Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Theodore Roosevelt National Park is a national park that is located in the North Dakota Badlands. The park is named for the 26th president, Theodore Roosevelt, who was noted for his passionate devotion to the conservation of the nation's natural resources.

Understand
"I would not have been President, had it not been for my experience in North Dakota."

- Theodore Roosevelt

The park's 70,448 acres are divided into three units: South Unit, North Unit and the Elkhorn Ranch Unit. The terrain of the park includes badlands, open prairie, hard wood draws. It is home to bison, prairie dogs and many other wildlife species. The Little Missouri River runs through the park.


 * Visitor Information - Park Headquarters,.
 * Visitor Information - North Unit,.
 * Visitor Information - South Unit, ext. 3417.

If visiting multiple sites in one day, remember that the North Unit is in the Central Time Zone, while the South Unit follows Mountain Time.

History
The park was home to the Sioux people, nomadic horsemen of the plains who were skilled at the art (and survival skill) of hunting buffalo. They were excellent horsemen and warriors, producing some well known figures of the American Indian Wars, such as the brilliant strategist and warrior Red Cloud, the only Native American to ever win a war against the United States, and the brave, death-seeking Crazy Horse, whom is famous for his bravery in battle and skill in mounted combat, and who once declared before his ultimate fall that "Today is a good day to die, men!"

As Euro-Americans began to encroach on the Great Plains, the area was home to buffalo hunters who nearly drove the buffalo into extinction in order to make way for the railroads, often shooting them from the comfort of the train itself. Many people came to the area in search of gold and to make a living, and many flocked to the region under the Homestead Act of 1862, which gave free land to anyone willing to develop it. This proved to be one of the main catalysts for the Sioux Wars, which resulted in competition for resources between the Sioux and the Homesteaders. The Sioux were finally driven out of the area in the 1870s, forced to move to reservations such as Pine Ridge and Crow Creek.

Homesteaders came from many places, as far away as areas like Scandinavia and Germany, and as close as the Midwest and the Eastern Seaboard. Life here was very difficult. The area granted to the Homesteaders was designed for a family farm in more eastern climates, and wasn't nearly large enough to make a living in the semi-arid conditions and the poor soil.

Many fossil hunters such as the famed paleontologist Edward Drinker Cope and the famed rockhound Barnum Brown "hounded" the region for fossils, discovering marvelous specimens such as Tyrannosaurus and Ornitholestes, as well as many mammals such as Hyaenodon horridus and many, many oreodont fossils, the sheep of the Oligocene.

The park is named for US President Theodore Roosevelt who lived in North Dakota (then the Dakota Territory) during the 1880s, owning and operating two ranches. It was here he fell in love with outdoors and the West, which made him a strong advocate of conservation during his time as President. After Roosevelt's death in 1919, the badlands were scoured for potential national park sites to memorialize him, and park was put together with areas that included his Elkhorn Ranch.

Landscape
The landscape was formed five million years ago when due to uplift the region that would become the Badlands became exposed and gradually eroded over the millennia to the state it is in today. Many spirals, summits, and valleys can be found, with numerous fossil bearing rocks found, ranging from the Cretaceous to the Oligocene.

Flora and fauna
An abundance of native grasses provide sustenance for larger grazing animals: bison, elk, pronghorn antelope, white-tailed and mule deer, bighorn sheep and feral horses.

Once land is grazed or disturbed, it becomes prime habitat for prairie dogs to build their towns. The park's prairie dog towns are a great place to find birds feeding on seeds, burrowing owls making their dens, and prairie rattlesnakes or bull snakes living in abandoned burrows. It is not uncommon to see a golden eagle flying overhead, or a porcupine ambling up a tree to snack on the tree bark.

Climate
Summers are warm with temperatures in the 80s and 90s (°Fahrenheit). Evenings are often cool. Annual precipitation is 15 inches. Winters are cold with brief warming periods.

Visitor information

 * Park website





By car
The South Unit entrance and South Unit (Medora) Visitor Center are located in Medora, just off Interstate 94 (exits 23 & 27) and is 135 miles west of Bismarck, North Dakota.

The Painted Canyon Visitor Center is located 7 miles east of Medora just off I-94 at exit 32. It is open seasonally, from May 1st to mid-November.

The North Unit entrance is 16 miles south of Watford City along U.S. Highway 85. The distance between Medora at the South Unit and the North Unit is 70 miles via I-94 and U.S. Highway 85.

The Elkhorn Ranch Unit is only accessible via unpaved dirt roads. During winter months and after rainfall, driving may be impossible without a high-clearance vehicle and/or 4-wheel drive. Other types of cars may be fine during drier periods. Check with a ranger at the North or South Unit for current conditions and specific directions. Be aware that there is no cell coverage, so if you want to use your phone for directions, you will need to load offline maps ahead of time. Note too that there is a similarly named "Elkhorn Ranch" that is private property, so ensure your directions are to "Elkhorn Ranch Unit" instead.

There is no public bus transportation along Highway 85 and to the North Unit.

By plane
Air service is available into the western North Dakota towns of Bismarck, Dickinson and Williston.

By train
Train service via Amtrak is available into Williston, North Dakota.

Fees and permits
Entrance fees are good for seven days and allow entry into all units of the park As of 2020, entrance fees are:


 * $15 Non-motorized Individual Entrance Fee
 * $25 Motorcycle Entrance Fee
 * $30 Vehicle Entrance Fee
 * $55 Theodore Roosevelt National Park Annual Pass
 * $50 Commercial Vehicle 7-15 Passenger Capacity
 * $60 Commercial Vehicle 16-25 Passenger Capacity
 * $150 Commercial Vehicle 25+ Passenger Capacity

Get around
The North and South Units each have long scenic drives with numerous pulloffs and trailheads. Off the road, the options are hiking, biking, and horseback riding. There is no public transportation.

Do

 * Hiking or horseback riding The park has over 100 miles of trails. They range from short walks of less than a mile to treks of several miles that require more than a day to complete. Peaceful Valley Ranch, 701-623-4568, is the park's operator for guided horseback trail rides.

There is also the option to travel cross country off the trails. In order to camp overnight a free permit is required.

Buy
Books and small souvenirs are available at all three visitor centers.

Eat and drink
There is no food available for purchase within the park boundaries, except for a few small vending machines at the North Unit and Painted Canyon visitor centers. South Unit visitors can hop over to Medora to stock up. Visitor centers have water fountains, and the Cottonwood and Juniper campgrounds have drinking water on tap. Roundup may have water, but it's not a year-round service - verify with rangers, especially in shoulder season (May and October).

Lodging
The park has no lodging of its own. Camp, or sleep in a nearby town.

Camping






Backcountry
More than 40% of the park - close to 30,000 acres - is backcountry wilderness. Hikers and horseback parties who wish to camp overnight in the backcountry must register at either the South or North Unit visitor centers and obtain a free backcountry use permit. A free backcountry guide is also available. In addition to the established trail system, visitors have the opportunity to travel crosscountry in the park.

Stay safe
The Badlands are notorious for unpredictable and severe weather. Pack clothing for all conditions, you'll probably need it!

Wildlife in the park is dangerous, and should not be approached, but will not normally be a hazard unless provoked. Rattlesnakes are the exception.

Go next
If time permits, consider the long but beautiful 240-mile drive (310 mi from the North Unit) on Highway 85 to Rapid City. The heart of South Dakota's Badlands and Black Hills, it's a base for visiting several famous recreational areas including Badlands National Park and Mount Rushmore.