Wind Canyon Trail (Theodore Roosevelt National Park) Hiking Guide
Wind Canyon is the short walk most South Unit visitors remember. A path climbs beside a canyon that wind, not water, has scoured into pockets and ridges, then ends high above a sweeping bend of the Little Missouri River. The park lists it among its rangers' favorite sunset spots.
Permit: Wind Canyon is on the South Unit Scenic Loop Drive, past the Medora entrance station. A 7-day pass is $30 per private vehicle, $25 per motorcycle or $15 per person on foot or bike for visitors 16 and older. The park's annual pass ($55) and America the Beautiful passes are accepted. No cash.
The Walk
The park lists the trail at 0.4 mile round trip and about 20 minutes. Hiking Project maps it as a 0.5-mile loop with only about 59 feet of climbing. The path leaves its own parking lot on the Scenic Loop Drive, runs beside the wind-sculpted sandstone, and climbs to the bluff top, which the park calls the South Unit's best view of the Little Missouri. It is short enough for kids, but the top is a bluff edge, so keep small children close.
What You Might See
From the top you look down on the river and its cottonwood bottoms, where bison and the South Unit's feral horses sometimes cross. Hiking Project's contributor calls it the most photographed spot in the park, best at sunset or just after a thunderstorm. Keep at least 25 yards from any animal on the bluff, and keep hands and feet out of spots you can't see; prairie rattlesnakes live in the park and don't always rattle first.
Getting There on the Loop Road
Signs on the South Unit Scenic Loop Drive point to the Wind Canyon lot. The 36-mile loop reopened in full on November 25, 2025, after part of it had been closed since 2019, when rain-driven slides damaged more than six miles of road. The park warns that parts of the loop may close in winter for snow and ice, and that erosion keeps working on these roads, so check current conditions at the South Unit Visitor Center before you head out.
Fees and Dogs
You pass the South Unit entrance in Medora on the way in. From May through September the fee is paid at the entrance station; the rest of the year it is paid inside the visitor center, or online when the center is closed. A car costs $30 for seven days. Dogs are not allowed on the trail, but leashed pets (6 feet or shorter) may stay in the parking area and on the road shoulder. Don't leave them alone in the car.
Timing
Sunset is the obvious draw, so expect company on summer evenings. Midday light is flatter. Wind is a near-constant on this bluff, as the name suggests, and the park calls the badlands' weather harsh, with sudden violent storms in summer and blizzards in winter. Bring a jacket even in July.
Hiking tips for Wind Canyon Trail (Theodore Roosevelt National Park)
- Arrive well before sunset if you want a parking spot.
- Stay back from the edge of the bluff.
- Pay the entrance fee by card or online; the park no longer takes cash.
- Check winter road conditions at the visitor center before driving the loop.
- Bring binoculars for bison and horses on the river below.
Nearby trails to explore
- Coal Vein Trail (Theodore Roosevelt National Park)
- Jones Creek, Lower Talkington and Lower Paddock Loop
- Petrified Forest Loop (Theodore Roosevelt National Park)
Hike this trail with TrailMates
Wind Canyon at sunset is worth sharing. Plan an evening on the South Unit loop in TrailMates, settle carpools and a meeting time in the event's group chat, and catch the light on the Little Missouri together. Download TrailMates on the App Store or Google Play.