Things To Do
2nd Annual Winterfest 2021, Dickinson, North Dakota
POCO RÍO FRÍO Badlands Race, Watford City, North Dakota
POCO RÍO FRÍO Badlands Race, Watford City, North Dakot
Come FATBIKE, SNOWSHOE, or XC SKI on the beautifully groomed single track loops made up of the Maah Daah Hey Trail, Long X Trail and a “POCO RÍO FRÍO” or “COLD LITTLE RIVER,” which is actually a frozen badlands creek… with 2-mile, 4-mile and 11-mile loop options, there is something for everyone! Awards and after party will be held at 7pm in Watford City at Burrito Bros/ Badlands Basecamp.
February 6th, 2021. Sunrise to sunset, 8am – 6pm CST. Start and finish whenever you want. Packet pick up will be from 7am-8am on the 9th at CCC. Do as many or as few laps as you care to. All registered participants get a tally-board with YOUR name & number of laps completed. Custom wooden medals are also included for all finishers!
More information here: Poco Rio Frio 2021
Fun Pianos Dueling Pianos, Dickinson, North Dakota
3/6/2021: Fun Pianos Dueling Pianos in Dickinson ND
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The Domestic Violence and Rape Crisis Center 701-225-4506
BADLANDS GRAVEL BATTLE, Medora, North Dakota
BADLANDS GRAVEL BATTLE
May 30th, 2021
8AM-8PM MDT
Medora, North Dakota
Come GRIND across 120 miles, and ROLL over 10,500 ft of elevation gain on the fast and rugged red scoria roads that crosshatch the BADLANDS of western North Dakota.
More information here: Badlands Gravel Battle 2021
BULL MOOSE MUDRUN 2021
BULL MOOSE MUDRUN
6.5.2021, 1:00pm MDT!
Don’t be late! Mrs. Medora herself will be starting the race by shooting her pistol in the air, while riding her horse. If that’s not cool enough for you, Mrs. Medora’s good friend, Theodore Roosevelt himself, will be racing right along side you!
The Bull Moose Mudrun is a Badlands obstacle course run inspired by Teddy Roosevelt’s daily routine, that he designed because he thought Americans were “getting too soft!” The rules were simple: the president would pick two points, Point A and Point B, and no matter what was in the way he would challenge himself, and whoever he could get to join him, to go over, under or through any obstacle that was in the way! If that sounds like fun to you then this is YOUR race!
More information here: Bull Moose Mudrun 2021
BADLANDS 24HOUR RACE, Watford City, North Dakota
BADLANDS 24HOUR RACE, Watford City, North Dakota
June 19-20, 2021
NOON MDT
CCC Campground, Watford City, North Dakota
The best “BAD DAY” ever! Experience 24 hours of the kind of beauty and challenge that one can ONLY find in the North Dakota Badlands! Log as many miles as you can handle on the RAW and RUGGED badlands single track trails that make up the terribly amazing BAD24HR racecourse.
Make laps on the 11.5 mile and/or 2.4 mile loops
More information here: Badlands 24 Hour Race 2021
MAAH DAAH HEY TRAILRUN SERIES, Medora, North Dakota
MAAH DAAH HEY TRAILRUN SERIES, Medora, North Dakota
July 31, 2021
8AM MDT
Experience the unique challenge of running on North Dakota’s awe inspiring Maah Daah Hey trail. This event will give every participant an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives. The Badlands provide a truly stunning backdrop for one of North America’s most challenging and rewarding stretches of trail.
3.1+ Medora Musical
6.2+ West River Road
13.1+ Buffalo Gap Campground
26.2+ Wannagan Campground
56 FS Road 708 (6am)
81 Scairt Woman Rd (6am)
106 CCC Campground (6am)
More information here: Maah Daah Hey Trailrun 2021
MAAH DAAH HEY 100, Watford City, North Dakota
MAAH DAAH HEY 100
August 7th, 2021
6AM MDT
CCC Campground
The Maah Daah Hey 100 race course takes you across one of the most majestic single-track adventures in the world, with miles of uninterrupted trail through the heart of the rugged Badlands. Make no mistake, this event will push competitive riders to their limits while giving every participant an experience they will remember for the rest of their lives.
The Maah Daah Hey trail offers as many descents as it does climbs, and they are never not far apart. The earth is a unique blend of dirt, clay, sandstone, scoria, and whatever else the good Lord mixed into this epic mountain bikers’ playground. On the tops of the badlands buttes you will find flat prairie grasslands. There are also some sparsely wooded sections scattered on the trail but overall there is minimal cover from the elements. Hence the name BADLANDS.
