The View From This Little-Known Overlook In North Dakota Is Almost Too Beautiful For Words
By Tori Jane|Published March 23, 2022
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Tori Jane
Author
Tori Jane is a storm chaser, writer, photographer, and the village idiot - in that order. When she's not out and about dancing with the meanest storms on planet Earth for funsies she can be found wandering, shooting landscapes, writing, editing photos, and otherwise up to no good. Legend has it that she can also be occasionally spotted typing up short bios in the third person, but those rumors are unsubstantiated.
Did you know that North Dakota is home to 13 amazing state parks? While our National Park – Theodore Roosevelt National Park – tends to get all the attention, these 13 state parks are more than worth their weight in salt. One particularly quiet state park is Little Missouri State Park, near Killdeer, where the hiking trails are challenging but the rewards are great. Should you decide to embark upon the Little Missouri State Park Loop, you’ll come upon numerous incredible overlooks with astonishingly beautiful views. Craving an amazing view in North Dakota? Look no further than this lesser-known gem.
North Dakota is already one of the least-visited states in the nation, which makes it perfect for those of us who prefer peace and quiet.
This underrated state park in western North Dakota is more rugged than Theodore Roosevelt National Park, with plenty of challenging hikes on trails that tend to overlap.
But, if you just so happen to be good at pathfinding, trail blazing, and some occasional bushwhacking, you'll be rewarded with some of the most amazing views in the state.
Sure, it isn't the Rocky Mountains, but who needs mountains when you've got the Badlands?
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The Little Missouri State Park Trail is about five miles long (should you stick to this trail specifically - more about that in a moment) and is popular among hikers and horseback riders.
There's something wild and western feeling about riding a horse through the Badlands; you'll feel like you're an adventurer from long ago, exploring the amazing North American landscape for the first time.
While horses will be unable to climb some of the more dramatic inclines you'll encounter along the way, if you're sure-footed enough and can manage to scramble to the top (some of these cliffs are steep - we warn you ahead of time), you'll be rewarded with many of the best views in North Dakota.
You see, this trail leads to not just one impressive overlook, but many. On the ground, though, the trail can be vague at times, and we strongly suggest downloading a map for offline use ahead of time. It also involves tall grasses and sometimes shoulder-high overgrowth, and the area is a known habitat for ticks - so make sure to wear sturdy jeans and hiking boots, and check yourself for ticks upon finishing the trail, just in case.
If you choose to stick to the same trail during the entire hike, it ought to take about two and a half to three hours to complete.
Of course, you can customize the route and make it your own simply by meandering off onto one of the many trails that intersect this one. Hikers have turned this five-mile hike into an eight or nine-mile hike simply by branching off onto other routes.
Though the trail is best used from April to September, it's open year-round.
For more information, including photos, a downloadable map, hiker reviews (we strongly recommend reading them to make sure this hike is for you), and more, be sure to visit the official AllTrails listing. Which amazing view in North Dakota is your favorite? Tell us your thoughts in the comments (we love pictures, too).
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