North Dakota · Hiking

Caprock Coulee Trail

Caprock Coulee TrailPhoto: Seth Tisue, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
0.4 mi
round trip
145 ft
climb
2,453 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Sep
best months

Is Caprock Coulee Trail open right now?

No closures listed

The National Park Service lists no closures for Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

As of · Source: NPS · Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Caprock Coulee Trail is a short, easy hike in Theodore Roosevelt National Park, within the Theodore Roosevelt Wilderness in North Dakota. The National Park Service manages the land, and the trail is about 0.35 miles long, with a total elevation gain of 145 feet over the out-and-back route. The trail's high point is about 2,453 feet, and the steepest stretch comes early on, at about 10% grade. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Watford City show July highs around 85°F with lows near 56°F, while winter highs stay in the 20s. A fee is charged for the visit. The North Achenbach Trail starts just 0.1 mile away, and the Caprock Coulee Trailhead is about 0.7 mile off. Farther out, the Buckhorn Trail and CCC Campground are both within about 5 miles.

  • Best time to go · May–Sep

    Best time to visit Caprock Coulee Trail

    Best months: May–September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      24° / 2°

    2. Feb

      30° / 6°

    3. Mar

      42° / 18°

    4. Apr

      56° / 30°

    5. May

      67° / 40°

    6. Jun

      76° / 50°

    7. Jul

      85° / 56°

    8. Aug

      84° / 54°

    9. Sep

      74° / 43°

    10. Oct

      57° / 31°

    11. Nov

      41° / 18°

    12. Dec

      28° / 6°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Watford City 14s, ND, 5.2 mi away at 2,027 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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Caprock Coulee TrailPhoto: daveynin, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)

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Map and trail data © OpenStreetMap contributors