The best running trails in McKenzie County

The Cartwright Tunnel was originally built in 1912 and 1913 for rail and vehicle access in 1912 and 1913, with the aid of horse- and mule-drawn machinery. It's now part of a short but pleasant pedestrian trail across the Yellowstone River, although as of this writing it's under repair and not yet re-opened to pedestrian traffic. Even a visit to the entrance is impressive, though, and this makes a nice, scenic warm-up for a longer road run in the area.

The Cartwright Tunnel was built in 1912 and 1913, with the aid of horse- and mule-drawn machinery. Originally intended for rail and vehicle access, it's now part of a short but pleasant pedestrian trail across the Yellowstone River — although as of this writing it's under repair and not yet re-opened to pedestrian traffic. Even a visit to the entrance is impressive, though.

The Fairview Bridge offers pedestrian access across the Yellowstone River, and on to the Cartwright Tunnel. Once upon a time going up on this bridge meant hopping from one old railroad tie to the next, but this rails-to-trails route has been improved to make it much safer.

This multi-use trail used to be a cattle-driving route. It offers relatively easy passage through the badlands offers stunning views over those same dramatic, rocky canyons and outcrops.

All told, the Maah Daah Hey Trail runs for 144 miles through the badlands of North Dakota. It's open to all non-motorized uses, including running, hiking, horseback riding and mountain biking — except for when it passes through Theodore Roosevelt National Park. For that stretch, mountain biking is not allowed.

This portion of the Maah Daah Hey Trail passes through Theodore Roosevelt National Park. While in the park, mountain biking is not allowed — so you'll only be sharing the trail with hikers, runners, and horseback riders. Along the way you can take in stellar views over the dramatic canyons of the Badlands, and there's lot of potential for wildlife sightings too. Make sure to give wildlife — especially big wildlife like bison — plenty of space.

The Maah Daah Hey Trail offers views for days, as they say (both figuratively and literally, since you could spend days running it in segments). But this part of the trail is special, showcasing the sort of beautiful white-rock canyons that are found throughout the Little Missouri National Grassland.

This nature trail (part of the overall Caprock Coulee loop) doesn't have much elevation gain, so it makes a great warm-up or a short run in and of itself. It's very popular with hikers, though, so your best chance of an uninterrupted run is getting out here early or late, or maybe during the week. Keep an eye out for wildlife, including bison, which are fast and dangerous — you don't want to end up running sprints with one of those behind you.