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Published: September 19th 2023
Today's travels took place with a single focus: seeing the South and North units of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We had originally planned to include Lewis and Clark State Park (ND) but time precluded that visit.
In 1883 a young Theodore Roosevelt, wealthy, educated, scientifically keen, and already a published ornithologist, came to North Dakota and established a cattle ranching operation there. Partners ran the ranch for him. Following the postpartum death of his wife and the death of his mother the same day, he came back out to North Dakota and spent considerable time. He became a fervent believer in the cause of conservation. When he became the 26th POTUS following the assassination of William McKinley, he used the legislative process and an unprecedented number of executive orders to create 5 new national parks, establish the Forest Service, pass the 1906 Antiquities Act which allowed him to create 18 national monuments. He also established the first 51 bird preserves, 4 game preserves, and 150 national forests. Shortly after TR's death in 1919, a movement began to establish a memorial park in his honor. Numerous sites were suggested, but his beloved area of the Little Missouri River badlands was eventually
selected. In 1948 this was designated the Theodore Roosevelt National Memorial Park, and consisted basically of what are now the South Unit and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. A little over a year later the North Unit was added. In November 1978 President Jimmy Carter signed the law making it a national park.
The Elkhorn Ranch Unit is the site of TR's second and largest cattle ranching operation, but by 1890 he quit visiting, and he sold it to one of his business partners in 1898. By 1901 there was nothing left of the ranch but a couple of rotting foundations. The area is now maintained in an undeveloped state, and is really only reachable with high clearance vehicles. We did not make the trip.
The South Unit consists of badlands and grasslands. These offer some scenic beauty, but the real attraction is the wildlife. Bison, bighorn sheep, and elk had been extirpated in the park area by the time of the establishment of the park in the 1940's, but now all have been reintroduced. At least that is the rumor. We spent all day looking for elk and bighorn sheep with no success. Bison were plentiful and fun
to watch. There are not top predators here other than a rare mountain lion visit. Therefore the park service must actively manage these herds. Bison are rounded up every 2-3 years, and some number of individual animals are selected for transport to Native American tribes for their lands, to zoos, and to other wildlife populations. Since 2017 the park service has introduced a system of bringing in some bison from outside to increase genetic diversity. The park is fenced to contain the bison. Deer and pronghorns can go over the fences and roam widely if they wish. These populations are not at risk of population growth beyond sustainability. Elk used to be managed in a manner similar to that for bison, but since 2010 the emergency of chronic wasting disease has restricted relocation of these animals, so direct culling is necessary. The meat obtained is given to Native American tribes of Sportsmen Against Hunger. There are also small herds of wild horses.
When we got to the visitor center for the South Unit, they were just about to begin a narrative by an employee dressed as TR. He did a great job of staying in character and telling the
history of the park, after which we got to tour the Maltese Cross cabin, the first TR stayed in when he arrived the first time.
The North Unit has more badlands, including one area where spectacular spherical concretions are prominently visible. These spherical concretions look purpose-made, but in fact are just the natural result of geologic process. Under the right conditions, an object such as a fossil can be enveloped in sediment, and then a binding mineral such as calcite creates a natural concrete between the sand grains that are accumulating. These can often create a spherical shape, and such concretions are known worldwide, ranging in size from marble size to over 30 feet in diameter.
The park also provides good views of the Little Missouri River. There is an area of multiple petrified trees, but the trail is steep in areas and difficult, so we did not tackle it. The North Unit also contains large deposits of bentonitic clay. Bentonite is formed from volcanic ash usually in seawater. The amorphous silicon leaches out, and the result is a clay that can absorb up to 8 times its weight in water. It is used in drilling for the
mud, and as a binder. More to my own interest, it adsorbs large quantities of protein, and is used as a fining agent in wine production, particularly white wines, which would other wise have flocculent clouds of protein materials when exposed to warmth. Ther was one place that had an unusual small canyon carved by wind that is funneled by the slopes around it. I decided to go down through it. The sand on the slopes was particularly fine and particularly deep, and I looked particularly stupid standing up and dusting myself off after a spectacularly poor job of surfing down it.
I don't usually have a lot to say about the towns where we stay unless they are notable. Williston is notable. If God ever decided to give the world an enema, he will plug it in at Williston. This formerly sleepy small town had the misfortune to become the center of a large petroleum deposit that can be obtained through fracking. Large numbers of people, particularly young men, moved into the area suddenly, and it appears the town was overwhelmed. Today it is mostly an unpleasant and ugly hodgepodge of cheap housing and cheaper bars. Our lodging
was a Baymont (never again) with a nice large pretty new sign and an interior that was many stages of deterioration below tired and worn. We chose to eat downtown, primarily because that was the only place we could find anything that was not fast food. Our lives felt like they were constantly in danger on the downtown sidewalks from the profusion of men driving souped up muscle cars and pickups up and down the Main Street, racing each other for a block or so. I felt like I was back in the Hardee's parking lot in Charleston in the early 60's. Awful place. I won't ever return, and pity those who must.
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2023 Lewis and Clark trip 365 Theodore Roosevelt National Park South Unit ND 071723
