Saturday, June 7, 2025
8 a.m. – 4 p.m. MT
This National Trails Day, join Badlands Conservation Alliance as we participate in trail repair and maintenance operations in Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
We’ll be using basic hand tools to clear brush and overgrowth from the trails. Tools used will include pruning snips, manual hand pruning saws for small limb trimming, hand nippers, hand saws, and pole saws. No power equipment will be permitted. Since this is a volunteer event, no treadwork of substance will be completed absent TRNP archaeology surveys. Downed trail markers and Maah Daah Hey posts will be reset in their existing locations as required; only in those instances will hand tool excavation be allowed.
We’ll meet on the lawn west of TRNP’s office headquarters on Pacific Ave in Medora, ND at 8 a.m. Mountain Time. We’ll carpool and drive to Peaceful Valley Ranch in the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
From Peaceful Valley Ranch, we’ll wade across the Little Missouri River. Footwear is required for crossing the river (no bare feet) and volunteers must bring a spare set of closed-toe river shoes.
Volunteers must bring a backpack, closed-toe hiking boots or shoes, gloves, insect repellent, sunscreen, lunch (carry-in, carry-out), and ample water. Please wear lighter-weight clothes including long-sleeve sun-protective hiking shirts and pants, and lightweight hats to ensure protection from the sun.
Participants can expect to hike 4–5 miles one way (8–10 miles over the course of the day) from Ekblom Trail to the Maah Daah Hey Trail in the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness.
Participants are asked to stay 80 feet clear of all wildlife.
Volunteer Service Agreement
Participants must RSVP and complete a Volunteer Service Agreement, social media code of conduct, and agreement prohibiting firearms within the National Park. Please submit the completed forms to Shannon Straight no later than May 28th, 2025.