Northern Region Pack Train Returns to North Dakota, Helping Preserve the Maah Daah Hey Trail
Travis Bateman
Farmer Staff Writer
Historic mule team transports trail markers deep into the Dakota Prairie Grasslands while reconnecting visitors with a tradition dating back nearly a century.
The sound of mule hooves once again echoed across the rugged badlands of western North Dakota this summer as the U.S. Forest Service’s Northern Region Pack Train returned to the Dakota Prairie Grasslands for a second consecutive year, combining essential backcountry trail maintenance with public outreach during the nation’s Semiquincentennial celebration.
The specialized pack team, based in Montana, traveled to the Little Missouri National Grassland to complete work that simply cannot be accomplished with motorized equipment. Their mission centered on improving the Maah Daah Hey Trail, one of North Dakota’s premier outdoor recreation destinations and a nationally recognized 144-mile non-motorized trail stretching through the state’s rugged badlands.
Led by Pack Team Manager Robin Connell and Animal Handler John Leader, the crew arrived with two horses and eight mules, each specially trained to carry heavy loads across steep, remote terrain. During the project, the animals transported between two and four trail posts each, allowing crews to replace a total of 34 trail markers between mile markers 68 and 72 of the Maah Daah Hey Trail in a single day.
The work addressed missing trail markers along one of the most remote sections of the trail system, helping ensure hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers can confidently navigate the route through the often-challenging landscape.
A Traditional Solution
to a Modern Challenge
Unlike many trail systems that can be accessed by maintenance vehicles, portions of the Maah Daah Hey Trail traverse steep slopes, fragile soils, and federally protected backcountry where motorized travel is prohibited. Those restrictions protect the integrity of the landscape while preserving the trail’s primitive character, but they also create unique logistical challenges when infrastructure requires repair.
In those areas, pack animals remain one of the most effective - and environmentally responsible - ways to transport materials and equipment.
After the posts were delivered, volunteers from the Badlands Conservation Alliance, Badlands Conservation Corps, and Montana Conservation Corps installed the markers using gas-powered augers to drill uniform post holes before carefully packing the surrounding soil to secure each marker.
The following day, the pack train continued supporting maintenance efforts by transporting additional trail posts to the adjacent Cottonwood Trail and Bennett Creek Trail.
According to Dakota Prairie Grasslands Trails Manager Jeff Davis, clearly marked trail posts are critical for visitor safety. Wildlife and livestock frequently create side paths that can easily confuse hikers unfamiliar with the area, making consistent trail markers an important navigation aid throughout the backcountry.
Preserving a World-Class Trail
The Maah Daah Hey Trail is widely regarded as one of the nation’s premier long-distance trail systems, winding through colorful badlands, rolling prairie, deep creek bottoms, and expansive public lands across western North Dakota. The trail attracts hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers, and equestrians from across the United States and internationally.
Maintaining the trail requires a partnership between the U.S. Forest Service, volunteer organizations, conservation groups, and local supporters who contribute thousands of volunteer hours each year.
The return of the Northern Region Pack Train continues a partnership that began in 2025, when the team made its first North Dakota deployment in decades. During that inaugural visit, the pack train supported volunteers constructing a bridge over Bear Creek while also transporting trail markers along the Cottonwood-Bennett Creek Trail.
Forest Service officials said coordinating this year’s project required approximately seven months of planning before the team could once again travel to North Dakota.
Sharing Western Heritage
Beyond trail maintenance, the pack team also spent time introducing visitors to the traditional skills and equipment that continue to support modern public land management.
The crew presented live packing demonstrations during the Badlands & Bridles Public Lands Horse Use and Management event at Peaceful Valley Ranch in Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Visitors were able to watch traditional mule-packing techniques firsthand while learning how specialized saddles, panniers, and packing methods allow crews to transport supplies into remote landscapes inaccessible by vehicles.
The demonstrations highlighted a practice that has remained largely unchanged for generations and continues to play a vital role in wilderness stewardship throughout the western United States.
Celebrating America’s
250th Anniversary
The visit concluded with the Northern Region Pack Train participating in Dickinson’s 2026 Roughrider Days Parade as part of nationwide celebrations commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.
Joining Forest Service personnel and Dakota Prairie Grasslands fire engines, the mule team drew enthusiastic attention from parade spectators. According to the Forest Service, many attendees described the animals as one of the parade’s highlights, with numerous families approaching riders during pauses along the route to learn more about the horses, mules, and the unique work they perform.
The public appearances provided an opportunity for the Forest Service to connect western heritage with modern public land management while showcasing the continuing importance of pack animals in maintaining America’s public lands.
A Legacy Nearly a Century Old
Although the sight of loaded pack mules may appear to be a glimpse into the Old West, the Northern Region Pack Train remains an active and essential Forest Service program.
Its roots date back to 1930, when the historic Montana pack train was established to train mules for wildfire suppression and wilderness operations. Today, the team supports projects across Montana, northern Idaho, North Dakota, and northwestern South Dakota by transporting tools, supplies, bridge materials, trail signs, and equipment into locations where vehicles cannot travel.
The program also serves an educational mission, helping the public better understand both the history of western land management and the ongoing work required to maintain America’s public lands.
For North Dakota outdoor enthusiasts, the return of the Northern Region Pack Train represents more than a successful maintenance project. It underscores the collaborative effort required to preserve the Maah Daah Hey Trail and the Dakota Prairie Grasslands, ensuring future generations can continue exploring one of the state’s most iconic outdoor recreation destinations.