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North Dakota | North Dakota Badlands

Little Missouri RiverRough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge

Short Badlands Little Missouri River float from the Rough Rider / former Sully Creek State Park canoe-kayak access to the Medora Bridge corridor. NPS names the three-mile reach and ties fair boating to the direct USGS Medora gauge.

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Plan this route

DistanceAbout 3 mi
DifficultyModerate
Typical timeAbout 1.5 hr to 3 hr when the Medora gauge is at or above the NPS floor
ShuttleCar shuttle
The Little Missouri River winds through Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
Route photoLittle Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt National Park; same-river contextPhoto by Acroterion via Wikimedia Commons

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Route overview

Trip details

Access rules, camping, seasonal conditions and trip length.

Distance, difficulty, rules and camping
On-water distanceAbout 3 miRough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge
DifficultymoderateThis is a short three-mile reach, but it is still a remote Badlands river decision with shallow dragging below the NPS floor, fast-changing thunderstorms, cold spring water, fences, debris, mud, limited services, and no drinking water except at nearby developed locations.
ShuttleCar shuttleStage the Medora Bridge take-out before driving south to Rough Rider State Park. Confirm current park access, bridge-area parking, and the exact exit path before launching because the take-out coordinate is a practical USGS bridge/gauge anchor rather than a signed ramp point.
PermitsNone notedNo route-specific private paddling permit is known for this short day reach. Pay any required state-park entrance fee, follow North Dakota boating and PFD rules, obey NPS/ND Parks notices, and skip the run when the Medora gauge is below the NPS fair-boating floor or rising quickly.
CampingOptions nearbyTreat this as a short daylight Badlands float. Do not camp or stop on private banks unless the site is clearly public and open; NPS says camping on private land adjacent to the Little Missouri is prohibited by most landowners.
SeasonApr-JunNPS says Little Missouri river ice usually breaks up by early April, May and June are usually best, and some years the river is not deep enough for float trips or sections may dry up. Thunderstorms can raise the river rapidly and create debris hazards.

Plan ahead

Tomorrow and the weekend

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Plan

Plan your trip

Launch points, shuttle details, distance, and access notes.

Route logistics

Access and shuttle

Launch from the Rough Rider / former Sully Creek State Park Little Missouri access and take out at the Medora Bridge corridor for the short NPS-listed three-mile reach. Use USGS 06336000 at Medora and the NPS 2.5 ft / 699 cfs fair-boating floor, with high-water decisions kept conservative.

Access map

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Start

Put-in

Rough Rider State Park canoe/kayak access
Open mapDirections to put-in

NPS names Sully Creek State Park to Medora Bridge as a 3-mile Little Missouri River segment, and ND Parks identifies Rough Rider State Park as having canoe/kayak access on the Little Missouri.

Finish

Take-out

Medora Bridge / USGS gauge access anchor
Open mapDirections to take-out

Rough Rider was formerly Sully Creek State Park; current state-park signs and the ND Parks map should control the actual launch path.

Road shuttle

Driving shuttle routeShuttle in Apple MapsOpenStreetMap
Access notes and hazards

Access caveats

  • NPS names Sully Creek State Park to Medora Bridge as a 3-mile Little Missouri River segment, and ND Parks identifies Rough Rider State Park as having canoe/kayak access on the Little Missouri.
  • Rough Rider was formerly Sully Creek State Park; current state-park signs and the ND Parks map should control the actual launch path.
  • The Medora take-out coordinate is the official USGS Little Missouri at Medora bridge/gauge coordinate used as a practical Medora Bridge anchor, not a surveyed public ramp coordinate.
  • This route uses an official minimum-only threshold. NPS publishes a fair-boating floor and good band at Medora, but Paddle Today does not infer a full high-water recommendation.
  • Check same-day NPS, ND Parks, weather, flood, road, bridge, and debris conditions before staging vehicles or launching.

