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Best Campgrounds near Grassy Butte, ND

378 Reviews

Grassy Butte, North Dakota serves as a gateway to diverse camping experiences, particularly near Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the Dakota Prairie National Grasslands. Campgrounds like Summit Campground and Grassy Butte Community Park accommodate both tent and RV camping, while more remote options such as Magpie Campground provide seclusion in the badlands landscape. The area primarily features established campgrounds with basic amenities, though dispersed camping opportunities exist for those seeking more primitive experiences. Most sites are operational year-round, with several providing drinking water, toilets, and fire rings.

Road conditions vary significantly throughout the region, with many campgrounds requiring travel on gravel or dirt roads. Summit Campground sits near Interstate 85, creating consistent road noise but offering convenient access to hiking trails and the Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit. The CCC Campground lies just a quarter-mile from the park entrance on a well-maintained road. Weather conditions can be extreme, with temperatures dropping below freezing by early October and summer heat requiring reliable water sources. "We camped here in the middle of the week and we saw only three other camping groups during our two days here. There is a well to pump your own water from and a super clean, enclosed pit toilet."

Campers consistently praise the region's natural beauty and relative seclusion. Magpie Campground receives high ratings for its privacy and direct access to the Maah Daah Hey Trail, which offers over 100 miles of terrain for hikers, bikers, and horseback riders. The Grassy Butte Community Park stands out as a convenient option with electric hookups, water, and playground facilities—all within a small, quiet community setting. Several reviews highlight the spectacular stargazing opportunities and wildlife viewing, including buffalo sightings in certain areas. While some campgrounds like Summit provide free camping with minimal amenities, others like Magpie charge modest fees ($10) but offer greater seclusion and natural surroundings. According to one visitor, "Magpie Campground is worth the drive for the peace and surrounding beauty... The sites are spaced apart and surrounded by trees."

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Best Camping Sites Near Grassy Butte, North Dakota (57)

    1. Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park

    32 Reviews
    Grassy Butte, ND
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 842-2333

    $30 / night

    "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."

    "We showed our Access Passes to get into the park and then proceeded to mile marker 5, where the CG is located."

    2. Ccc Campground (Nd) — Dakota Prairie National Grasslands

    17 Reviews
    Grassy Butte, ND
    14 miles
    +1 (701) 842-8500

    $10 / night

    "This campground offers beautiful panoramic views of the North Dakota Badlands. Additionally, you can access the Maah Daah Hey Trail and explore the Badlands from here."

    "Easy 1 mile drive on well maintained gravel/dirt road off Highway 85. The campground appears to have been recently renovated. The fire pit and barbecue have never been used."

    3. Magpie Campground

    9 Reviews
    Grassy Butte, ND
    12 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 225-5151

    $6 / night

    "The part I like most about this campground is the easy access to the world renowned Maah Daah Hey Trail: >100 miles of trail open to hikers, bikers, and horseback riders."

    "They said they had good trails, but we didn’t have much time to explore. Beautiful views and very peaceful. Only downfall was the long drive on the rough/ unpaved roads."

    4. Summit Campground

    5 Reviews
    Grassy Butte, ND
    10 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 225-5151

    "Right on the highway so loud traffic all night. 1 pit toilet, 4 sites with picnic tables. Easy walk to a great view of the badlands."

    "One spot that is a loop turn around. I have a 2500 crew cab and 21' trailer parked without a problem. Could accommodate a little bigger trailer.

    There is steady road noise from I-85."

    5. Grassy Butte Community Park

    2 Reviews
    Grassy Butte, ND
    0 miles
    +1 (701) 863-6906

    "We explored the area - close to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit and National Grasslands. Lots of trees for shade."

    6. Cottonwood Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park

    71 Reviews
    Medora, ND
    33 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 623-4466

    $20 - $60 / night

    "I visited this campground for 1 night while driving across North Dakota. It's super easy to access from I-94, but you feel like you're a million miles away from the interstate."

    "Cottonwood Campground was a very welcome oasis in the prairies of North Dakota."

    7. Bennett

    2 Reviews
    Grassy Butte, ND
    8 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 225-5151

    "There are some nice long hiking trails, bison and other prairie critters. This is wide open country with no real facilities (no trash either).

    Yay: simple camping and lovely scenery, wildlife."

    8. Dispersed Site - Grassland Boondocking

    54 Reviews
    Medora, ND
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 227-7800

    "It was easy to come from Medora, North Dakota to the site, but it appears that you only get an entrance and exit on the Medora side."

    "The road in was fairly flat, and basically right off the highway. You can have the option of lots of privacy as well. Most of the sites are quite a distance away from each other."

    9. Juniper Campground Group Site — Theodore Roosevelt National Park

    1 Review
    Grassy Butte, ND
    14 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 842-2333

    $60 / night

    "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."

