Theodore Roosevelt National Park Operating Hours & Seasons

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is always open, every day of the year, every hour of the day. Some of the roads, however, are at the mercy of the weather, and parts of both the South Unit Scenic Loop Drive and the North Unit Scenic Road are sometimes closed during the winter time because of the ice and snow.

Check out the photo – it can get pretty snowy in the winter time!

Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitor Centers

South Unit Visitor Center – is at the South Unit entrance at Medora. It’s open every day throughout the year, from 8am until 4.30pm Mountain Time, with extended hours in the summer from 8am until 6pm Mountain Time. The visitor center is closed for Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day – everybody needs a day off occasionally. Stuff that you’ll find at this Theodore Roosevelt National Park Visitor Center include;

Museum with lots of great exhibits on history, geology and natural history and the Maltese Cross Cabin
Film about the park – it’s free, lasts around 13 minutes and is well worth seeing
Information desk
Bookstore
Drinking fountain
Restrooms
Park Rangers run a series of programs in the summer time

English: Theodore Roosevelt’s Maltese Cross Cabin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Painted Canyon Visitor Center – is in the South Unit, I-94, Exit 32 around seven miles from Medora. This Visitor Center is open daily from early in April until early in November between 8.30am and 4.30pm Mountain Time, with longer hours when possible during the summer. Features of this Theodore Roosevelt National Park include;

Spectacular views
Fantastic wildlife viewing opportunities
A 1 mile nature trail
Access to the Upper Paddock Creek Trail
Information desk
Various displays and exhibits
Restrooms
Picnic shelters
Vending machines
Drinking fountain
Telephone

North Unit Visitor Center – is at the North Unit entrance on Hwy 85, around 10 miles from Watford City. It’s open every day through the summer between 8am and 6pm Central Time, and 9.30am – 5.30pm Central Time during the winter on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only. It may be open at other times depending on the staffing available. This visitor center is closed for Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Years Day. This visitor center has;

Natural history displays and exhibits
Information desk
Bookstore
Short film about the geology of the badlands
Restrooms
Drinking fountain
Telephone
Vending machines
Some park ranger led activities during the summertime
Watch out because there’s often bison and other wildlife very close to this visitor center – you have been warned.