Watch for

  • Medora gauge readings below 2.5 ft / 699 cfs, when NPS says the river is below the fair-boating floor and dragging or impassable shallows are likely.
  • Fast rises after summer thunderstorms, which NPS says can turn the Little Missouri into a debris-carrying torrent.
  • Fences across the river, logs, flood debris, mud, cold water, rattlesnakes on banks, limited cell service, and delayed emergency response.
  • Private land along the river corridor; avoid unplanned stops unless necessary for safety or clearly allowed at a public site.
  • Bridge-area traffic, uncertain take-out footing, wind, shallow bars, and missing the planned Medora Bridge exit.

Plan this paddle

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Conditions

Water levels, gauge history, and hourly forecast

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Gauge detail

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Gauge

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Weather

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Route gallery

Photos

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The Little Missouri River winds through Theodore Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota.
Little Missouri River in Theodore Roosevelt National Park; same-river contextPhoto by Acroterion via Wikimedia Commons
Wikimedia Commons: CC BY-SA 4.0

Score & sources

Why this score

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Data status
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Why this scoreData reliability: checking

This rating reflects whether the gauge measures this part of the river, whether published water-level guidance is available, and how recently the data was updated.

Why
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Data behind the scoreWater levels, published guidance and update times

These readings and published water-level limits help explain today’s score.

Gauge siteLittle Missouri River at Medora, ND
DischargeChecking
Gauge heightChecking
24h trendChecking
24h changeChecking
Current bandChecking
Rain last 24hChecking
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Air tempChecking
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Rain timingChecking
Preferred rangeNeeds paddler reports
Known low-water floor699 cfs
High thresholdWater-level guidance unavailable
Evidence strength behind the rangeOfficial data source
Gauge observedChecking
Paddle Today updatedChecking
Main source behind this scoreNPS Theodore Roosevelt Little Missouri boating levels
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NotesWhat to know before you go

These notes cover the access details, route quirks, and source caveats most likely to matter once you get there.

  • Official route segmentSully Creek State Park to Medora Bridge, 3 mi

    NPS Theodore Roosevelt lists Sully Creek State Park to Medora Bridge as a 3-mile Little Missouri River mileage segment.

    Source

  • Gauge check during route review · 2026-06-12USGS 06336000

    This reading was saved when we checked the guide. It is not today’s water level. Check the current gauge and local conditions before paddling.

    Source

  • Official level guidance699 cfs / 2.5 ft minimum

    NPS says at least 2.5 ft / 699 cfs at Medora is required for fair boating and 2.5-3.5 ft / 699-1,500 cfs is good boating. Paddle Today uses 699 cfs as a minimum-only floor.

    Source

  • Public accessRough Rider canoe/kayak access

    ND Parks says Rough Rider State Park has Little Missouri River canoe/kayak access and its park map marks kayak/canoe access along the river.

    Source

  • Endpoint coordinates46.89263398, -103.54044775 to 46.91684167, -103.53228333

    The put-in is a practical Rough Rider / former Sully Creek access anchor already recorded from ND Parks map context. The take-out uses the official USGS Medora bridge/gauge coordinate as the Medora Bridge anchor named by NPS.

    Source

  • Badlands hazardsFlash rises, debris, fences, limited services

    NPS warns that storms can transform the quiet river into a debris-carrying torrent, emergency response can take hours or days, drinking water is limited, and fences may cross the river.

    Source

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Quick answers

Little Missouri River paddling FAQ

What water level is best for the Rough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge route on the Little Missouri River?

Paddle Today watches Little Missouri River at Medora, ND and uses 699 cfs as the conservative low-water floor for this route. The ideal range still needs more paddler reports.

Where does the Rough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge route on the Little Missouri River start and end?

This route starts at Rough Rider State Park canoe/kayak access and ends at Medora Bridge / USGS gauge access anchor, about 3 mi on the water.

Is the Rough Rider State Park to Medora Bridge route on the Little Missouri River suitable for beginners?

This is listed as a moderate route. Expect more planning than an easy float, and use the live score, route notes, and source links before committing.

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