North Dakota · National Park trail

Coal Vein Trail Post 5: Dry Climate

in North Dakota

The dry climate of western North Dakota keeps the badlands from eroding away more quickly - if rain were more common, the soft rocks would have washed away long ago. The lack of moisture allows only the hardiest plants to survive. The trees here are Rocky Mountain juniper.

They, and all the other shrubs, grasses, and wildflowers you find here, are adapted to survive in this land of extreme temperatures and little moisture.

States: North Dakota
Trail type: National Park trail
Centroid coords: 46.9238°, -103.3986°

About Theodore Roosevelt National Park

National Park

This trail is inside Theodore Roosevelt National Park, a national park managed by the U.S. National Park Service. Conditions, road status, trail closures, and reservation requirements are published on the park's NPS page — check it before driving in, especially in winter or during major weather events.

Entrance fee: $30 per vehicle (verify current rate on the park page). An America the Beautiful annual pass ($80) covers entrance to all NPS units.

Official NPS trail page: https://www.nps.gov/places/coal-vein-trail-post-5-dry-climate.htm

Park homepage: https://www.nps.gov/thro/index.htm

Plan your hike

Practical notes

Maps + permits: long-distance trails like this often require permits for through-hiking, backcountry camping, or specific sections (especially in National Parks). Check with the maintaining organisation listed above and the relevant land manager before booking travel.

Water + supplies: water sources vary seasonally on most U.S. trails. Carry a filter and consult current trail-condition reports — through-hiker journals (PCT-L, AT Reddit, etc.) and the maintaining organisation publish regular updates.

When to go: hiking seasons vary widely with elevation, latitude, and snowpack. Through-hikers traditionally start the AT in March-April (Springer northbound) and the PCT in late April (Campo northbound). High-elevation western trails (CDT, JMT, Wonderland) generally aren't passable until July.

If you've hiked Coal Vein Trail Post 5: Dry Climate and have current notes (water sources, trail closures, permit changes), tell us at /contact — we update pages as we learn.