Surround Yourself With Bright Fall Foliage Without Crowds At An Underrated National Park

Heading out into nature to take in the crisp fall air and vibrant leaves is probably one of the best ways to really appreciate the autumnal season. The only problem with taking a trip to popular fall foliage viewing spots like the Kancamagus Highway in New England is that during peak fall colors, these areas can get pretty busy. Luckily, if you want to enjoy beautiful fall colors without the crowds, there's one underrated national park that fits the bill — Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

Located in the badlands of southwestern North Dakota, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is one of those parks that is stunning but rarely visited, likely due to its slightly out-of-the-way location in the highly underrated Dakotas. However, despite not attracting as many visitors as other national parks like Acadia, which has some beautiful autumn hiking trails, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is strikingly beautiful in fall and offers unparalleled chances to see large wildlife like bison, wild horses, pronghorn, deer, and elk. In fact, as one reviewer on TripAdvisor put it, at Theodore Roosevelt National Park: "The fall foliage against the rocks was beautiful during our visit. We saw the gorgeous wild horses right as we entered the park. Within a few shots on my camera, I was able to get bison, horses and prairie dogs all in the same photo.

The beauty of the surrounding land and sheer number of large game in the area is actually what made Theodore Roosevelt himself spend time in a cabin which is still preserved inside the 26th president's namesake national park. So, if you want to enjoy fall and be inspired by the wilderness of North Dakota like Teddy Roosevelt, here are the best ways to do it.

Because of its location in North Dakota, in Theodore Roosevelt National Park the leaves usually begin to turn in late September and then continue to turn through early and mid-October. Most of the trees located in this national park are cottonwoods which tend to turn a brilliant gold in autumn. One of the best ways to enjoy the burnt orange and golden forests separated by the plains and the rocky outcroppings of the badlands is by taking a scenic drive. The scenic drive through the North Unit of the park takes around an hour and 15 minutes and includes plenty of viewing points to stop by along the way like the Oxbow Overlook, River Bend Overlook, and Cannonball Concretions.

Another great way to enjoy the fall foliage in this national park is to hike a few trails. The Painted Canyon Trail is particularly beautiful in fall with the bright yellow cottonwood forests. You can also hike some of the higher trails that will give you sweeping views of the area like the Boicourt Overlook Trail and Buck Hill Trail in the South Unit. If you are a mountain biker, consider biking a section of the famous Maah Daah Hey Trail which is 144 miles long and connects all three units of the park including the hard to reach and undeveloped area in between the North and South Units where Teddy Roosevelt's old cabin still stands.

Most visitors to Theodore Roosevelt National Park fly into Bismarck and then rent a car and drive to the park's South Unit. This drive typically takes around two hours. If you want to be closer to the North Unit you can also fly into the regional airport in Williston. Another option is to combine your trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park with an incredible Northern American road trip along Highway 2 which will take you across charming small towns and National Parks. U.S. Route 2 starts in Maine near Acadia National Park then goes through Canada before coming back down through Minnesota and North Dakota and passing by Glacier National Park in Montana and finally ending in Seattle, making it the perfect candidate for a fall foliage road trip.

You will find most of the hotel options near Theodore Roosevelt National Park in the town of Medora which is near the South Unit. One particularly popular place to stay is the Rough Riders Hotel which is located in downtown Medora and is within walking distance from many restaurants and shops. If you want to get out of town and stay in a cabin with incredible views, then check out the Spirit of the Badlands which has two family-sized wood cabins that can be reserved. Theodore Roosevelt National Park also has campsites that are available year-round; however, these sites are quite basic and don't have any water or electric hookups available.