Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit)
National park · North Dakota
The South Unit's 36-mile scenic loop near Medora crosses badlands banded in red and gray, with cottonwood groves along the Little Missouri River turning gold each fall. Bull elk bugle through the rut near Cottonwood Campground and Buck Hill, sometimes stopping traffic as they cross the road.
Don’t miss
Peak: September 30–October 4
Color builds from September 21 · mostly bare by October 22
Sampled at Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit)’s own coordinates and elevation (693 m) rather than a regional average.
39 weather points cover North Dakota, and the model shifts their answer 6 days earlier, which is what it takes to match 1 published peak date from smokymountains.com. Against North Dakota's own climatology, the 2026 weather puts the peak 4 days earlier. How the forecast works
When to go to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit)
Good color holds through about October 11, giving you roughly 20 days from the first turn to past peak. At 2,274 ft, it turns before the lower ground nearby.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) on the map
Drag the date slider to see when color reaches this corner of North Dakota, or tap a pin for that stop’s own peak window.
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Frequently asked
- When does Theodore Roosevelt National Park (South Unit) peak in 2026?
- Peak color is predicted for September 30–October 4 (best estimate October 2). Color starts around September 21 and is mostly bare by October 22.
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