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Trip

Maah Daah Hey, North Dakota

Mountain Bike

Trip Maah Daah Hey, Mountain Biking
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Questions? Let us help! Call us at 1-866-386-1590

Explore the Badlands of North Dakota via mountain bike as you ride through miles of unreal terrain and superb trail.

This fully guided mountain bike trip, powered by our partners at Western Spirit, travels 100-miles of uninterrupted singletrack through the Badlands of North Dakota. This cross-country style mountain bike trail meanders through the canyons and ridges of this unusual landscape. This is an adventurous mountain bike trip package for riders who want to explore something totally new and different.

Our small group of riders will progressively bike from the northern section of the Maah Daah Hey to the southern end of the trail. Every day will bring a new section of trail and we will move to a new camp each day. Guides will carry all of your equipment from camp-to-camp over the 5-day journey. We will camp in rural campgrounds where we will enjoy delicious dutch oven cooking. Riders will be accompanied by a guide each day of this trip. Each rider will only need to carry water and food for the day in their backpack. Guides will carry all of the tools, spare tubes, and group gear.

 

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Itinerary
Itinerary
Subject to change based on conditions.
  • 1
    Day number 1
    Please arrive in Bismarck North Dakota the day before we depart. We recommend the EverSpring Inn & Suites, mention that you are traveling with Western Spirit and ask about special rates. You can also meet the group in Medora, ND if this is more suitable to your travel plans. Special shuttle service is needed if departing from Medora so it is critical that you let Western Spirit know in advance. (Please note there is a one hour time difference between Bismarck and Medora).
  • 2
    Day number 2
    After meeting in Bismarck at 8 am, we will shuttle west and north to the heart of the North Dakota Badlands. Here we will unload our bikes and hop on some singletrack to get our guided Maah Daah Hey Trail trip started with a 15-mile ride. After each small-gear grunt we are rewarded by a twisty and fun downhill. We’ll camp tonight at Magpie Camp and enjoy a delicious dinner.
  • 3
    Day number 3
    Today is a big day, 19 miles and 1,200 feet of climbing. We ride over the famous Devil’s Pass, an eye-widening ride across a narrow wall of clay dropping away sharply on both sides. From Devil’s Pass, the Maah Daah Hey Trail is carved tightly into the hillside. Through many turns and switchbacks, the trail eventually leads us right to the banks of the Little Missouri River. We’ll have a hawk’s eye view of Theodore Roosevelt’s Elkhorn Ranch site, established in 1884. As we descend, the trail is etched into the off camber bluff, reinforcing the “look where you want to go” technique. We’ll have lunch in a shady grove and fuel up for more great singletrack this afternoon. Tonight’s camp is in a beautiful canyon where we’ll relax after a big day and enjoy a tasty dinner.
  • 4
    Day number 4
    Today brings us the best section of the Maah Daah Hey. We’ll ride south 21 miles through prickly pear valleys and more badlands landscape. We’ll climb some steep switchbacks and get a great view of the colors of sediment. After lunch, we continue south on the trail until we are just north of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We’ll also pass impressive chunks of petrified wood. We’ll camp at Wannagan Camp that has scenic views of massive buttes.
  • 5
    Day number 5
    Today we say goodbye to the Maah Daah Hey and hop on the Buffalo Gap Trail to circumnavigate the park. Some of the formations are like giant sandcastles with the trail swooping right around them. On occasion, we see whole herds of antelope blasting through this area at breakneck speeds. With full trail grins on our faces, we’ll ride a few road miles right into the historic town of Medora. We’ll ride 25 miles today and camp at Sully Creek Camp, we’ll likely hear coyotes howling from the adjacent ridge.
  • 6
    Day number 6
    Our last day takes us further south to ride the Deuce Trail. We’ll fuel up on a yummy breakfast and shuttle out to Plumely Draw. This really fun, 15 mile, section of riding is more of the Badlands up-down-up-down. We’ll continue riding through intermittent sections of grasslands and exposed rock formations as we make our way up and over the short but challenging climbs. We’ll be rewarded with a fun downhill section that takes us back to Medora. We’ll have lunch there and then head back to Bismarck, arriving there between 4-5 pm.
Trip Package Includes
  • All group camping gear such as chairs, tables, and solar showers
  • All meals, snacks, and non-alcoholic drinks
  • Roundtrip transportation to and from Bismarck
  • All on-trip transportation
  • 2 certified guides
  • Bike tools & bike stands, replacement tubes, and chain lube
  • 20% off code to evo.com (exclusions apply)
Not Included
  • Travel to and from Bismarck, ND
  • Travel insurance (we recommend World Nomads)
  • Lodging before and after the trip
  • Personal camping gear (can be rented from Western Spirit $90 pp/per tour)
  • Mountain bike (bike shipping can be arranged with WS or bikes can be rented from WS for $55 per day)
  • Personal items, extra snacks or alcoholic beverages (bring your own and WS will keep it cold)
  • Guide gratuity
  • Questions? Call or email us!
Area Information

The Badlands

The Badlands of North Dakota, named for the difficult travel of those facing this broken land, cover some of the most uniquely beautiful and harsh environments of the American Midwest. Formed by the cutting action of thousands of small streams and rivulets over millions of years, this area is home to jagged buttes, rolling hillsides, and rugged rock formations. Multi-colored clinker rock, formed when underground coal catches fire, can be red-orange, yellow, black and sometimes purple. Although the rocky environment can be very harsh, many animal species have learned to adapt and even thrive in the badlands, including antelope, prairie dogs and bighorn sheep.
Trip Planning

