Monument Boundaries
Explore the Maah Daah Hey
The proposed national monument encompasses 139,729 acres of the North Dakota Badlands along the popular Maah Daah Hey Trail.
The 11 individual units of the proposed monument serve to link the southern and northern units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The proposed monument, the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and Maah Daah Hey Trail can work together in protecting the cultural and historic resources, habitat, wildlife, ranching lifestyle, and recreation for which the region is known.
Photograph by Gail Rogne
Long X Divide
Located in the steepest and deepest section of the Little Missouri-carved Badlands, Long X Divide is one of the most rugged and wild areas in North Dakota.
The vegetation ranges from riparian forests along the river to the juniper-forested slopes and rolling mixed grass prairie of the uplands.
Long X Divide provides numerous opportunities for visitors seeking solitude. In combination with the trail system of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, the area can offer days of hiking and backpacking. The lack of motorized access in the area makes it a haven for mule deer and elk and provides the hunters with some of the most remote hunting in the state.
There are 10 archaeological, 13 historic and two isolated artifact sites known to exist in this proposed section. Long X Divide is managed as “Suitable for Wilderness.” Threats for this unit are the proposed widening of US Highway 85 along the eastern edge and oil and gas infrastructure along the southern boundary.
Photograph by Jan Swenson
Lone Butte
Lone Butte is highlighted by some of the most cragged Badlands topography in the monument proposal.
The erosion of Dry Creek, the major drainage in the area, has resulted in Lone Butte’s immensely carved canyons. The northern portion of the area provides spectacular views of the Little Missouri River. The region’s north and east slopes and numerous drainages are home to dense stands of juniper, green ash, American elm, chokecherry and buffalo berry. The secluded nature of the area makes the region one of the most sought-after hunting units. Bighorn Sheep also utilize the remote habitat of Lone Butte. Despite rebounding populations of sheep, the impact of oil and gas development in the region poses a major threat to the long-term health of Bighorn Sheep in North Dakota. With a monument designation, the Forest Service and the North Dakota Game and Fish Department may better manage Bighorn Sheep habitats.
In addition to bighorn, the region offers crucial nesting habitat for prairie falcons and golden eagles as well as sharp-tailed grouse breeding grounds. Lone Butte’s close location to the Theodore Roosevelt National Park North Unit as well as the spectacular view of the Little Missouri River from the north side of the unit makes it an important destination for visitors in the region.
The butte’s many hills, valleys, woody draws, and other drainage areas, along with its size, makes for challenging backcountry hiking and offers solitude to the outdoor enthusiast. From its large sandstone cliffs and boulder-scattered inclines to its grassy summit and juniper-forested northeast slope, the butte offers variety and challenge yet is accessible to the majority of hikers and horseback riders. The nearby stretch of the Little Missouri State Scenic River, the other major recreational feature, offers fishing and canoeing opportunities.
There are 15 archaeological, six historical, and 20 isolated artifact sites known to exist within this proposed monument area.
Lone Butte is managed as Non- Motorized Backcountry with No Surface Occupancy oil and gas development. Major threats to the unit are the proposed widening of US Highway 85 along the western edge of the unit and oil and gas infrastructure along the other boundaries, especially with the “No Surface Occupation” stipulation in the 2020 Oil and Gas IES, which could allow horizontal drilling under the unit.
Photograph by Betsy Perkins
Bennett-Cottonwood
Bennett Creek is a wide flat-bottomed canyon with active prairie-dog “towns,” characteristic of the larger tributary drainages of the Little Missouri River.
Side canyons of Bennett Creek, such as Sheep Creek, are extremely rugged and offer excellent opportunities for solitude.
Cottonwood Creek is narrower and more primitive than Bennett Canyon and presents some of the best scenery and most challenging terrain in this proposed monument. Its grassy ridge tops offer extensive vistas of cragged canyons and steep multicolored cliffs.
There are 10 archaeological, five historical, and two isolated artifact sites known to exist within the Bennett- Cottonwood unit. The Bennett-Cottonwood unit is managed for Non-Motorized Backcountry with No Surface Occupancy oil and gas development. It is a road-less and primitive area. The biggest threat to Bennett- Cottonwood is oil and gas development, particularly increased development along the edges of the unit due to presence of existing roads.
With the exception of the northern portion, most of Bennett-Cottonwood is a road-less and primitive wildlife area. Various two-track roads exist in the area, but have little effect on the natural qualities. Bennett-Cottonwood is one of the few areas where solitude can be found on a multi-day horse packing or a backpacking trip is still feasible. The area contains plentiful wildlife, including Bighorn Sheep.
Photograph by Sue Leake
Magpie
The Magpie unit is bisected by 10 miles of the Maah Daah Hey Trail, and gives visitors beautiful views of the Badlands and a variety of terrain, including ice caves.