    10. Medora Campground

    44 Reviews
    Medora, ND
    35 miles
    Website
    +1 (701) 623-4435

    $30 - $60 / night

    "There's a picnic table, but it was very hot outside without shade. There's a great creek within walking distance that you can cool off in and let the dogs run around."

    "Medora Campground boasts a prime location near Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the charming town of Medora."

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Recent Camping Photos near Grassy Butte, ND

88 Photos of 57 Grassy Butte Campgrounds

Recent Reviews near Grassy Butte, ND

378 Reviews of 57 Grassy Butte Campgrounds

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 8, 2025

    Dispersed Site - Grassland Boondocking

    Lots of space. Be careful ..

    ...the hill is pretty steep and a couple sharp turns. If you are towing just make sure you are comfortable with that. It's a one lane road up the ill with blind spots so go slow and yield. Remember you'll have to come back down! Beautiful views though nicely spaced out spots.

  • CThe Dyrt PRO User
    Sep. 1, 2025

    Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park

    Small Campground but Simple

    This campground is in the north unit of the park. It has 50 primitive sites available on first come first serve basis. We were here on Labor Day weekend and campground was full for the first time in 2 years. Pads are asphalt and smallish. There are public washrooms, but no showers. There is a dump station, but no potable water for RV tanks. Drinking water is available at the wash house . The drinking of the water at the fill station is discouraged due to high levels of fluoride. While we were camped here, 2 small herds of bison grazed through the camp.

  • Mark The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    Dispersed Site - Grassland Boondocking

    Newly added site numbers

    This area is also known as Scoria Boondocking on Campendium. Workers came through on Aug 29th 2025 and put up site numbers. Indicated they were trying to get control of where people park. We were at the new #5 site with a 35' 5th wheel. Site is unlevel the further into the site you go but we were able to level pretty easily more towards where you enter the site. We were happy with our site location and views. You could hear road noise from I94 but it wasn't too bad. Also had a view of fireworks from the Medora music show each night around 9:35. Not sure how many sites they ended up marking further up the gravel road. There is no west bound reentry onto i94 from this exit (23). You have to go east bound back to exit 24 to go west again.

  • BThe Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 29, 2025

    American RV Park

    Great campground

    Nice no frills campsite in a small town. Jason was a very gracious host! He met us when we arrived and gave us information about the site and the town. We stayed a week while sightseeing in the area. Highly recommend!

  • Jennifer K.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 26, 2025

    Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park

    If it was reservable, it would be 3 stars

    The absolute anxiety of getting here and not knowing whether we'd be able to get a spot or not is off the charts. We got here at about 1pm on a Sunday thinking there shouldn't be a problem, yet there were probably only about 4 spots left and only 1 we could fit in. A lot of spots already had tags on them but not one bit of equipment set in place. Assuming it was someone that came in much earlier just to tag a spot...that needs to be addressed. There's quite a few "drinking water" spigots marked on the map but when you get to them there is a sign with a drinking glass and a red slash through it. The only drinking water is at the bathroom and not meant to fill your rv with so dont come here expecting to be able to fill your rv with safe water. The other spigots marked as unsafe have really high fluoride content and feels like slime. But we were told its safe to shower in. Im sorry but I dont trust that at all. If you shouldn't drink it bc of the high fluoride then you shouldn't shower in it. You'll just absorb it through your skin. We're in spot 30 and its pretty spacious but not private at all. Most spots really have no privacy at all. So if that's what you're looking for then look else where. We got barked at by the neighbors' dogs every time we walked out. Very pretty setting but in my opinion its way too crowded. Also not sure if its just the area or time of year but there's just billions of flies all over all the time. Makes being outside miserable. Also my husband got stung by a yellow jacket. I think there's a nest in the picnic table. The grill was full of charcoals and a chunk of burnt wood. It just seems like the sites are not ever checked or taken care of. The only work I've seen done is trash collection. There's an rv dump at least but not sure what much you'll need to dump since there's only one spigot at the bathroom you can fill a jug at.

  • Maddy T.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 26, 2025

    West River Rd Medora ND Dispersed

    Cow Country

    Beautiful but confusing. I originally went to dispersed camping on the other side of the highway but it was completely full!

    Despite the one negative review, I decided to scope out west river. There wasn’t a closure like they mentioned so I thought I was in the clear. But when I pulled into what I thought would be a spot, the road was deserving a 4WD. I went anyway and crossed paths with a couple of locals out there shooting. It didn’t scream safety.

    Looking back, I’m sure it could be multi-use and fine to camp. Either way, I ended up the road car camping in what was essentially a turnout. I was awoken to the mooing of cows bright and early.

  • James W.The Dyrt PRO User
    Aug. 25, 2025

    Dispersed Site - Grassland Boondocking

    Spectacular

    This is one of my favorite campsites to date. It’s totally dispersed camping, and there’s a lot of dirt road dust, however our site was super quiet and dark for beautiful stargazing. The other five star reviews are in my opinion legitimate. It was easy to come from Medora, North Dakota to the site, but it appears that you only get an entrance and exit on the Medora side. We almost went here for a second night, but got a first come first serve site inside the park for the next night.

