North Dakota and Teddy Roosevelt

Not knowing much about North Dakota other than it was between here and there on our travels, I set out on a google search. When it came time to travel through this unknown place, I was ready and excited. There’s a not so well known National Park in North Dakota named after our 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP). I’ve always admired Teddy Roosevelt and his commitment to conservation and our national parks. So, TRNP here we come!

North Dakota’s also home to a giant buffalo AND a giant cow! 🙂

The Interstate 94 Tour

The world’s largest buffalo monument is found in Jamestown. This beast is 26 feet high and 46 feet long. New Salem is home to the world’s largest Holstein Cow. Sue stands 38 feet tall and 50 feet long. All visible from I-94.

But wait there’s more…

You can find the largest metal sculpture in the world in North Dakota, too. Retired schoolteacher Gary Greff erected “Geese in Flight” to break up the monotony of the highway. It’s 156 feet long and 100 feet tall. This sculpture led to 6 more along a 32 stretch of highway between Gladstone and Regent known as The Enchanted Highway. We didn’t make that trek since our goal was the TRNP. But it is definitely on our list for future trips!

I highly recommend the Interstate 94 Tour through North Dakota! Check out their website for more info! I

We broke up the “monotony” with an overnight in Mandan, ND at the local Walmart! Nothing says Solitude like the Lifestyle in a parking lot!! LOL

A few other important facts to know before traveling through North Dakota….It’s illegal to wear a hat at a party where other people are dancing. It is also illegal in North Dakota to take a nap with your shoes on. Good thing John drives with his shoes off! LOL

Traveled 323 miles. 7 hours with a Costco Stop!

A 142 mile Adventure

Driving into headwinds is NO fun! Knowing the wind was going to be an issue, we put as many miles behind us yesterday as we could. Only 142 miles to our home for the next few days while we explore Teddy Roosevelt’s Badlands. And what an adventurous 142 miles it was!

Another recommended stop on Interstate 94 on the way into Theodore Roosevelt National Park is the Painted Canyon Visitors Center. An easy on/off from I-94 with a large parking lot for RVs. We wandered the visitor center and gift shop then stepped into the wind to get a few shots of the picturesque landscape. It was breathtaking! Unfortunately the wind kept us from venturing along the trails. They do allow overnight parking parking if needed.

Raise your hand if the Garmin Girl has ever led you down the wrong road! Our experience finding Buffalo Gap Ranch right off I-94 near Medora, ND is by far the most adventurous detour she’s taken us on! We knew from the reviews that there would be about a mile and half of gravel road. But when that gravel road turned into a one lane ranch road complete with a cow crossing we began to question the Garmin Girl. Of course, being in the middle of no where there was NO cell reception! As John was scoping out a possible place to turn around our 42′ Beast on a gravel road with no shoulder, a kind rancher drove up. She immediately asks, “Y’all looking for Buffalo Gap Ranch?” Apparently, having lost RVs traveling through her homestead is not an uncommon site. She told us the best bet was to keep on going, the road would eventually come out to the interstate again. OK, we’ve been on worse roads in the UP! Life is an adventure no matter what road you’re on!

Buffalo Gap Ranch

30 minutes later found Buffalo Gap Ranch. At $35 a nite, this full hook up site is nestled in the grasslands surrounded by the buttes and high plateaus of North Dakota’s badlands. Besides having an RV site, there are cabins with horse stalls that cater to trail riders and hunters and a rustic motel that looks like an old west town. There’s also a full bar and kitchen, a pretty decent breakfast buffet, a beautiful patio to watch the sunsets, and an entertaining donkey!! All in all it’s a very charming place.

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

“I have always said I never would have been President if it had not been for my experiences in North Dakota.” ~Teddy Roosevelt

This TR quote moved me. As an Environmental Educator and a self-proclaimed Lorax, I know how the natural world can inspire. I was even more excited to see the TRNP. I will say that this national park needs to be on everyone’s bucket list and when you come, be sure to stop at the visitor’s center first to learn all things Teddy and his connection to his beloved North Dakota. Then pack your camera, sunscreen, and extra water bottles for the 36 mile scenic drive and prepare to be in awe! We spent about 4 hours driving and hiking the short trails to iconic overlooks. I’ve since read that the late afternoon sun makes the colors of the badlands even more beautiful.

The landscape of the North Dakota Badlands lacks the sharply eroded buttes, pinnacles and spires of South Dakota’s. However, it is just as beautifully rugged. I can see why Teddy found solace here after losing his wife and mother on the same day. In Teddy’s words, “I grow very fond of this place, and it certainly has a desolate, grim beauty of its own, that has a curious fascination for me.”

Animals of the Badlands

Although the badlands make human habitation difficult; animals don’t have any problem. Buffalo, prairie dogs, hawks, coyotes and pronghorns thrive here. They seem to “allow” humans into their world without much ado. HOWEVER, they are still very much wild and will let you know if you venture too close. I loved this reminder at the visitor’s center.

A special treat was a spying several bands of wild horses that live in the Badlands. These horses are descendants of herds that grazed here during Teddy’s time. When the land was designated a National Park, the horses were rounded up and removed. These lovely beasts escaped capture and rules where changed to allow them to stay. I love that part!

An Ever Changing Landscape

The colorful rock layers tell the story of how this area is constantly changing. The black lignite coal layers are the remains of prehistoric plants and animals. The brick red layer is called clinker. It forms when the coal seams catch fire and bake the rocks above it. This extremely hard rock is often the caprock on top of buttes. The yellow tan layer is sandstone. Bentonite clay is the blue-grey layer that was made of ash from distant volcanoes.

Obviously wind and rain erosion are the main culprits of the ever changing vista. However, in the badlands coal seam fires also are a big factor. Being exposed, the coal seams are susceptible to catch fire from lightning strikes and wildfires. The pics show trenches dug to help mitigate spread of a coal seam fire that’s been burning since 2018. Crazy fun fact: The Rangers said there as many as 20 active coal seam fires in the park today! Wowza!

When coal seams burn underground cracks are formed in the hillside. When rain penetrates these cracks, the bentonite clay becomes slippery and the hill slowly slumps away. A process known as slumping. This allows the clinkers formed from the fires to become more visible. I snapped the pic of a massive clinker that is known as a chimney; formed from vertical fires that raised up cracks in the hillside in “search” of oxygen. Cool, huh!

Medora, a Small Town with a Big Fun

Medora is a small town with less than 200 year round residents. But it’s history is BIG. I wish I had researched this little town before our trip. I would have planned on staying a few extra days. It’s home to a National Park, a State Historical Site, a Presidential Library, and North Dakota’s Cowboy Hall of Fame. And it’s all staged in a quaint town that still looks like it belongs in a different century!

Some of the buildings are centuries old, like the Rough Riders Hotel. Seen in the old pic circa 1884 and in my picture circa 2021. The Cottonwood tree trunk in the pic was known as the “Hanging Tree” and has been part of Main Street since the 1880s. See the old pic! It blew down in a 2017 storm. Medora was named after the Marquis de Mores’s wife in 1883 when he started a meat packing plant and shipped meat east in refrigerated rail cars. The Marquis built a summer home the Chateau de Mores in Medora, which is now a State Historical Site. It is said he helped “build” the town, but it is Teddy who made it famous! On my next visit I plan on doing more than just having a cold beverage after exploring TRNP!

Time to Hit the Road…Continuing West on I-94…