Theodore Roosevelt National Park, entered near Medora, North Dakota, charges $30 per vehicle for 7 days, $25 per motorcycle, or $15 per person on foot or bike. Beginning May 1, 2026, the park moves to a fully cashless fee system, and campsite reservations become required at Cottonwood Campground, Juniper Campground, and Roundup Group Horse Camp. The South Unit, entered right off I-94 in Medora, is the most-visited of the park's three units, home to roughly 300 American bison and a demonstration herd of feral horses.
Starting May 1, 2026, no cash payment option remains at park entrances, worth having a card ready specifically, rather than assuming a cash backup exists the way it might have in past years.
Cottonwood, Juniper, and the Roundup Group Horse Camp all require advance reservations starting the same date, so book a campsite well ahead of arrival rather than planning to find space upon arrival, a genuine shift from any earlier first-come-first-served approach.
Located right off I-94 with the most facilities and home to the park's bison and wild horse herds, the South Unit near Medora is the primary destination, distinct from the quieter North Unit or the facility-free Elkhorn Ranch Unit.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park's South Unit sits right off Interstate 94 near Medora, North Dakota, in the state's southwestern badlands.
Medora rewards planning around the park's upcoming 2026 policy changes, cashless fees and required campground reservations, well before arrival. Elkhorn Ranch, the site of Roosevelt's personal retreat, is covered in full below.
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