For
our 2023 North Dakota trip Jean and I decided
to spend more time in the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National
Park. The backcountry of the North Unit is wilder, more remote, and less
travelled than even the wild, remote, and little visited backcountry of the South
Unit. For our first hike we picked an out and back hike on the North Achenbach
Trail between Riverbend and Oxbow overlooks. One goal of the trip was to help Jean’s
finish hiking all the trails in the park. This was the only trail section Jean
had skipped in the North Unit when we were working on our hiking guide in 2019.
(ND Hiking Guide)
Riverbend Overlook
Riverbend
Overlook is variously described as “The most photographed place in North
Dakota”, and as the “View that launched the National Park.” The modest
CCC-built shelter perched on the canyon rim high above the Little Missouri
River lives up to these lofty expectations. Coming from the eastern time zone,
we especially like to get there near dawn to capture the wonderous light in the
early morning magic hour. 
Riverbend Overlook.
From
Riverbend, we had a short walk on the Caprock Coulee Trail to reach Achenbach
Trail. Then there is a steep, two-tiered descent down to a terrace above the
Little Missouri River. The descent passes through layers that contain fossils
in other areas of the park contain fossils, but we saw just one lone tree
fossil. 
Fossilized tree stump on North Achenbach Trail.
Once
down on the terrace level the trail is relatively flat out to the base of the
corresponding climb to Oxbow Overlook. Flat, however, does not mean easy. For
one thing, the NPS lists this segment as 4.2 miles long. But I’ve now measured
it three times by GPS and think the true distance is more like 5.2 miles.
Measuring by GPS isn’t as accurate as some measures just because of the
variability of signals and the accuracies of GPS units. But trail mileage in
the river bottom lands of TRNP has some added complications. Bison frequent the
river bottoms, and the wise hiker will circle well around them and adding some
distance if they are grazing in the trail. Bison also make their own trails,
which are often more prominent than the park trails. The bison are also fond of
using trail markers as scratching posts, often rubbing exuberantly enough to
knock over tall wooden posts, or to break the smaller carsonite posts. Without
standing trail posts, navigating across the river bottom becomes a game of hide
and seek to stay on the trail.
The bottom lands along the Little Missouri River.
Though
we passed one small herd, this section of North Achenbach seems to attract few
bison, so the trail markers were frequent enough to keep us on course. Around
1.8 miles we crossed Appel Creek and soon dropped off the terrace down to the
river level. Near the southernmost point of the trail, we stopped to examine an
old piece of farm equipment hidden just off the trail in the sagebrush. The
device had many cups and springs and was likely pulled by a tractor. There were
two steel rims that probably protected wooden wheels. The park was first
preserved as a national wildlife refuge in 1946, so the equipment likely
predates that designation. Our guess was that it was used for planting or
harvesting hay. Jean and I were so excited by the find that we promptly rushed
off on a bison trail, not returning to the designated trail for another quarter
mile.
Pre-WWII farm equipment along the Little Missouri River.
Near
the end of the river bottom the trail drops down to the edge of a grove of
cottonwoods. In the park cottonwoods typically mark the edge of the river, as
this is the only place the trees can find enough water. But in this case, the
cottonwoods are a relic. Interpretive displays at Oxbow Overlook explain how
over time meanders in the Little Missouri develop tight loops that are
eventually cut off as the river changes course. Here a long meander, shown on
the park topo as a stippled area, has been cropped off leaving the abandoned
channel and its outline of trees still in place. While there are plenty of fine
tent sites here for campers, river water would be still nearly a half mile
away. Though backpackers would be unlikely to camp here, we did spot a lone
coyote trotting through his backyard.
Close up of the farm equipment. Any ideas on what this is?
Not
long after the cottonwoods, a sign marks the start of the 400’ climb up to
Oxbow Overlook. We passed again through the fossil layer, seeing just a few out
of place stumps of petrified trees. The overlook is a favorite grazing area for
bison, and we were lucky this day that the herd was off in the prairie to the
north, rather than hanging out in the parking area.
Jean approaching Oxbow Overlook.
After
enjoying Oxbow Overlook we started the long return hike. This time we passed a
pair of day hikers, and stopped again to try to puzzle out the use of the farm
implement. Despite the length of the return hike, we made good progress and had
the energy to appreciate the amazing scenery along the way. We exited the river
bottom, just before the arrival of a roaming bison pair. After passing two more
day hikers on the Caprock Coulee Trail, we were back at our rental car after an
11 mile roundtrip. 
The trail below Oxbow Overlook in 2019.
