Medora North Dakota/Theodore Roosevelt NP





It was a long drive to North Dakota and we ended up sleeping at a rest stop somewhere in the middle of Minnesota.  The scenery change was quite interesting leaving the lush landscape of Michigan to the rolling hills and prairie lands of North Dakota.  But nothing could prepare us for the beauty of the buttes and hoodos of Theodore Roosevelt Park.  At first glance it reminded me of the Painted Desert in Arizona.  We stopped at the South Entrance Visitor Center which had an overlook with incredible views.  The air was hot and we decided to browse the gift shop before heading back to the RV.  Ollie got a book on Bison and was anxious to learn about these majestic creatures.


We arrived in Medora around 3:00 and stopped at the Red Tail campground and got one of the last campsites for the night.  With sleeping arrangements secured, we decided to explore the park.  The park is divided into 2 parts.  The southern end which is in Medora a small populated town and the northern end which is a bit more rustic and less crowded.  We drove the switch back road enjoying the views at every turn.  We stumbled upon Cottonwood Camp ground and grabbed a site there for the night as well.  Guy and I stayed in this campground 10 years ago and woke to Bison at our campsite.  Oliver was thrilled with this idea!  We decided we would cancel our other site and stay in the remote park instead.  We continued our drive around the park.  First stop Prarrie Dog Town.  These little critters were EVERYWHERE!
Mound after mound could be seen on the slopping hills.  Apparently, they have a very intricate tunnel system that rattlesnake, rabbits and even badgers take advantage of. 

Around the bend up in the distance (across from the campsite we just decided to stay in) was a herd of Bison.  Oliver was impressed with the size of them.


It was getting late so we grabbed some dinner on the main street then headed across the street for a short hike on this rugged terrain.  We saw a few deer who were unimpressed with our presence.  The hike was steep and I had a difficult time keeping up with Oliver.  The oppressive heat drains my energy level and I had to stay back while he and Guy climbed to the top where Oliver says he had the most beautiful views he had ever seen.  We watched the sun leave the sky then headed back to camp.



On our way back to our camp sight we were surprised by two fawns along the railroad track.  Mama approached and the babies ran to her and suckled.  It was a special moment to witness

  We decided to stay at the Red Tail when we got there because.....well, we were just too tired to move.  It was nice to have full hookup as well and we ran the A/C all night.   The next morning we hopped on our bikes and rode into downtown Medora (2 blocks from our camp sight!)  We had a cowboy breakfast, packed up camp and headed back to the park for some more exploring.  We entered the visitor center, watched a movie about the park and the legacy Theodore Roosevelt has left behind with his conservation legislation. He protected 230 million acres as public land as forests, parks and monuments and refuges to protect wildlife, habitats and scenery.  He states that his time at the ranch here prepared him for his presidency.  Truly he was a great man!

                                                  Roosevelts cabin when he was a rancher here

                             Bison and Big Horn sheep horns.  These animals can be seen in the park
 
The heat is oppressive.  We returned to our campsite within the park under a shade tree and rested a bit before heading out toward South Dakota.  We truly enjoyed our time here and this National Park ranks as one of our favorites.





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