New to hiking? Welcome — and good news: North Dakota has more genuinely beginner-friendly trails than most casual lists give it credit for. We filtered our 419 mapped North Dakota trails down to those rated easy, under six miles, and short enough to finish in a relaxed half-day. The result is ten options that prioritize scenery over suffering.
North Dakota is a friendlier first-hike state than many give it credit for. North Dakota's Badlands in the west and the prairie pothole country in the east define the state — quietly more scenic than its flat-state reputation. Theodore Roosevelt NP scenic drives and the Maah Daah Hey trailhead segments offer accessible introductions.
Our rankings here are data-driven — pulled from the 419 mapped entries OutsideAtlas tracks in North Dakota — but the data has limits worth being honest about. We filtered to trails tagged "easy," shorter than six miles, and with usable surface and visibility tags. That excludes many fine beginner trails that simply haven't been tagged yet — the list is "best of what's well-mapped," not "every beginner trail."
The Ranking
Ranked from #1 to #10. Click through any entry for the full trail page — map, elevation profile, weather forecast, and direct OpenStreetMap source link.
#1. Maah Daah Hey Trail
Maah Daah Hey Trail near Fairfield in Billings County is 0.10 mi of forgiving terrain — short enough for a relaxed half-day and forgiving enough to enjoy without prior experience. Expect 0.10 mi on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Maah Daah Hey Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#2. Dinosaurs on the Prairie Threshing Machines
Dinosaurs on the Prairie Threshing Machines near Napoleon in Logan County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Dinosaurs on the Prairie Threshing Machines trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#3. North Country National Scenic Trail
North Country National Scenic Trail near Mcleod in Ransom County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the North Country National Scenic Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#4. Pedestrian crossing 800 Block 3rd Street Northeast
Pedestrian crossing 800 Block 3rd Street Northeast near Minot in Ward County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Tagged easy in OpenStreetMap. Compared to similar trails in North Dakota, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Pedestrian crossing 800 Block 3rd Street Northeast trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#5. Buffalo Gap Campground Connector
Buffalo Gap Campground Connector near Sentinel Butte in Golden Valley County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Buffalo Gap Campground Connector trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#6. Old East Entrance Station Trail
Old East Entrance Station Trail near Medora in Billings County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect dirt surface on a forgiving grade. Local trail-association reports tend to agree this is one of the better-maintained options in the area, which matters more on a hike of this length than on a quick walk. The natural-surface tread can get slick after rain and muddy in spring — pick a dry weather window if you have the flexibility. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Old East Entrance Station Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#7. Little Missouri Nature Trail
Little Missouri Nature Trail near Grassy Butte in McKenzie County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. The route is well documented in OpenStreetMap, which is what put it on our radar — community-mapped routes tend to be the ones that get hiked enough to stay open. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Little Missouri Nature Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#8. Nordic Ski Trail APPROXIMATE
Nordic Ski Trail APPROXIMATE near Arvilla in Grand Forks County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. It earns its ranking on the data, but trail conditions can change quickly after storms or fire seasons, so verify before you commit a full day. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Nordic Ski Trail APPROXIMATE trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#9. Lone Tree Spring Loop Trail
Lone Tree Spring Loop Trail near Medora in Billings County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. Compared to similar trails in North Dakota, this route trades difficulty for either solitude or scenery — sometimes both. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Lone Tree Spring Loop Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.#10. Petrified Forest Loop Trail
Petrified Forest Loop Trail near Medora in Billings County earns its beginner-list spot with gentle terrain and easy navigation. Expect unpaved surface on a forgiving grade. What makes this one earn its spot on the list is the combination of mapped detail and the kind of through-and-through experience that justifies a longer drive. A paved surface makes this one of the more accessible options on the list — good for strollers, mobility aids, and wet-weather days. Bring water, layers, and unhurried expectations — and don't push past your fitness window just because the trail looks short on paper. See full trail details, map, and current weather on OutsideAtlas for the most current information.
Open the Petrified Forest Loop Trail trail page →Map, elevation profile, current weather, and OSM source.Planning your North Dakota trip
A few pieces of context are worth keeping in mind specifically for North Dakota. May-October is the practical window; winter is brutal and summer brings thunderstorms and ticks. Lightning on open prairie, rattlesnakes in the Badlands, and rapidly changing weather even in summer.
Always cross-reference the official land-manager page before driving out — closures, fire restrictions, and seasonal road access can change quickly. Our trail pages link directly back to the OpenStreetMap source so you can see the tags we're working from.
If you're new to hiking generally, our beginner's guide covers footwear, layering, and the day-pack basics. For safety planning on bigger objectives, the ten essentials guide is worth twenty minutes of reading.
More North Dakota hiking guides
If you found this useful, the rest of our North Dakota coverage continues below.
- Top 10 longest trails in North Dakota — Multi-day routes and through-hikes ranked by distance.
- Steepest trails in North Dakota — Hikes with the most elevation gain in the state.
- Most challenging hikes in North Dakota — Expert-rated routes for experienced hikers only.
- Best national parks in North Dakota — Federal parks and recreation areas ranked.
- Best waterfall hikes in North Dakota — Trails leading to named falls, ranked by accessibility.
- Best dog-friendly hikes in North Dakota — Where leashed dogs are explicitly welcome.
- Best family hikes in North Dakota — Short, easy trails sized for kids and grandparents.
Rankings like this are starting points, not verdicts. Trail conditions change, new routes get tagged, and what was the toughest trail in North Dakota last year might not be next year. We refresh these articles when the underlying data shifts meaningfully.
Got a correction, a route we missed, or a question? Drop us a note via the contact page. We read every email and we'd rather hear it from you than miss it.
