North Dakota · Hiking

Maah Daah Hey Trail

Maah Daah Hey TrailPhoto: Forest Service - Northern Region, Public Domain Mark (via Flickr)
144 mi
one way
13,223 ft
climb
2,940 ft
high point
Point to point
route
May–Jun, Sep–Oct
best months

Caution at last check

Agency alerts are in effect for this area; weather is good · USFS, OpenWeather · checked 12 h ago

Is Maah Daah Hey Trail open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 5 alerts for Dakota Prairie Grasslands.

As of · Source: USFS · Dakota Prairie Grasslands. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

The Maah Daah Hey Trail is a 144-mile point-to-point route in the Medora Ranger District of the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, managed by the Forest Service. It is an expert-level hike, with a total elevation gain of about 13,200 feet, and it starts at roughly 2,500 feet, rising to a high point of about 2,940 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Amidon weather station show July and August highs around 86°F with lows in the mid-50s, while winter highs stay in the 20s and 30s. Bikes are allowed on the trail. Burning Coal Vein campground sits just 0.1 mile away, and the Little Missouri River, a canoeing route, is about 4.5 miles off.

  • Best time to go · May–Jun, Sep–Oct

    Best time to visit Maah Daah Hey Trail

    Best months: May–June and September–October. 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

      29° / 7°

    2. Feb

      33° / 11°

    3. Mar

      44° / 20°

    4. Apr

      56° / 30°

    5. May

      66° / 41°

    6. Jun

      77° / 51°

    7. Jul

      86° / 57°

    8. Aug

      86° / 54°

    9. Sep

      75° / 46°

    10. Oct

      58° / 33°

    11. Nov

      43° / 21°

    12. Dec

      32° / 11°

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Amidon, ND, 9.9 mi away at 2,910 ft. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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