Trail Description:
This trail is located in western North Dakota's "badlands", the terrain is a maze of colorful buttes, plateaus with hidden canyons and coulees surrounded by a vast short grass prairie.
How to get there:
Medora is located just off of Interstate 94 at the western edge of North Dakota.
The nearest city is Bismarck at 130 miles to the east.
Additional Notes:
Riders MUST bypass both the North and South Units of the Theodore Roosevelt
National Park.
| Posted by: Davebab on 6/13/2006 |
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This trail definitely kicked ass. The first five miles were fun, although challenging, be prepared to cross a river though! I recommend checking out Devils Pass and the Ice Caves. There were lots of ticks between Devils Pass and the Ice caves. On the third day we tried to check out the China Wall, but the map was marked incorrectly. The third day was also the most scenic. There were a couple areas on the trail where the ground was caved in, so be extra alert.
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| Posted by: Bimbo Bobbles on 1/26/2006 |
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North Dakota? Are you kidding me? Excellent trail. Who knew?
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| Posted by: ninebelow on 1/28/2005 |
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One of my favorite places to ride anywhere, and getting better all the time!
http://www.ninebelow.com/ndmb/wiki/index.php?title=Maah_Daah_Hey
http://www.ninebelow.com/ndmb/wiki/index.php?title=Main_Page
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| Posted by: John Piepkorn on 8/7/2004 |
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The scenery on this trail is one thing that sets it apart from others. You ride through a lot of varied terrain, and the badlands are spectacular. Bismarck is not the nearest city. Williston, ND is 60 miles from the north terminus of the trail, and Medora is closest to the south end. The trail is very well marked now, but is it good to have a trail map to gauge the elevation changes and determine where you are. I rode and out and back from the CCC campground in the north approximately 14 miles roundtrip, and you definitely need to take lots of water. It can be really dry out there so you dehydrate quickly.
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| Posted by: dave gentholts on 6/22/2004 |
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I organized a trip here for the first wknd in June and we hit it just perfect(almost). 8 of us met at Buffalo Gap cmpgrnd the night prior (just off the BG section of the trail) and were at the Dakota Cyclery shop by 8:30 the next day to load up. first group got on the trail by 10:30,starting at the CCC camp. The location/ sights are all you could hope for! did I mention it was HOT! got to over 100 by midday. 2nd group of 4 riders did the sane thing and started from Bennett Crk camp and had a great intro into Badlands riding- a real sweet 2 1/2 mile swooping descent down into the valley!!! then came the payback.You will climb on this ride. This is just good,honest, backcountry bike travel, with all that that entails!you definitely pay for the pleasure of the world class downhills with some equally w.c. uphills! That advice about "can't take enough water" - 8 out of 8 riders ran out of water the first day. one camelback & 2 bottles are not enough for a hot day in the badlands. a
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| Posted by: Phil on 11/18/2003 |
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Just a note the picture I submitted for this trail was taken just south of the Elkhorn Ranch this fall.
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| Posted by: Phil on 10/6/2003 |
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I love this trail. I've been there 3 times now. Climbs are frequent and can be tough but usually fairly short. Generally 300-500 ft elevation changes at most. Some moderately technical areas, but the real fun of this trail is the fast singletrack and excellent views. It's in a desolate area, so know your limits, plan well and be careful. The trail is unridable when wet. If cow pies and horse apples gross you out, don't ride here. If a buddy is shuttling you look for the pickup point first, as the roads and maps aren't always in complete agreement. There are several private roads that can easily screw you up, and many roads are unmarked. The Rattlesnake Brewery in downtown Dickinson is a good place to go after a hard day.
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| Posted by: Brent Feldman on 12/16/2002 |
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This trail is cool. I only ride like 10 miles of it and it is sweet. There are many trails that you can take. You can take deer, cow, or the trail that was made. Have fun on the trail.
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| Posted by: Joe on 10/10/2002 |
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Tried to ride it at the end of September and had enought rain to make it impossible. We waited a day and did pieces of the trail and had a great time. I plan to go back to ride the entire 100 miles. There is a local shop in Medora that can do shuttles, and there are a few local people that will shuttle your gear too. We tried to do the shuttles with two vehicles; it was way too time consuming. It would be worth it to pay someone to do the driving. This trail is mostly cut out of clay surfaces and is totally impossible with any moisture.
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| Posted by: Craig on 11/9/2001 |
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The trail was OK, we drove 17 hours to get there. I would not make another trip out there just to ride my bike. the views were good. The ranchers let the cattle roam so be watchful of poo poo. Also watch for ticks those little blood drinkers are gross. We rode about 20 mile a day for 4 days and covered most of the trail.
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