Sully Creek State Park Primitive Road

This unmarked two-track cuts through some of North Dakota’s most isolated badlands terrain, following old cattle paths and survey routes that date back to the 1880s homestead era. The road winds through Sully Creek’s carved valleys, past abandoned homestead foundations and windmill ruins, offering genuine solitude in the Little Missouri River drainage. The technical challenge comes at Devil’s Backbone Ridge, where loose shale and narrow shelf road demand patience and precise wheel placement.

Moderate difficulty requires high-clearance 4WD with good ground clearance for rocky creek crossings and muddy gumbo sections after rain. Best tackled May through October when creek levels are manageable. No services for 40 miles in any direction — carry extra fuel, water, and recovery gear. This is pure North Dakota backcountry: endless sky, wind-carved buttes, and the kind of emptiness that reminds you why the pioneers called it the Great American Desert.