Welcome to Roosevelt National Park in North Dakota - this time, sharing pictures from the South Unit, smack dab along I-94 in the southwestern corner of the state. Earlier, I featured the North Unit, far less visited by its geographic separation from this section and I-94.
Medora is a quaint yet typical tourist-trap of a town just off I-94, and 'base-camp' for people exploring Roosevelt, with the South Unit's entrance literally on the outskirts of town.
Given the proximity to I-94, the South Unit is far more heavily visited than the North Unit well removed to the northeast...and I found the North Unit to be a bit more picturesque. As you drive the limited-in-length Loop Road through the South Unit, you will notice how very few places there are to pull over and park...and I mean VERY few. All sorts of incredible mental photographs could not be made real because there was nowhere close by even to just pull over for a quick snap.
All of this was a home away from home to Mr. Roughrider himself, Teddy Roosevelt, who found the area salubrious for his health and prime territory for beginning his 'other' (brief) job as a cattle rancher in the 1880's (this immediately after both his wife and mother died on the same day back east). He ultimately bought the Elkhorn Ranch, now partially restored and part of the South Unit. However, visitors need a 4x4 vehicle and the ability to cross a river to get to it, which my wonderful but undersized Ford Escort wagon could not conquer.
Too, a goodly portion of the Loop Road was closed for a year for major repairs when I visited, so the Loop Road became the Crescent Road as you had to retrace your steps to come back out. Numerous hiking opportunities abound all around, but my 2-day traveling through both Units of the park didn't allow for anything other than minor jaunts.
The region is known as the North Dakota Badlands, as well as the Little Missouri Badlands, and is far greener in many parts than the South Dakota counterparts some 5 hours south and east. Lots of gorgeous sedimentary formations exposed, with the oxidizing minerals adding unique color banding to the myriad beds.
Inbetween the skinned ramparts were lush carpets of grass that surely provided good grazing for the 4-leggeds...but don't kid yourself that winters were easily dealt with. The beginning of the end of Roosevelt's lust for the rancher's life started after the winter of 1886-87 when he lost over 60% of his herd to winter's icy death grip. 3 summers later, he abandoned Elkhorn for good. I guess he had other things to go do...
Last week's Travelogue featured East River Road, a gorgeous gravel road that leads south out of Medora toward the South Dakota border...the road I slowly drove north to begin my Roosevelt N.P. tour. I thought I'd posted my video link to it on YouTube, but I had not. You can click on the link below to integrate these areas if'n you want:
East River Road video postcard
Medora is a quaint yet typical tourist-trap of a town just off I-94, and 'base-camp' for people exploring Roosevelt, with the South Unit's entrance literally on the outskirts of town.
Given the proximity to I-94, the South Unit is far more heavily visited than the North Unit well removed to the northeast...and I found the North Unit to be a bit more picturesque. As you drive the limited-in-length Loop Road through the South Unit, you will notice how very few places there are to pull over and park...and I mean VERY few. All sorts of incredible mental photographs could not be made real because there was nowhere close by even to just pull over for a quick snap.
All of this was a home away from home to Mr. Roughrider himself, Teddy Roosevelt, who found the area salubrious for his health and prime territory for beginning his 'other' (brief) job as a cattle rancher in the 1880's (this immediately after both his wife and mother died on the same day back east). He ultimately bought the Elkhorn Ranch, now partially restored and part of the South Unit. However, visitors need a 4x4 vehicle and the ability to cross a river to get to it, which my wonderful but undersized Ford Escort wagon could not conquer.
Too, a goodly portion of the Loop Road was closed for a year for major repairs when I visited, so the Loop Road became the Crescent Road as you had to retrace your steps to come back out. Numerous hiking opportunities abound all around, but my 2-day traveling through both Units of the park didn't allow for anything other than minor jaunts.
The region is known as the North Dakota Badlands, as well as the Little Missouri Badlands, and is far greener in many parts than the South Dakota counterparts some 5 hours south and east. Lots of gorgeous sedimentary formations exposed, with the oxidizing minerals adding unique color banding to the myriad beds.
Inbetween the skinned ramparts were lush carpets of grass that surely provided good grazing for the 4-leggeds...but don't kid yourself that winters were easily dealt with. The beginning of the end of Roosevelt's lust for the rancher's life started after the winter of 1886-87 when he lost over 60% of his herd to winter's icy death grip. 3 summers later, he abandoned Elkhorn for good. I guess he had other things to go do...
Last week's Travelogue featured East River Road, a gorgeous gravel road that leads south out of Medora toward the South Dakota border...the road I slowly drove north to begin my Roosevelt N.P. tour. I thought I'd posted my video link to it on YouTube, but I had not. You can click on the link below to integrate these areas if'n you want:East River Road video postcard
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