THEODORE ROOSEVELT NATIONAL PARK 
 NORTH DAKOTA

While the scenery doesn't really vary in this park compared to countless national parks we've been to, JR and I were pleasantly surprised by the animals . We drove through the 32-mile south unit loop twice over three days.  During the late evening dusk and early dawn safari hunts with our cameras there were great sightings of animals out amongst the sharp laden buttes, grassland plains and sagebrush of the desolate grim, beauty of the Badlands. 

More bison herds here roam than in Yellowstone NP

Sunrises and sunsets were an added bonus to our adventures spotting prairie dogs galore pop in and out of holes, wild horses grazing, herds of bison crossing the road, two coyotes looping up the hillside, wild turkeys and western prairie chickens forging in flocks, pronghorn antelope and white tailed deer staring us down before turning to leap away and jack rabbits hopping into the bushes. 

Prairie dogs galore

 

Prairie Dog Towns 

It wasn’t hard to understand why Teddy Roosevelt came here to hunt big game, purchased Maltisse Ranch and Elkhorn Ranch where he romanced the outdoors and spent what he called “the best years in his life” as a cowboy rancher from 1883-1900 in the Badlands before getting into politics. 
Sitting in the Medora Old Townhall  Theater listening to  Joe Wiegand, a terrific improviser, role play "Teddy Live" was delightfully informative and a “bully” good time. His performance filled us with wonderful adventure stories, wit and humor about the 26^th U.S.President’s life.

Wild horses graze and roam free in the park

Black tailed deer in the grassland

Spotting a pronghorn was a thrill

To beat the 102º heat we headed into Medora a quaint little western town at the entrance to the park to the saloon for air condition relief and cold drinks.

Checking out the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame was interesting seeing rodeo clothing, saddles,  silver belt buckets and spurs.

An evening attending a Medora Pitchfork Steak and Cowboy Cookout was great grub eating outdoors high up on a butte.  

Afterwards at a nearby amphitheater beneath an open starlit night sky the Medora Musical’s 50^th Year Anniversary troupe performed a smashing North Dakota entertainment show that outdoes the glam and glitter of Las Vegas

Teddy Roosevelt Rough Riders on horseback came on stage as an opening thrill for the audience

North Dakota Badlands along the Little Missouri River nestled amongst the cottonwood trees with a herd of bison ain’t too shabby either folks. The creatures were rather docile meandering along and oblivious to traffic

Well we gotta say It sure beats the North Dakota oil fields and road construction.

"Okay which one has the right away?"we laughed waiting for the road to clear