Watford City is the perfect place for adventurous campers and RVers. Discover secluded campsites where you can reconnect with nature. Or maybe you like to bring your family and friends along. Either way, there are Watford City campgrounds just for you. Find the best campgrounds near Watford City, ND. Read helpful reviews and tips to find the perfect camping option for you and your crew.
$30 / night
"Watford City about 20 minutes away for groceries & gas."
"We showed our Access Passes to get into the park and then proceeded to mile marker 5, where the CG is located."
"There are many amenities including electrical hookups, water, horse corrals vault toilets and pay showers. But the amenities aren't why you stay at this park. You stay for the views."
"We were surrounded by miles of hiking in which we enjoyed about 13 miles of, but so much more we could’ve hiked!"
$6 / night
"Small and private, only one other group there who were visiting with their horses. They said they had good trails, but we didn’t have much time to explore. Beautiful views and very peaceful."
"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."
"Close to clean pit toilet. Hand pump was hard to pump which produced light brown water which wasn't something we wanted to drink, so bring in your own water."
RangerFirst 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.
LegendThe 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.
GuideWe stayed at this park because the Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l Park North Unit campgrounds were closed for renovations. I mistakenly thought this park was close to the park, but it is actually a 90 minute drive. We had a reservation for 2 nights but only stayed one and moved to the CCC Campground to be closer to the park. The only real sites with a view are those that back-up to the Little Missouri River. All others are just looking at a prairie. This is also primarily a campground for horse people, which we are not. You do need to pay the additional North Dakota State Park fee if camping here.
LegendI 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.
GuideIt's more RV and equestrian focused but you can tent camp as well. Large grassy areas to set up camp. Fire pits, showers, bathrooms. Seems popular as well. Making reservations would be a good idea. I stayed at spot 31. It's at the end of the road that goes downhill. There are lots of flies because it has horse corrals and the mosquitos are vicious. They may be different at other spots. Nice spot for views and hiking. I would come back here.
GuideWe were headed to the north unit of TRNP and found this nice campground. Small and private, only one other group there who were visiting with their horses. 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. My Toyota Corolla isn’t the best “off roading” car, but we got there safely. Definitely would visit again!!! Paid $10 cash for the evening.
RangerAmazing! 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.
GuideThis park is outstanding. There are many amenities including electrical hookups, water, horse corrals vault toilets and pay showers. But the amenities aren't why you stay at this park. You stay for the views. The horse and hiking trails are unbelievable. The campgrounds themselves are quiet. You'll experience starry skies and the howls of coyotes. The roads aren't paved and there aren't many trees in the campgrounds themselves.
GuideWe were surrounded by miles of hiking in which we enjoyed about 13 miles of, but so much more we could’ve hiked! The views were gorgeous, but there are oil drillers within view from our site and the hikes. At night the sky was lit from ND oil drilling gas release. The campground and trails are VERY accommodating to horse back riding, with many corrals and hay available. Toilets were a little bit dirty, however the showers (available through inserted quarters) were very clean and it was nice to use a full pressure and sized shower after a long day in the heat.
Horse camping in North Dakota offers a unique experience for equestrian enthusiasts, with several campgrounds providing excellent amenities and access to scenic trails.
Frequently Asked Questions
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular equestrian campground near Watford City, ND is Juniper Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park with a 4.7-star rating from 29 reviews.
TheDyrt.com has all 4 equestrian camping locations near Watford City, ND, with real photos and reviews from campers.
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