Places to Camp With Your Horse in North Dakota
Bring your horse and discover North Dakota’s scenic beauty. Plan your next camping and horseback riding adventure with these North Dakota overnight sites.
Horse lovers know that in most regions their options are limited to arena riding, trail rides or some limited variation thereof. But for those with horses of their own, a sense of adventure and a horse trailer, the enormous horizons and miles of wild trails in North Dakota are waiting. Saddle up for an overnight western adventure on horseback. Some of the best options for fresh vistas with horse-friendly campsites and adventures include:
Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Visitors can explore North Dakota’s Badlands just as Theodore Roosevelt did, on horseback. The South Unit features 80+ miles of marked horse trails and even more unmarked trails. Riders are permitted in nearly all areas of the park and backcountry horse camping is allowed.
Rough Rider State Park
Those wishing to bring their own horses into the Badlands frequently use Rough Rider, with its horse corrals and primitive camping facilities as their staging area. Located near the historic western town of Medora, the park trails connect with those on the nearby Little Missouri National Grassland. The park also gives visitors access to the 144-mile Maah Daah Hey Trail. This park is set up with 66 corrals and additional amenities to accommodate equestrian users.
Little Missouri State Park
More than 25 miles of trails crisscross the Badlands terrain of the 6,000-acre park, most of which is accessible only on horseback or foot. The park provides corrals for those bringing in their own mounts. An especially good time to ride in this park is the spring, when the Badlands come alive with blooming cactus and wild lilies. Bobcats, mule deer, golden eagles and other wildlife roam this primitive setting. This park is set up with 81 corrals and additional amenities to accommodate equestrian users.
Turtle Mountain State Forest
Visit this northern destination in the fall when the birch trees are brilliant with color against sparkling lakes.
Sheyenne National Grasslands
Miles of sandy rolling hills dotted with trees provide varying terrain for rides that stay fresh.
Fort Ransom State Park
Easily accessible, you’ll find winding trails along the grass and trees of the Sheyenne River bottom. During the summer, horseback riding and camping are favorite activities. This park is set up with 68 corrals and additional amenities to accommodate equestrian users.
Fort Abraham Lincoln State Park
With views of the Custer House and the living history of the On-A-Slant Indian Village, riders feel time slip away as they follow the Missouri River. This park is set up with 8 corrals and additional amenities to accommodate equestrian users.
King's Guest Ranch
King's Guest Ranch is a great place to stay with or without horses. What makes them different is that they offer a private experience for guests away from all the tourists and hussle and bussle of town. Yet it is only an easy 8-mile drive to the town of Medora to visit all the tourist attractions if desired.
Rolling Plains Adventure
Guests get the true "cowboy experience" at Black Leg Ranch, McKenzie, 701-367-3737. Horseback riding, nature hikes, ATV riding, cattle branding, hunting, ranch history and more.
Sheyenne Oaks Horse Camp and RV Park
For horse enthusiasts, there are individual horse corrals available in a central area. If you would like to ride, but don't own a horse, we can help with that, too. Leonard, 701-361-8566
Roundup Group Horse Campground - Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Bar X Guest Ranch - Medora, 701-872-6100
Buffalo Gap Guest Ranch and Trailhead - Medora, 701-623-4200
Please Note:
Out-of-state horses must have a current health and negative Coggins certificates issued by their veterinarians. All feed used in state parks and national grasslands must be certified noxious weed-seed-free.
