Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Medora, ND

The BF and I stayed here last July (2015) and we absolutely loved it! The bathrooms were clean, there is potable water and the camp host was great! We had reserved in advance as we were driving in from Minnesota and wanted to know we had a spot. We got a great spot near the river and had amazing sunset views. I had read that a buffalo encounter is possible, which we saw near the road but thankfully not near our tent. The campground is nestled right in the middle of the park making it quite peaceful. It's not too far from Medora so it's reasonable that you could eat dinner there if cooking isn't you're thing. The park itself has a great scenic road and plenty of wildlife. We saw solitary male buffalo, a herd of buffalo from afar, two entertaining prairie dog villages, a lone coyote and lots of birds. The geology is also amazing - much like the badlands of S Dakota but with much more green life, wildflowers and wildlife. We only had one night and wish we could have stayed longer! Overall it was a great campground and a true gem of a national park!

Tried to stay inside TRNP next door but learned quickly there weren’t any hookups. This place had some harsh reviews on Campendium app however we found it delightful. The biggest woe here is that the sites are extremely tight. Our site was a pull in from one road, and the neighbors sites was a pull in from the parallel road, leaving us to share space - literally two picnic tables next to one another. Other than that though, gorgeous scenery well maintained sidewalks that you can hike or bike right into town. A public dog park at the end of the street. And our section was brand new. The electric poles were new. The sewer hookup at our site seemed a bit big but we have an adapter. Overall would highly recommend if in Medora!

We’d been staying in State parks the last few weeks, with deep toilets and showers that require quarters. Here we had flushable toilets, HOT showers with good pressure and free laundry! We also liked having the bar on site to grab snacks, drinks, food etc. Also there was cool stuff to see! There’s a one room schoolhouse exhibit across the road at the fairgrounds. White Butte (tallest point in North Dakota) is a great hike super close. You can also get to Medora for TRNP or Regent for the Enchanted Highway in about an hour. Very centrally located.

Camped late April for 5 days, so it was offseason one pit toilet open one water spigot open in the campground.  There are two loops, the south look which is tenting and smaller sized trailer sites but it was not yet open while we were there,  The North Loop is mainly pull through sites and can handle larger sized RV's.  This is dry camping, there are no hookups.  You can experience some nice hiking and opportunities for wildlife viewing.  Buffalo were common visitors while having coffee in the morning.   Elk, deer, wild horses were common as well as hawks and prairie dogs.  Currently Western North Dakota is experiencing a drought, and being early in the season for the campground, it was dry and dusty but did not prevent us from hiking and exploring the park.  There is a convenience store in Medora ND right outside the park entrance that you can purchase basics but there was no grocery store.  Part of the scenic loop drive is closed due to road erosion but you can still travel most of it though its an out and back with turnarounds for larger vehicles. We would defiantly camp there again, but if you need the luxuries of an RV "park", you will not find that here.  The campground is well maintained and clean.

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. Arriving at the Teddy Roosevelt NP main entrance late in the day, the booth was closed and the "Campground Full" sign was up. I decided to check for myself and I'm glad I did. They sometimes put the campground full site up when the ranger leaves for the night- always check for yourself.

The campsites were basic- picnic table, fire ring, and close proximity to some basic bathrooms. My site was grassy and easy for a tent. The campground didn't allow hammocks or anything attached to trees. The rangers were very friendly and actively patroling the campground. There were NP events at the campground each night.

The cost for a site was $16 (and 20$ to enter the park if you don't have a pass). You cannot get change from the ranger and you cannot use a credit card to register. The closest place to get change, firewood, gas, etc. is Medora which is about 7 miles away. The convenience store there has anything you might want.

There are lots of great hikes accessible in the park, but the park is not crowded like other National Parks, so be sure to get a trail map and directions for hiking as all trails are not well marked.