Teddy Roosevelt NP

We spent a couple of days touring Theodore Roosevelt National Park - North Unit. This is North Dakota's answer to the more famous Badlands in South Dakota. We were impressed. They were repaving the road and we had to wait for the pilot car several times, but even that had its advantages. More on that later.

In the park's 2009 count, there were eight longhorn steer. We saw the whole herd, although I didn't get them all in one picture.


We decided to hike the Caprock Coulee trail because it was recommended by the ranger, it was a loop, and it was the right length - 4.3 miles. The caprocks protect the soft clay beneath them and form interesting 'rain pillars.'


The first .75 mile of the trail takes you up a coulee. A coulee is a steep, narrow valley, formed by water, but usually dry in summer. We saw interesting cliffs and geological layers along the way.


Then the trail climbs out of the coulee to the grasslands of the higher elevations in the park. This is one of the best hikes I have ever taken! It ranks up there with my very favorite Devil's Garden trail in Arches NP.


We crossed ridges where the ground drops away on both sides for 360 degree views - I always love that.


We noticed something with big feet had also used the trail recently. (This time my foot is in purposely for size.)


The trail returns to the park road at this overlook. That's the Little Missouri River down there. We started a bit higher than the valley floor and hiked up about 400 feet in elevation change.

At this point, you can cut off the 1.4 downhill return if you shuttle a car. Since we only have one car, here's where the construction crew came in handy. Although I'm sure the hike down would have been just as lovely, we also wanted to do another 2 mile hike and I figured that would be too much for me. (Ron, of course, is the Energizer Bunny.) So we asked the pilot car driver for a ride back down. He said, "Sure!" and away we went.

After picking up the car, we drove back up and to the end of the road. I told you in a previous post, or maybe it was on Facebook, that I was going back where the buffalo roam. Well, we found them.


There were even some young ones.


Oh, too close!!!!!

Have you ever noticed that buffalo seem to have a crazed look in their eye? I'm glad we were in the car.

This was taken from the overlook at the end of the park road.

I also have a recommendation for a campground if you are ever in the area. About 8/10 of a mile south of the entrance to the park (remember this is the north unit,) there is a 1 mile gravel road off US 85 that heads west to a national forest campground. The campground is named CCC and is well marked - the turn is just at the south end of the bridge over the Little Missouri. It's gorgeous with views all around, has about 40 nice large sites, and is only $6 a night! (With that magical Golden Age pass, it's an unbelievable $3!) Of course, since this is a National Forest campground, it doesn't have hookups. But then what do you want for $6?