RV Camping in Theodore Roosevelt National Park: A Complete Guide

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is split into two units separated by 70 miles of North Dakota prairie, and the experience of camping in each is completely different. Most RV travelers hit the South Unit near Medora and call it done. The North Unit, quieter and wilder, rewards those willing to make the drive.

South Unit: Cottonwood Campground

Cottonwood is the main RV campground in the South Unit. It sits along the Little Missouri River with 76 sites, electric hookups on a portion of them, and a dump station. The site length limit is 35 feet — this is enforced, and the access road makes it obvious why. Slides fully extended can crowd your neighbors, so choose an end site if you have a wide rig.

Reservations are available through Recreation.gov and are strongly recommended June through August. The campground fills on weekends even in shoulder season. In spring and fall, walk-up sites are often available during the week.

North Unit: Juniper Campground

Juniper Campground has 50 sites with electric hookups and is far less crowded than the South Unit. The North Unit road is paved for its entire 14-mile length, and most sites can handle rigs up to 35 feet. Wildlife sightings here — longhorn cattle, elk, and prairie dogs — are more common than at Cottonwood simply because fewer people are around.

What There Is No Hookup For

Neither campground offers water or sewer hookups. You are running on your tank capacity, which means a three-night stay is comfortable for most rigs and a week is doable with conservative use. The dump stations at both campgrounds work well and are included in the camping fee.

Generator Hours and Quiet Times

The National Park Service enforces generator hours: 8am to 8pm. Plan your power usage accordingly. Quiet hours run 10pm to 6am. The park takes both seriously and rangers do walk through.

Getting There

The South Unit entrance is right off Interstate 94 at Medora — easy access for any rig size. The North Unit entrance is off US-85, about 15 miles south of Watford City. The highway is fine; the campground access road is where you want to take your time.

Medora itself is worth a night in town before or after the park. Several commercial RV parks there offer full hookups and are right at the park boundary.