More information here: Maah Daah Hey 100. 2021
MAAH DAAH HEY 75, Watford City, North Dakota
MAAH DAAH HEY 75, Watford City, North Dakota
The Maah Daah Hey 75 is the option most “above average” endurance racers should choose if they have never ridden in the Badlands before. It is still a serious undertaking, but definitely more doable for the mere mortals who, for whatever reason, do not commit to the intensive training regiments and disciplined diets of the pros. It feels better to finish 75 and wish you had done 100 than to DNF the 100 and wish you had finished the 75.
The ND Badlands are extremely rugged and incredibly beautiful. The Maah Daah Hey trail offers as many descents as it does climbs, and they are never not far apart. The earth is a unique blend of dirt, clay, sandstone, scoria, and whatever else the good Lord mixed into this epic mountain bikers’ playground. On the tops of the badlands buttes you will find flat prairie grasslands. There are also some sparsely wooded sections scattered on the trail but overall there is minimal cover from the elements. Hence the name BADLANDS.
More information here: Maah Daah Hey 75. 2021
MAAH DAAH HEY 50, Medora, North Dakota
MAAH DAAH HEY 50
August 7th, 2021
6AM MDT
Aid Station 2, Little Missouri River
Best option for the “average” to “above average” racer that still might want to be able to take the kids on a hike in Theodore Roosevelt National Park the day after the race. Just about any serious mountain biker can ride 50 miles if they really put their mind to it. With no river crossing, this is an awesome option to choose to challenge your skills and push your limits to the max.
The Maah Daah Hey trail offers as many descents as climbs, and they are usually not far apart. There is minimal cover from the elements and wildlife abound along the trail. Hence the name BADLANDS. You will set out on what some consider the roughest and toughest part of the trail. 95% of your travels will be on single-track, 4% on Badlands gravel roads, 1% pavement to the finish line.
More information here: Maah Daah Hey 50. 2021
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Even Wildlife Know it’s Comfortable Exploring the Badlands in the Fall
Fall advantages Some of the advantages of exploring the Badlands in the fall include no mosquitoes, no ticks and few people. However, that does not mean all wildlife is gone. On the sunny slope of a south-facing hill, a bull snake slithered past...
Don’t stop! Autumn in the Rugged Badlands is perfect exploring.
The most rugged region of the state — The Little Missouri State Park – there’s no place like it in North Dakota.
Visit a strange-looking rock that guided cowboys north to the Badlands
This summer we are exploring the routes through the rugged territory connecting the North Dakota Badlands, the Black Hills and the rest of the world. Many of the usual North Dakota Badlands events have been cancelled such as rodeos, powwows, cook-off contests, parades, celebrations and county fairs.
We’re social-distancing and you can too by following the back roads and historic routes like this one to Capitol Rock.
Snapshot Saturday — Take your camera on a road trip like this
Social Distancing with your Camera on Back Roads Take your camera on a social distancing road trip. We've been social distancing because it's very rewarding out here in the west. Following gravel roads and two track trails we've got a sense of what transportation was...
How to retrace the route from Beach to Camp Crook and Belle Fourche
A Dusty Road trip Today we’re on a series of connecting gravel roads through the Badlands. We're connecting towns such as Golva, Camp Crook and Deadwood. The trail is known for carrying cattle herds, outlaws, buffalo hunters and gold miners. But that was 100 years...
Avoid These 11 Mistakes when you Visit the Badlands
Reward Comes With a Risk The lure of the great outdoors is rewarded by the Badlands of North Dakota. A family hike, or a challenging solo hike is more rewarding than we can explain here. Ya gotta do it yourself and you will see. However, along with the wide open...
Custer’s destiny shaped here by a powerful 3-day June blizzard
Truth or Myth? Did it really snow on Custer? What's a Snow Camp? At first I didn’t believe it. It sounded like an urban myth, an old wives tale, or cowboy folklore. In fact, when I repeated the story, I felt guilty, like I was telling a falsehood. How could one...
Try an Easy hike on the Long X Trail, we did it, love it and recommend it
140 Miles! No way! "Yikes! You don't really expect me to hike a 140 mile trail do you?!" she exclaimed. "Of course not. I know a short cut," he answered. "in fact, I know 14 short cuts. Let's check out this easy one." The wandering, easy Long X Trail So how do you...
3 Important Western Cemeteries to Reflect and Remember
You'll be encouraged and enlightened at one of these Badlands Cemeteries. On Memorial Day, honor and respect veterans and families here. Medora Cemetery Step back 140 years in time, and walk this graveyard hill. Families in the region honor their families buried here...
We Drove The Remarkable Lonely Custer Trail. Have you?
From the hill top, we stood where Custer may have stood. It was probably a lot like this when Custer and his troops saw these hills. After all, it was the last half of May in 1876 that the 7th Cavalry trudged through here on the way to their last stand.

