Recreation area

Little Missouri National Grassland

Dakota Prairie National Grasslands · South Dakota — managed by USDA Forest Service

First-come, first-served — no online reservations

About this campground

Little Missouri National Grassland is located in western North Dakota, USA. At 1,033,271 acres (418,150 ha), it is the largest grassland in the country.[1] Enclaved within its borders is Theodore Roosevelt National Park, which is managed by the National Park Service (and therefore not included in the preceding statistics). The Little Missouri National Grassland was once a part of the Custer National Forest, but is now a part of the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, a National Forest unit consisting entirely of  National Grasslands. A predominant feature of the grassland is colorful and beautiful badlands and rugged terrain extensively eroded by wind and water. It is a mixed grass prairie, meaning it has both long and short grass. The boundaries of the grasslands on certain maps can be misleading. Within the boundaries of the national grassland are significant portions of state-owned and privately owned land, much of it leased by cattle ranchers for grazing. Overall, in descending order of land area, it is located in parts of McKenzie, Billings, Slope, and Golden Valley counties. White Butte, North Dakota's highest point, is located in the extreme southeast corner of the grassland, south of the town of Amidon. The grassland is administered by the Forest Service as part of the Dakota Prairie Grasslands from offices in Bismarck, North Dakota. There are local ranger district offices in Dickinson and Watford City.

Elevation
2,267 ft
Contact
701-989-7300
Dakota Prairie National Grasslands office

Activities

  • BIKING
  • CAMPING
  • FISHING
  • HIKING
  • HORSEBACK RIDING
  • PICNICKING
  • RECREATIONAL VEHICLES

Nearby federal campgrounds

Explore more South Dakota camping

Little Missouri National Grassland doesn't take campsite reservations — but plenty of nearby South Dakota campgrounds do, and we'll alert you the moment a sold-out site opens up.

Browse South Dakota camping →

Details from Recreation.gov's official RIDB catalog. Conditions change — confirm with the managing office before you go. Not affiliated with Recreation.gov or any federal agency.