Pronghorn, mule deer, horned toads, prairie rattlesnakes, coyotes, jackrabbits and prairie dogs all hide in the region’s varied landscape. The region is home to a wide variety of game species and is a destination location for backcountry hunters.
In the spring and summer there are a variety of wildflowers including the prairie rose, North Dakota’s state flower, and a false sunflower, among others. The area may look tamer than some of the other units, but its subtle beauty can be appreciated by all.
The Magpie unit is managed for Non-Motorized Backcountry with No Surface Occupancy oil and gas development. The biggest threat is oil and gas development, particularly increased development along the edges of the unit due to presence of existing roads.
Photograph by Rennae Gruchalla
Mike’s Creek
Mike’s Creek lies within the Missouri Plateau physiographic region and includes Badlands and glaciated areas.
Two major land-form features characterize Mike’s Creek: An intermittent creek with ephemeral drainages and steep Badlands spine landforms.
Landforms in Mike’s Creek contribute to a mosaic of habitats, including some of the most dense and extensive Rocky Mountain Juniper woodlands on the LMNG. These juniper woodlands occur on north-facing slopes created by rugged Badlands. Other vegetation includes big sagebrush, shadscale saltbrush, greasewood, silver sage and Western wheat-grass. Ecologically, vegetative health in Mike’s Creek is considered good to excellent.
The Mike’s Creek unit captures nearly an entire watershed and its associated drainages as the system begins high in a steep Badlands divide and flows down to the Little Missouri River. Few management activities have affected the quality of watershed processes or vegetative habitats associated with this drainage. Historical use of the area has been low, focused on hunting, hiking and grazing, but due to its remote and rugged characteristics these activities have been light.
Ash Coulee Creek flows through the unit. The stream is subject to extremely low flows during late summer and intermittency during drought conditions. Like most of the drainages of the Little Missouri River Watershed, Mike’s Creek has suffered from oil and saltwater spills in the past. Monument designation would protect the stream from future spills.
The Mike’s Creek unit is managed as Non-Motorized Backcountry with No Surface Occupancy oil and gas development. The biggest threats to the unit are oil and gas development, since roads now parallel both the north and south boundaries of the unit.
Photograph by Jan Swenson
Twin Buttes
Twin Buttes’ sporadic sandstone crowns expose striking hues of geologic deposits and produce an eerie environment.
The magnificent hue and abrasiveness of the barren faces throughout the Badlands section make them appealing to recreationists. Petrified logs are common in the area; in one instance stream erosion has created a petrified log bridge.
The majority of the plants on the southern slopes are native grasses, along with yucca, sage, and cactus. Draws and the north slopes of the butte are sparsely covered in chokecherry, wild plum, cottonwood, juniper, and green ash trees. The western part is largely made up of broad, undulating grassland.
Pronghorn, mule deer, horned toads, prairie rattlesnakes, coyotes, jackrabbits, and prairie dogs all find refuge in the area’s varied terrain. The area has a wide variety of game species, and the terrain is ideal for backcountry hunts evoking bygone eras.
Winter Creek’s dendritic fingers descend from East Twin Butte’s eastern flanks in a northeasterly direction toward Wannagan Creek and the Little Missouri River. A panoramic view is available from the peak of East Twin Butte.
Twin Buttes holds a special status as the only area in North Dakota ever recommended by the Forest Service for Wilderness designation. There are three known archaeological sites in the proposed unit. Twin buttes is managed as “Suitable for Wilderness”. Major threats to the unit are theft of artifacts, fossils, and other paleontological resources, as well as oil and gas development around the unit.
Photograph by Rennae Gruchalla
Wannagan
The Badlands of the Wannagan unit are rugged with few trees except for several low-lying areas near creeks.
There are small hills with outcrops of sedimentary rocks which offer vast geological scenic and scientific value. The erosion of sedimentary rocks, in particular, yields a breathtaking vista. Wannagan’s unique landscape forms an intricate maze of canyons, offering essential habitat for elk and mule deer. It is one of the few spots in the state where trophy quality elk are found on public land open for hunting.
Wannagan would serve as a natural extension to the existing petrified forest area in Theodore Roosevelt National Park and would enhance the activities and resources already available in the vicinity. There are 13 archaeological and two isolated artifact sites known to exist in this parcel. A known paleontological site rich in fossil Borealosuchus, a crocodilelike creature, is located just outside the boundary of the unit, making it very likely that similar fossils are found within the unit.
The Wannagan unit is managed as Non-Motorized Backcountry with No Surface Occupancy oil and gas development. Oil and gas development, including horizontal drilling under the unit, pose the biggest threat to Wannagan as pump jacks are already present in the surrounding area, and roads exist near the southern, western, and northern boundaries of the unit.
Photograph by Shannon Straight
Plumely Draw
Plumely Draw is a wild environment of residual strata home to mule deer, bobcats, coyotes, mountain lions, and numerous other non-game animals.
