Little Missouri State Park
More than 40 miles of hiking and horse trails enter a remote badlands maze where clay, weather, gates, and private-land boundaries determine the day’s route.
Artwork inspired by Walter Piehl Jr.
Little Missouri State Park is backcountry first: steep clay ridges, coulees, grassland, and broad overlooks are reached on foot or horseback rather than from a scenic road. The trail network exceeds 40 miles, but some mapped routes cross land that is not state-owned and are open only seasonally.
Dry weather is a route requirement, not a preference. Wet badlands clay becomes slick and vulnerable to damage, while water and dependable cell service are scarce. Download the current map, check conditions with the park, carry all drinking water, close every gate, and stay on the marked trail wherever the map identifies private land.
- Trail system
- More than 40 miles
- Surface
- Steep clay ridges and coulees
- Nonnegotiable
- Dry conditions, water, and offline map
Quick guide
- Choose the route
- Use current conditions and seasonal land access—not mileage alone
- Turn around early
- Keep water and daylight for the exposed return
Let clay and access rules set the Little Missouri route
- Read the map legend
- Begin by identifying Little Missouri trailheads, waterless stretches, campground facilities, and green seasonal routes before leaving service.
- Test the ground
- Check the clay at the trailhead and cancel or shorten the route after rain.
- Travel through working land
- Look for signed trail boundaries and close each gate exactly as found.
- Keep a return reserve
- Choose a ridge or overlook as a planned turnaround rather than chasing a mileage target.
Good to know
Some green trails on the official map cross land that is not state-owned. They are generally open May 1–October 31, require visitors to stay on trail, and depend on every gate being left as found.
Notice these
- Forty-plus miles of backcountry trail
- Clay ridges and deep coulees
- Seasonal routes across working land