Nestled in western North Dakota is an area that captivated the 26th President of the United States, Theodore Roosevelt, before he began the war and political life we know him more for.
Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a memorial to the love Teddy Roosevelt felt for this region and landscape. This bit of nature nursed him back from the grief he felt after losing his young wife and his mother on the same day back in 1884.
(sporting my awesome KÜHL Renegade shorts courtesy of KÜHL- love to wear these in the outdoors!)
The park is constituted by three segments: the North Unit, the South Unit and the Elkorn Ranch Unit, all crossed by the Little Missouri River. The North Unit is most remote, about 80 miles north of the South Unit which sits on I-94 and is approached by the small and charming town of Medora. Both the North and South Units have campgrounds, scenic drives, and hiking trails.
The landscape is crafted by sharp erosion and, hence, called “badlands.” Landscape can be found easily with a herd of bison crossing the road in front of you not being a rare feature of the experience!
Some of my favorite spots at the National Park
- Wind Canyon Trail (South Unit): a very short walk (0.4 mi roundtrip) from the parking lot but offering a great view of the Little Missouri River and the sculpted landscape around it.
- Painted Canyon Trail (South Unit): a 4.2 mi loop that starts with a sharp descent (which you undo upon returning!) and takes you through neat geological features and lots of different vegetation (among which were multitudes of wild rosemary bushes!).
- Oxbow Overlook (North Unit) to Sperati Point: At the end of the in-and-out scenic drive of the North Unit, there is the overlook of the Little Missouri River, and the entrance to a long trail (South Achenbach Trail). For those not trying to do the full trail, a 1.2 mi walk one-way to Sperati Point delivers.
- Caprock Coulee Trail (North Unit): This could be done as a 4.1 mi loop, or a shorter in-and-out 1.6 mi roundtrip incursion.
- Cannonball mystery (North Unit): Stop at the Cannonball Concretions stop to look at these odd round rocks!
- Coal Vein Trail (South Unit): a short 0.8 mi loop with some steepness to it. Named that way because of a former fire in a coal vein in the area. Some smoke could still be visible per the signs but we didn’t see any.
- Various stops along the scenic drive with minimal amount of walking but great views such as Boicourt Trail, Buck Hill, etc.
While Theodore Roosevelt National Park feels remote, it is an interesting corner of North Dakota and the northern states. Towns like Medora and Dickinson make it easy for the visitor to find all they need.
For us, the visit also included driving all the way across North Dakota starting in Fargo. This allowed us to see the majestic lands in between either end of the state. And, in that crossing, we stopped in Nome, ND and stayed at the amazing restoration of a former school, now a retreat center and small hotel: the Nome Schoolhouse. A little out of the way from the interstate but well worth the drive to this charming place! I recommend it!
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