Elaine Adair Pieces

NQR - Traveling to Theodore Roosevelt National Park (TRNP)

DH and I spent a few days traveling NORTH in mid-May, to Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  Our timing was good, no tourists, no traffic, but it was drizzly the entire time.  We were not hiking, just mainly doing a driving tour .  One item on my bucket list was to see "wild horses" and yes, we saw them. This park has two units, North and South with 60 miles between.  The landscape and geology are amazing.  Many bison were everywhere,  We saw several herds of horses in the South Unit.  We stayed in Medora, at the entrance to the South Unit.  This attractive town is very small, and they were preparing for influx of tourists.  There is an amazing Rough Riders Hotel, looking First Class, where you might "dress for dinner."  We chose the Badland Motel, and could not have asked for anything more - clean, modern, and looking quite new.  I think we were one of two guests in a place prepared for several hundred during summer season.

We chose this location because it was remote and rugged with a history of fewer visitors than other National Parks.  There were numerous, almost empty camping areas.   I had packed most of our food, but we had one good meal at the Little Missouri Saloon and Dining Room, where we left our signed dollar bill tacked to the wall with thousands of other bills with names and dates.

The drive to our destination took us thru northwestern Nebraska, all of South Dakota, and much of North Dakota.  We experienced NO traffic except for a wrong turn in Rapid City.  We saw huge expanses of Grasslands, oil wells, and herds of Black Angus.  One silly highlight was when passing  and slowing down to a crawl on the major highway thru a tiny town, was a police car with a "dummy" officer sitting in the front seat.

Those huge round balls are rocks, called "cannonball concretions'.  They are found in abundance in this particular ridge. 

 I LOVE seeing the geology.  Amazing views were everywhere.

 I could almost touch this big guy - didn't want to try.

The wild horses are NOT running thru the grasslands, usually NOT fighting, no music in the background, but mostly interested in quiet grazing.  One stallion was definitely managing his herd, keeping order with various horse signals.  We didn't bother them, but kept our distance.