cell phone reception at Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park?

    According to campers on TheDyrt.com, Verizon signal is poor, AT&T is good, and T-Mobile is available.