Trip Planning

Riders on this trip can expect both wet and dry conditions on the trail and in camp. Temperatures can range from the low 60’s to the low 90’s, so we highly recommend a layering system for your clothing! When you arrive for your tour, you will be given a dry bag in which to pack your gear for the trip. Smaller bags may fit, but very large duffels will not. To pack efficiently in a dry bag, we highly recommend you compartmentalize your clothing and gear into separate bags. Stuff sacks in different colors work great for this (example: cycling gear in a blue stuff sack, camp clothes in a red stuff sack, etc.). Your dry bag will ride on the Western Spirit support vehicle and will not be accessible during the day. Your riding pack may be a hydration pack and needs to carry 2-3 liters of water, rain gear, other clothing, and food for the day.

This is an intermediate-advanced singletrack ride and we recommend using a full-suspension or hardtail mountain bike. Feel free to bring your own mountain bike, or you can get a rental (2019 Specialized Stumpjumper ST with a helmet) from Western Spirit. If you bring your own, please make sure it's in tip-top shape before you arrive.
Gear- Bring your own, or rent
Bike Gear & Bike Clothing
Camp Clothing
FAQ
FAQ
  • What ability level is this ride? What shape should I be in?
    This tour contains riding on narrow technical trails. Singletrack experience is highly recommended. The trail surface is made up of clay and rock with some small rock gardens. Riders should expect to be in the saddle for about 5 to 6 hours per day.
  • What Covid-19 protocols should I expect?
    One of the safest places you can be during these challenging times is in the great outdoors, and Western Spirit has been working hard to support everyone who wants to get outside. There are many procedures in place to keep everyone safe and healthy, and these have been updated for this challenging time. You will be provided with a link to all details, but these include pre-trip health screening survey, daily procedures with no communal touchpoints, mealtime and shuttling precautions, and vigorous cleaning & sanitizing procedures between trips.
  • Can I bring my own camp gear?
    Certainly! If you bring camping gear, please bring a tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping pad. We’ll provide everything else you need. Don’t worry about the camp chairs—we bring those too! Please make sure all your gear is in excellent, working condition before you head out on your trip.
  • Can I bring my own bike?
    Yes! Flying with your bike and shipping your bike ahead of time are both good options. If you are shipping your bike, send it to: Dakota Cyclery Inc. 365 Main Street Medora, ND 58645 701-623-4808 It is critical that you include your name, “Western Spirit Cycling” and tour date on the outside of the box. If you choose this service, you must get this organized through the Western Spirit office.
  • Are rentals available?
    Yes, a 2019 Specialized Stumpjumper 29’er with a dropper post, and helmet can be rented from Western Spirit for $55 a day. You MUST bring your own pedals if you ride clipless. Bikes will come with flat pedals.
  • What will the food be like? Can you accommodate my dietary restrictions?
    We take our food seriously. We know that eating 3 great meals a day helps everyone enjoy the ride. For that reason, we can handle almost all dietary restrictions. It is common to have vegetarians, vegans, paleo diet followers, etc… all on the same trip. We will ask you before the trip to fill out a questionnaire where you can indicate your dietary preferences and restrictions.
  • What are the accommodations like?
    We call it “glamping”, or comfortable camping. Basically, we take care of all of the details like solar showers, hand wash stations, commercial kitchen, tables, chairs, rain and sun shelters, firewood, and everything else that you will need to be as comfortable as possible in the backcountry. It’s certainly not roughing it!
  • How should I pack my gear?
    When you arrive for your tour, you will be given a dry bag in which to pack your gear for the trip. Smaller bags may fit, but very large duffels will not. To pack efficiently in a dry bag, we highly recommend you compartmentalize your clothing and gear into separate bags. Stuff sacks in different colors work great for this (example: cycling gear in a blue stuff sack, camp clothes in a red stuff sack, etc.). Your dry bag will ride on the Western Spirit support vehicle and will not be accessible during the day.
  • Do I need travel insurance?
    While it is not required, we always recommend purchasing travel insurance for all trips. Travel insurance allows you to seek reimbursement if you are forced to cancel your trip for unforeseeable reasons, or if you need to cover medical help, emergency transport, theft and/or accidental damage while traveling. We recommend World Nomads.
  • What if I need to cancel?
    Please note evo defers to the operator's cancellation terms. Should you need to cancel for any reason, Western Spirit will apply the following cancellation policy: For cancellations prior to 60 days before departure, a $50 handling fee per person is retained and the remainder of your deposit is refunded. For cancellations 60-31 days before departure, 50% of your trip fees are refunded. For cancellations 30 days or less before departure, no monies are refundable.
Testimonials
To begin with the landscape and scenery was majestic and awesome. The guides were all instrumental in enhancing the experience with their knowledge, skills and out of the goodness of their character.
Edward
Trip Guest
The trip was one of the most incredible experiences of my life... the scenery, the views, the guides, and the food! I loved how great the meals were!!! The guides were unbelievable cooks! After biking all day, to be able to sit down and eat a great meal & drink a beer ...man, it was great!”
Gary L
Trip Guest
I was worried riding and camping with a group… could I keep up?... would I "fit in"? I was able to keep up and push myself and was challenged by the terrain, I loved it! The group was great I had nothing to worry about, everyone was friendly and supportive.
Robin E
Trip Guest

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1-866-386-1590