Little Missouri State Park — a Trail Ride Paradise

Where else in the state can you find great big badlands — 650 feet deep — and class 10 trails for a family camp trail ride.  The Little Missouri State Park.  It opened late this year, just in time to host the annual gathering.

Every year during the Independence Day weekend, families from around the Midwest come to the Little Missouri State Park for a Family Bible Camp. 

Sometimes as many as 200 people will move in for the weekend. Games, food, fellowship are on tap — and horseback riding, trail rides through the most rugged and some all it “savage” landscape in the state..

Four trail rides a day take riders through the trails for a few hours, then back to camp.

Decades of trail rides

Organizers, from Martin, North Dakota,  the Coombs family have been doing this for more than 30 years.

The popularity has grown by word of mouth and it appears it will keep on growing. 

Now seems to be a good time for trail rides or hikes because it is so abundantly green in the Badlands. 

You can enjoy them without a horse.  Just hike into the interior. Here’s how.

It’s a lot of work for the Coombs family, but they don’t seem to mind. It’s a tradition passed on now to the second and third generations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Little Missouri State Park?

It’s about 20 mils north of Killdeer on Highway 22, on the south side of the Little Missouri River valley

Are horses required or can I hike the Little Missouri State Park?

Yes, the trails are marked for hiking, and some people say they are some of the most challenging hiking trails.

Where is a place to stay near the Little Missouri State Park?

There are 3 motels in Killdeer, 20 miles away.  About 40 miles away is New Town and the Four Bears Casino and Lodge.  Watford City boasts over 700 hotel rooms, and is 45 miles away.