Best Dog-Friendly Camping near Theodore Roosevelt National Park

We stayed here two nights in a tent and loved it! Absolutely beautiful campground right across the river from Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s north unit. The scenery is breathtaking. There are three different loops A-C, and while most sites have no shade there are a couple in loop B (including ours #12) that have trees and provide good shade and wind protection. The pit toilets were some of the cleanest I’ve encountered in my history of camping. We were there in mid-September so the campground wasn’t full but there were a decent number of campers for being off season. Still, it was pretty quiet, save for the coyotes howling in the distance and a stray moo or two from nearby cows. There’s also trail access right to Maah Dah Hey and Long X trails right in the campground which is really nice! All in all this is a wonderful spot and one of my favorite campgrounds I’ve ever stayed at. 1 mi. gravel road to get in.

We stayed at Red Trail campground in Medora, ND in September 2021. This is a great little park right outside Theodore Roosevelt National park. We stayed on an end site that was large and spacious with FHU. This park is dusty when the wind starts to blow but other than that, we enjoyed our stay here. Very well managed by a cheerful staff that go to great lengths to help you get your rig in safely before they leave you to set up camp. This was by far one of the easiest parks to negotiate in and out of with a big rig and is a great stop when visiting the Theodore Roosevelt National park. I would definatly recommend this park for a carefree visit to North Dakota. To see videos on this park and others, please visit our YouTube channel: Jeff & Steff’s Excellent Adventure.

Cottonwood Campground was a very welcome oasis in the prairies of North Dakota. Along our year-long trip, we slept in a lot of campgrounds, but Cottonwood stands out as just what we needed at the time: quiet, spacious, and beautiful sites, nestled right up along the Missouri river, perfect for taking a dip at the end of a long day of hiking.

We spent four days at Theodore Roosevelt National Park: two in the south unit and two in the north unit. (We also loved Juniper Campground in the north!)

Cottonwood Campground was a great place to crash for two nights. It was cheap, comfortable, and quiet. It allowed great access to the heart of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We even ran into a Teddy impersonator at the Visitor Center!

In the south, near Cottonwood Campground, we loved the beautiful scenic drive, the views from Buck Hill, Wind Canyon Overlook, and the Petrified Forest (a bit of a drive around the park).

You can read much more about our four days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Theodore Roosevelt)

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.