Notably, the region remains a bighorn sheep stronghold.
The unit’s prairie, butte, and wooded draw features all include seasonal wildflowers. Rocky Mountain Junipers can be found alone or in dense, moss-covered woods. They can also be found stunted and bending from holds atop enormous sandstone cap-rocks.
Plumely Draw is managed as Non-Motorized Backcountry with No Surface Occupancy oil and gas development. Existing roads almost surround the unit, making horizontal drilling very possible, and oil and gas development a major threat to the unit.
Photograph by Brittany Jackson
Kinley Plateau
Kinley Plateau truly is the heart of the Badlands.
The largest of the Forest Service’s parcels managed as Suitable for Wilderness, it is situated in the southernmost portion of the LMNG and represents the diversity of the Badlands in its entirety.
The valleys of Tom’s Wash, Dantz Creek, and its bigger twin, Bear Creek, travel from east to west toward the valley of the Little Missouri River, and form the boundaries of this unusual triangle. Dantz Creek reveals an ancient geology with layers in blues, grays, whites, and reds, while roughly defining the northern limit of this region.
As flatlands to the east were sliced by Dantz Creek and Bear Creek millennia ago, the Kinley Plateau was carved out. From a steady track atop the rolling prairie, one can trek to the massive land-form’s sheer western flank. Beyond is a tumultuous landscape of remnant strata inhabited by mule deer, elk, bobcat, and coyote, and countless other non-game species—a hunter and hiker’s paradise. Notably, the area is a stronghold for bighorn sheep.
Seasonal wildflowers can be found on the prairie, butte, and woody draw features of the unit. The Rocky Mountain Juniper—singly marking the landscape or in deep, moss-floored forests—also is found stunted, twisting from buffeted holds atop giant sandstone cap-rocks. Oil and gas development, particularly along the northern edges of the unit, are the biggest threats to Kinley Plateau.
Photograph by Jan Swenson
Bullion Butte
The remarkable characteristics of the Bullion Butte area include its vast size, its potential for solitude and its absence of roads other than simple two tracks.
The abrupt cliffs and rock-strewn slopes of the butte are impressive and provide spectacular views of the southern portion of the Badlands. Few places in North Dakota offer such magnificent vistas.
The area is a toned-down version of the stark and rugged Badlands farther north. The top of the butte has an expansive, rolling-prairie surface with no trees. The edges and cliffs themselves are sandstone, and have historically been used as nesting habitat for raptors, especially bald and golden eagles.
Opportunities to observe native North Dakota wildlife abound. Hawks, Bighorn Sheep, eagles and sharp-tailed grouse are plentiful. Bullion Butte’s abundant population of trophy mule deer and pronghorn antelope make it a popular hunting destination.
The butte’s many hills, valleys, woody draws, and other drainage areas, along with its size, makes for challenging backcountry hiking and offers solitude to the outdoor enthusiast.
From its large sandstone cliffs and boulder-scattered inclines to its grassy summit and juniper-forested northeast slope, the butte offers variety and challenge yet is accessible to the majority of hikers and horseback riders. The nearby stretch of the Little Missouri State Scenic River, the other major recreational feature, offers fishing and canoeing opportunities. Bullion Butte had the last known nesting of Peregrine Falcon in the Badlands in 1954.
There are 15 archaeological, six historical, and 20 isolated artifact sites known to exist within this proposed monument area.
The Forest Service currently manages Bullion Butte to protect its important wildlife habitat. Presently, hunting is the most common use of the area. Monument designation will have little if any impact on these uses. Bullion Butte is currently managed as “Suitable for Wilderness”. Oil and gas development is a threat to the solitude, vistas and wildlife of the unit.
Photograph by Brittany Jackson
Ponderosa Pine
As the name suggests, the most outstanding feature of the Ponderosa Pine unit is the pines themselves, with some trees over 200 years old.
Through the heart of the area flows Sand Creek, its banks sprinkled with scoria outcroppings. It is the area of North Dakota most reminiscent of a western wilderness. The area’s unique pine-laden scenery is not found elsewhere in the state, with the nearest major ponderosa pine stand growing hundreds of miles away in the Black Hills of South Dakota. The pine covered buttes and rolling prairie make for spectacular hiking, horseback riding, and hunting. Naturally burning coal veins are found in and around this unit. The Ponderosa Pine area is the only known nesting area in the state for Audubon’s Warbler.
Most of the Ponderosa Pine unit is managed by the United States Forest Service for wildlife protection.
There are 13 archaeological, two historical and six isolated artifact sites known to exist in the proposed unit.
The Ponderosa Pine unit is managed for Non-Motorized Backcountry with No Surface Occupancy oil and gas development. Threats to the unit include oil and gas development with the existing roads on three sides.