Theodore Roosevelt National Park’s Scenic Loop Drive Reopened After Six Years. Here’s Why November Is a Good Time to Drive It

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Theodore Roosevelt National Park in November is the right time to see a road many visitors haven’t been able to drive in years. Part of the South Unit’s Scenic Loop Drive closed in May 2019 after heavy rains caused slopes beneath the road to slide. It stayed shut for more than six years while the National Park Service rebuilt roughly 6 miles of road, and the full loop reopened on November 25, 2025.

Here’s why November is a good time to drive it: summer crowds have disappeared, bison and wild horses stand out against the bare tan grass, the low autumn sun lights up the colored layers of the badlands, and snow usually hasn’t closed the road yet. In return, you get cold temperatures, short days, and the chance of a weather closure. If you’re comfortable with that, November gives you the loop with fewer people on it.

The South Unit sits next to Medora, North Dakota, along Interstate 94 in the western part of the state. The park is open 24 hours a day, year-round, though visitor centers keep shorter hours in the off-season.

Why November Is a Good Time to Drive the Scenic Loop

Here are the main reasons November works well.

The full loop is finally open

For more than six years, visitors could only drive part of the South Unit loop as an out-and-back road. The reconstruction, between about mile markers 22 and 28, fixed the drainage problems that had caused the slopes to fail and rebuilt the road surface. Now you can drive the whole loop again, including stretches that had been closed since 2019. Many guidebooks and online trip reports still describe the closure, so make sure you’re reading current information.

Fewer people

The park gets most of its visitors in summer. By November, the campgrounds are quieter, the pullouts are empty, and you can stop for wildlife without a line of cars behind you. Medora, the small tourist town next to the park, is mostly closed for the season, which also keeps crowds down, though the new presidential library on the edge of town stays open year-round.

Easier wildlife viewing

The South Unit has bison, wild horses, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, and prairie dogs. In November, with the grass dry and short and the trees bare, large animals are easy to spot from the road.

• Bison: Herds often graze near the road and sometimes walk on it. Stay in your car or keep at least 25 yards away. Bison are fast and can be dangerous.
• Wild horses: The South Unit is one of the few national parks with free-roaming horses. Look for bands in the open valleys. The park asks visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from horses too.
• Prairie dogs: They’re less active in very cold weather but come out on mild, sunny days.

Better light

The badlands are made of layers of clay, sandstone, and lignite coal in shades of tan, gray, red, and black. In November, the sun stays low in the sky all day, so the light is warm and casts long shadows. Early mornings and late afternoons are especially good for photos.

The road is usually still open

Portions of the loop can close in winter because of snow and ice. The park doesn’t set fixed winter closure dates, because closures depend on the weather. November often has dry, cold days with the road fully open, but a storm can change that. Check the park’s road status page before you go.

Planning a Visit to Theodore Roosevelt National Park in November

Time zones

The South Unit, at Medora, is on Mountain time. The North Unit, about an hour north near Watford City, is on Central time. Visitor center hours follow local time, so check which zone you’re in.

Visitor centers

The South Unit Visitor Center in Medora is open year-round with reduced off-season hours. The Painted Canyon Visitor Center, off I-94 east of Medora, closes for the season, though the overlook there is still worth a stop.

Weather

Western North Dakota in November is cold, with highs often in the 30s and 40s and lows well below freezing. Snow is possible. Days are short, with sunset around 5 p.m. Mountain time in late November. Wind can make it feel much colder.

• Carry warm clothes, a blanket, water, and snacks in the car.
• Fill your gas tank in Medora or Dickinson before you go.
• Cell service is limited in much of the park.

Fees

The park charges an entrance fee per vehicle, and annual passes, including the America the Beautiful pass, are accepted. November 11, Veterans Day, is a fee-free day in 2026. Check the park’s fee page for current prices.

How to Drive the Scenic Loop

Plan for at least two to three hours on the loop, longer if you stop to walk or wait for wildlife.

Stops along the way

• Skyline Vista: an overlook near the start of the drive with wide views of the badlands.
• Prairie dog towns: several along the road, especially in the early part of the loop.
• Wind Canyon: a short trail leads to an overlook above the Little Missouri River and a canyon carved by wind. It’s one of the best sunset spots in the park.
• Boicourt Overlook: a short walk to a wide view of the badlands.
• Buck Hill: a short, steep walk to one of the highest points in the South Unit, with a 360-degree view.
• Badlands overlooks along the rebuilt section, which visitors couldn’t reach for six years.

Short hikes worth doing

• Ridgeline Nature Trail: a short loop with signs about the area’s plants and geology.
• Coal Vein Trail: a short loop through an area where an underground lignite coal seam burned for years and changed the landscape.

Trails can be icy or muddy in November, so wear boots with good grip.

The Roosevelt Connection

Theodore Roosevelt first came to the North Dakota badlands in 1883 to hunt bison. He returned, started cattle ranches, and later credited his time here with shaping his views on conservation. The Maltese Cross Cabin, which he used during his ranching years, stands behind the South Unit Visitor Center. The Elkhorn Ranch Unit, the site of his second ranch, is in a remote area between the North and South Units and is reached by gravel roads that can be difficult in bad weather.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opened on a butte above Medora on July 4, 2026, about 1.5 miles from the South Unit entrance. It’s open year-round. From September 14 through November 30, museum hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends, and it’s closed on Thanksgiving, November 26. From December 1, hours shorten to 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday. Pairing the library with the loop drive makes a full November day: wildlife in the morning, museum in the afternoon, and Wind Canyon at sunset.

Its restaurant, Salt + Scoria, is one of the few places to eat in Medora once the summer businesses close for the season, though it’s closed Mondays outside summer.

The North Unit in November

The North Unit’s 14-mile Scenic Drive ends at Oxbow Overlook, so the round trip is 28 miles. It has longhorn cattle, bison, and deeper canyons than the South Unit. It’s about an hour north of Medora. Portions of this road can also close for snow, so check road status before you go.

Wildlife Safety in Late Fall

November is a good time for wildlife viewing, but the animals are wild, and the same rules apply as in summer.

• Stay in your vehicle when bison are near the road. Let them move off on their own. Don’t honk or drive into a herd.
• Keep at least 25 yards from bison and horses if you’re outside your car. Use a zoom lens or binoculars instead of walking closer.
• Don’t feed prairie dogs or any other animal.
• Drive slowly, especially around dawn and dusk, when deer and other animals are active and harder to see.
• Watch for hunters outside the park boundary. Hunting is not allowed inside the park, but fall hunting seasons are open on nearby public and private land.

Where to Stay and Eat

Most of Medora’s hotels and restaurants close or cut back hours after the summer season. Dickinson, about 35 miles east on I-94, has year-round hotels, restaurants, and gas stations, and many November visitors stay there. If you want to stay in the park, check whether the Cottonwood Campground in the South Unit has winter sites available, and be prepared for cold nights.

The Bottom Line on Theodore Roosevelt National Park in November

After six years, the full Scenic Loop Drive is open again, and November is a good time to see it with few other people. Dress for the cold, check the road status, and give yourself time for the bison and wild horses. The badlands look their best in the low November light.