Description
The north end of the trail begins at the US Forest Service CCC Campground in McKenzie County, located 20 miles south of Watford City, off Highway 85. The 97 mile trail then winds its way to its southern terminus at Sully Creek State Park in Billings County, south of Medora.
Four fenced overnight campsites with hitching posts, vault toilets, and campfire rings are available along the trail. The Buffalo Gap Trail, a bike bypass trail around the South Unit of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park is scheduled to be completed in 2002.
The trail name, "Maah Daah Hey", comes from the Mandan Indians. In the Mandan language, one word or phrase can describe a picture, feeling, or situation. In this case, the phrase means "an area that has been or will be around for a long time." The trail uses a turtle as the trail marker. The turtle was honored because of its firm determination, steadfastness, patience, long life, and fortitude.