Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is made up of three distinct areas of the North Dakota badlands. Those three regions are the North Unit, the South Unit and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. It is named after the United States President who used to roam, hunt and ranch here in the 1880s. He first came to the area to hunt bison early in the decade and soon fell in love with the perfect freedom and rugged lifestyle of the West. The strenuous outdoor activities and hardships he saw here, for example when his cattle died in the harsh starvation winter of 1886-87, played a big part in forming President Roosevelt's views and shaping his conservation policies.

Photo Courtesy: http://images.summitpost.org/original/553558.jpg

Today, the park is still an unspoiled tract of wilderness, the largest sections of such in the state. Many people visit the park each year to enjoy themselves in the raw and beautiful nature found in this part of the world. This is a premier location for wildlife watching. The park is home to a great variety of animal life. Great Plains animals such as bison, elk, mule and white-tailed deer, prairie dogs, feral horses and big horn sheep are all found here. You may not be aware that bison can be dangerous and so tourists travelling through these parts are warned to only view these mighty beasts from a distance. Interestingly, though these animals seem in perfect harmony with their surroundings, populations of bison, elk and horses need to be carefully managed by park rangers in order to maintain a balanced ecosystem.

While some may enjoy the very touristy 'Western' experience in the park's gateway town of Medora, others may prefer something a little more authentic. The natural landscape can offer authenticity in abundance. Whether you take in these areas of North Dakota on one of the scenic drives through the two main areas, or hike, bike or ride on horseback on over one hundred miles of trails throughout the park, you are bound to be captivated by the rock formations and lush grasslands.

Those with an interest in Theodore Roosevelt will enjoy seeing his Maltese Cross Cabin. This little log cabin can be seen year round at the South Unit Visitor Centre. It was Roosevelt's first cabin the Dakota Territory and was originally located about seven miles south of Medora near the Little Missouri River. Though it may seem very small to us today, this log cabin was actually rather large and extravagant for its day. Perhaps one could argue this this exhibit, like the 'Westernness' of Medora, is a bit hokey and inauthentic, but while the cabin has been moved to its present location, and most of the objects in it are just period pieces representing a typical cabin of the times, there are a few items present in the cabin today which actually did belong to Theodore Roosevelt, some original to the cabin and some taken from Roosevelt's main ranch at Elkhorn Range, where he spent far more time.

Even with the inauthenticity of the some of the exhibits, Theodore Roosevelt National Park is well worth a visit. It is, after all, the landscape that most people really come to see.

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