Guide to Grassy Butte

Camping near Grassy Butte, North Dakota, offers a unique experience with stunning landscapes and a variety of campgrounds to choose from. Whether you're looking for a quiet spot to relax or an adventurous place to explore, this area has something for everyone.

What to do:

  • Explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park: This park is a must-see for its breathtaking views and wildlife. One camper mentioned, "We saw a ton of buffalo on the north side and we have already spotted buffalo, seen prairie dogs and wild horses from the road. Great overlooks!"
  • Hiking and Biking: The Maah Daah Hey Trail is nearby, providing over 100 miles of trails for hiking and biking. A visitor shared, "The sites are relatively spread out, though I like to stay towards the back of the site where it’s even more secluded."
  • Visit Medora: Just a short drive away, Medora offers entertainment options like the Medora Musical and local dining. One camper noted, "Super easy to walk over to the NP or into Thiel for coffee, breakfast, dinner."

What campers like:

  • Natural Beauty: Campers rave about the scenic views. One review stated, "The campground was immaculate, the ranger on duty was super helpful, and I had the whole grounds to myself."
  • Quiet Atmosphere: Many appreciate the peacefulness of the campgrounds. A visitor remarked, "Beautiful, quiet campground right on a river."
  • Wildlife Encounters: Campers enjoy seeing wildlife up close. A camper at Juniper Campground shared, "I was in awe... it came right by me and I backed off and knew to respect it."

What you should know:

  • Limited Amenities: Some campgrounds, like Cottonwood Campground, have minimal services. One camper noted, "This campground has very limited services... no dump station for RVs."
  • Reservation System: Certain sites are first-come, first-served, while others require reservations. A camper mentioned, "Seemed odd numbers were reservation and even numbered sites were first come."
  • Road Noise: Some campgrounds are near highways, which can lead to noise. A visitor at Buffalo Gap Campground said, "Pretty loud road noise from the highway but a good spot to stop for a night."

Tips for camping with families:

  • Choose Sites Wisely: Look for sites that offer shade and space. One camper advised, "Choose your tent only walk-in site carefully. Most (esp those next to river) have no shade."
  • Plan for Activities: Make sure to have a list of family-friendly activities. A visitor suggested, "The campground had plenty of shade to provide a cool place to hangout."
  • Bring Entertainment: Since some campgrounds are remote, pack games or books for downtime. A camper noted, "We had our pick of quite a few spots... it got busier by the end of the day, but still spots open for campers."

Tips from RVers:

  • Check Site Lengths: Some campgrounds have shorter sites that may not accommodate larger RVs. A camper at Juniper Campground mentioned, "If you have one over 30 feet, just be aware you might have to wiggle your way into a site."
  • Use Dump Stations Wisely: If your campground lacks a dump station, plan to use one in town. A visitor shared, "They allowed us to use their dump station for a $5 fee."
  • Stay Connected: Some areas have limited cell service, so consider using satellite options. A camper noted, "We did not have cell reception but so travel with Starlink."

Camping near Grassy Butte, North Dakota, is a great way to enjoy nature and create lasting memories. With a variety of campgrounds and activities, there's something for everyone to enjoy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find camping options near Grassy Butte, North Dakota?

Grassy Butte offers several camping options to suit different preferences. For dispersed camping with excellent stargazing, try Dispersed Site - Grassland Boondocking, which provides quiet, dark sites perfect for those seeking solitude. If you prefer established campgrounds, Cottonwood Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park offers spacious sites along the Missouri River with easy access from I-94. For budget-conscious travelers, Summit Campground provides basic amenities, while those wanting full hookups can check out Camp On The Heart for $30/night with excellent views of Heart River.

What are the best attractions to visit in Grassy Butte, ND?

The top attraction near Grassy Butte is Theodore Roosevelt National Park, where you can explore the stunning North Dakota Badlands with panoramic views and wildlife viewing opportunities. The park's Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park provides access to some of the most scenic areas in the North Unit. Another must-visit is the Maah Daah Hey Trail, accessible from Ccc Campground (Nd) — Dakota Prairie National Grasslands, offering hiking and mountain biking through the rugged terrain. Medora, a historic western town with shopping and dining options, makes for a great day trip from Grassy Butte as well.

What is the best time of year to visit Grassy Butte, ND?

Late spring through early fall (May to September) is the ideal time to visit Grassy Butte, with summer offering the most reliable weather. Red Trail Campground is fully operational during summer months, providing convenient access to nearby attractions. Late April to early May can be pleasant with fewer crowds at places like Little Missouri State Park Campground, though some facilities may be limited. Be aware that North Dakota winters are harsh, with most campgrounds closing by October. Summer visits offer the advantage of longer daylight hours for exploring the badlands, though be prepared for occasional dust when winds kick up.

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