Theodore Roosevelt National Park-North Unit (Part II)
The weather was great, the scenery spectacular, and big furry friends met us halfway through the ride!
AUTHOR’S NOTE: Last night, half of my post about our day (and evening) in Medora, the tour through the Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and the fun dinner and show was mysteriously lost, escaped into the ether. If you opened and read the story in your email yesterday, you only got a glimpse of our experience.
If you want to read the FULL STORY, re-open your email, and click “open in App” or “Online”, you won’t be sorry if you do!
Back to today’s excursion (it was epic).
We were jazzed about the day when we got up in the morning. The sun was shining bright, the skies were cobalt blue with wisps of cottony clouds, and the temperature was 72 degrees, making it a perfect day for Minney to spend the day topless. But first, we needed to stop for gas.
We were heading approximately 60 miles for the second day of TRNP exploration, traveling north towards the oil and gas mining town of Walport, ND.
When we arrived at the park, we were surprised it was nearly empty; during our four-hour driving tour, we may have only passed 30-40 vehicles. The lack of people made our day trip even more enjoyable.
The potent smell of wild sage filled the air at every stop we made along the windy roadway.
Then it happened, a lifetime surprise as we explored the Badlands of North Dakota.
BISON!
An entire herd was crossing and blocking the road right before us!!!
LisaMarie quickly released her seatbelt stood on her seat and began shooting photos and videos through the opened convertible top (African Safari-style).
Did that really happen?
We were stopped and mesmerized for at least 15-20 minutes as the herd took their time crossing the street, and no one was rushing them.
These 2,000-pound beasts (which run at speeds of 30 mph) were taking their time, and we were happy to let them show off, snort, threaten, and then move the herd on their way. These last two bulls were making it clear to us that they had a job to do: to ensure no one messed with the rear of the herd.
As a sport fisherman, I can tell you this experience was equivalent to bringing in a monster trophy fish, an event that will never be forgotten.
We continued exploring every aspect of the park, stopped at every reader display, and explored each stop and its significance. The cannonballs were fascinating to learn about as well.
The CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) presence was evident throughout this park; if you aren’t aware of their invaluable service to our country, click the link. Nearly all of the National Parks received some level of service or support during the peak years of the CCC’s active involvement, such as building this scenic overlook high above the Little Missouri River at the park.
LisaMarie and I enjoyed observing the wildlife with our binoculars,
and hiking the numerous trails throughout the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Even Minney may have gotten some satisfaction as she spent a little time in the shade resting on top of the butte after our rigorous drive.
It was such a fantastic day!
That night after dinner, we saw artwork capturing famous folks we found that is worth sharing. It was as if we could have been part of their campfire after our day in the park. We wanted to share it with you to see if you can name all the famous folks depicted (who, like us) have explored the Badlands of North Dakota.
We hope you enjoyed your time with us in North Dakota. We are heading to South Dakota in the morning. See you soon.
Hey Wendy! Great to see you guys are still following along. We stayed at the Red Trail RV Park (in town).
Great installment, I expect one of those bulls may have thought twice about Minnie.