Blogs from Theodore Roosevelt NP, North Dakota, United States, North America
Oh....My....Lord.....We,re Exhausted....And not even near our Camp!
Published: May 19th 2012North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPFriday, May 18, 2012. A bit of rain around 2:00 a.m. pattered on the tent, but no wind. Birds sang late into the night all around us. Up and "at em" at 6:30 a.m. Tom and I had a good "stick to your bones" breakfast of my concoction of Potato crowns, Spam, Goose sausage (Tom supplied) Mozzarella and Colby cheese and Eggs all mixed together and wrapped in tin foil for warming on the grill. Some coffee and juice, loaded the bikes and headed back out to U.S. Highway 85 for the trip north to the CCC camp just south of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park's north unit...a left turn just before you cross the bridge. We unloaded the bikes, registered with our names and destination, and lifted the gate at mile post 97 of the ... read more
August 17--Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota
Published: September 2nd 2011North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPWednesday, August 17th, 2011 Blue, blue, sky and 56 degrees. Starting mileage is 15558 today. First thing we did this morning is move our site and re-register for another night. After we accomplished that task, we started out to drive the 36 mile Scenic Loop Drive which is paved road with interpretive signs that explain the park's historical and natural features. One of the first things we wanted to do was to check out the prices to go horseback riding. On the way, we spotted two wild turkeys as we drove to the riding stables in the Peaceful Valley area of the park located about 3 miles from the campground. Here was an old homestead and horse ranch that was operational in the 1880 during the heyday of cattle ranching. The ranch house built in 1885 ... read more
Minnesota to Roosevelt National Park, ND
Published: May 30th 2011North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPDay 1-2: Cottonwood Campground: Theodore Roosevelt National Park We leave Minnesota early and drive through torents of rain for 12 hours across Minnesota and North Dakota on I-94. We find a great campsite and decide to stay for 2 nights. Don is feeling pretty good after his surgery to replace the bone marrow of his femur with a titanium rod. There are bison in the campground including the biggest bull we had ever seen. We enjoyed a 36-mile scenic drive full of badland formations and wildlife. We saw several groupings of wild horses. It feels so wonderful to witness the freedom on our cherished wildlife. Erosion has worn away sand and clay and only the hardest materials remain, leaving the maize of colorful buttes and canyons. Roosevelt first came to the badlands in 1883 and became ... read more
Teddy Roosevelt National Park, Southern Unit
Published: August 6th 2010North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPEntry 14: Teddy Roosevelt National Park, Southern Unit, August 1, 2010 A 2-hour drive south through the Little Missouri National Grasslands lead me to the small, but “western commercialized” town of Medora, gateway to the T.R. National Park’s Southern Unit, which features a 36-mile scenic drive and offers more “close inspection” of the Badlands varied geographic features. The winding road showcases the massive length of the Badlands, and proves that, in fact, Roosevelt was right to fall in love with this place, as tough as it is. Because it was high noon, the sun was blasting down, overheating both Sophie and myself. I was determined to find water (it’s easy to see where water does flow, as dark green patches are woody trees and shrubs). There’s only one river running through, the Little Missouri, and from ... read more
Teddy Roosevelt National Park: North Unit, North Dakota
Published: August 6th 2010North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPEntry 13: Nature’s Politician: Teddy Roosevelt, July 31, 2010 If Yellowstone National Park is the heart of America, then Teddy Roosevelt National Park is the soul. If the North Dakota Badlands had not had such an impact of our former President, who first ventured there on a cattle-buying deal with a partner in 1883, then there’s a good chance that he would have not have started the “National Park” process going by establishing the Antiquities Act of 1906. Noting that the Plains’ large animals (buffalo in particular) were being depleted by mans’ hands in alarming numbers, one of Roosevelt’s strongest agendas was to begin to preserve similar primitive lands in America. In fact, he created 5 National Parks, and termed other lands “wildlife refuges,” allowing many to later become National Parks. Quite positive action from a ... read more
North Dakota and first day at South Dakota
Published: June 28th 2010North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPHere are some of the pictures from North and South Dakota. Our first stop was at the Theodore Roosevelt Nat'l. Park in N. Dakota. A very different landscape from where we have been. This is what they call the bad lands. We spend a nice evening with Kevin and family and stayed at Ellsworth AFB, a very nice RV park. A storm moved in that night and gave us some neat sky pictures. From there we went on down to S. Dakota and Mount Rushmore. Topped off the day with a chuckwagon dinner and country western show, hee haw !!... read more
Beautiful North Dakota
Published: December 28th 2009North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPOne of my last visits to Theodore Roosevelt National Park before I moved. So pretty. Animals were out and about. Also had more flowers with all the rain than I had remembered in previous years. Very, very pretty. I'll miss you, TR!... read more
Teddy Roosevelt National Park 1 July
Published: August 12th 2008North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPWe left Pierre the morning of the 1st and drove to Bismark, ND andstayed the night. We left the nect morning and made it to TRNP and stayed in the Badands of North Dakota. We enjoyed the park very much, wild horses, buffalo wandered around the park. Into our campsite in the Buffalos case. We all went hiking and had a great time ... read more
From the Center to the Bully Badlands
Published: July 9th 2008North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPHey, we're in North Dakota. How many of you have ever said that? Hwy 85 north from Belle Fourche, SD, to I-94 in North Dakota is a 175-mile, mostly straight road with rolling prairie on either side from horizon to horizon, broken occasionally by buttes or rocky outcroppings. There are few trees, fewer houses, lots of cattle, sheep, some horses, and a good number of pronghorn antelope. The landscape is dotted now and then with big rolls of hay and the odd oil well pumping away. However, once you get into ND, there are more cultivated fields. We went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park at Medora, ND. We drove the 35 mile scenic loop. It looks a lot like South Dakota's badlands, but it is much greener, not as dry and dead-looking. We only saw ... read more
A Beautiful Day in North Dakota
Published: June 16th 2008North America » United States » North Dakota » Theodore Roosevelt NPSpent the day touring the South and North Units of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Perfect skies and moderate temp. A little windy, but that kept things comfortable. With gas prices now at $3.99/gallon, it's expensive to travel much of anywhere and I was itching to go somewhere, so headed to the western side of my state of North Dakota to see some of our beautiful landscape. Ended up being a great day to tour the Park. We've had plenty of rain recently so everything is greening up well. Made the colors in the Badlands start to pop out. With some more rain, it will really green up and the Park will be near perfect. The animals were also out today. I wasn't able to snap any pictures of birds or deer. They were there but ... read more








































